This is really surreal! Being a new artist, I have been watching the Grammys, but it has never been my main focus. I can remember being in high school playing instruments and having no idea what kind of career path I would go down. I would listen to things I could get my hands on, and I was discovered through the Grindr platform, which allowed me to upload photos of me and see if people liked what I was doing. Now it has been a long road for me. I am so grateful that I was able to not only make it onto that show, but to win that award. I started hearing about it on social media, so I had no idea what was happening.
I was on the red carpet after the show, and I am wearing all the jewellery I’ve worked hard to get, so it was so surreal. As soon as I took my Grammy out, I gave it to my grandmother, who was here in Nashville for the ceremony. She cried! I was very overwhelmed, so I spent more time on the red carpet and talking to people than walking around backstage with my award. I was telling people how I was the only female country artist to win, which I had been praying for, but I just tried to stay true to my style. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but I was there to represent for the women out there.
I was in the studio with country radio executive Kevin Murphy the night before the awards and he said that he really liked all my single’s, and he texted me to tell me they had written a song and he would be playing it for me, and I thought he was joking! So when he reached out and asked if I would want to collaborate with him, I thought maybe he was just kidding. But I told him to call me if he came to Nashville. It was a huge honour to be included on the song, and it made me feel really proud that I had inspired someone.
I got to visit the Grammys and walk the red carpet and pose for photos, which meant a lot to me. I’ve always had this thing about being a girl in Nashville and trying to learn about the business. I know there are a lot of girls working in this town, but I never saw myself in those shoes. I want to be respectful of all the people who have paved the way before me. That day, I was honoured to be there, and I told everyone I met, “Don’t take this for granted.” I had already won because of all the hard work I’ve done. That was a really humbling moment.
Walking the red carpet is one of my favourite things. I’m a self-confessed goofball, and I love the fact that I walk around being photographed with my awards and singing along to every song on the MTV VMA awards. I am also such a big fan of celebrities, and I love hanging out with their fans. On the red carpet, when I hear some of my favourites music, I just say: “We were right.” It’s a good reminder, because I never know what my fans are going to think of what I am doing. I love to push boundaries.
When I look back on 2017, I was so thankful and grateful for all the lessons I learned. Being nominated for three Grammy awards felt incredible, but I was looking at how to make 2017 feel more important for my fans – as if they were my family. I really want to go out there and make sure my fans get this sort of experience, and I want to do them proud.
• Mickey Guyton was talking to Natalie Haynes