Today (5.15), Mackenzie Carpenter – the country singer-songwriter who has amassed more than 100M career streams – sends a soured love spinning into the neon-lit dust with a flip of her ponytail on “ High Pony,” out now via Big Machine Records. Written by Carpenter alongside Jimmy Robbins and Matt Stell, the retro-tinged track rides on twangy guitars and a country-pop dancefloor groove as she shrugs off a cowboy, too stuck on his high horse to admit what’s been lost.
“I feel like, in girl world, a high pony is like an alter ego,” says Carpenter. “It brings out this more confident, unbothered side of you. That’s exactly the energy behind this song.”
“High Pony” further spotlights the coveted pop-country edge and lyricism that have made Carpenter – a recent ACM “New Female Artist of the Year” nominee – one of the genre’s fastest-rising artists.
She has earned recognition as part of MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing Artists Class,” Spotify’s “Hot Country Artists to Watch” and CMT’s “Next Women of Country.” Beyond her own releases, she’s become an in-demand songwriter, crafting tracks for Megan Moroney, Lily Rose and Hudson Westbrook, with more new music expected in the coming months.
ABOUT MACKENZIE CARPENTER:
Raised in the small town of Hull, Georgia, Mackenzie Carpenter grew up writing songs with her brothers and singing in church, shaping a voice that felt honest before it ever felt polished. That foundation became the heartbeat of her debut album, Hey Country Queen, a 13-song introduction that blended humor, heartbreak, and sharp storytelling, earning over 100 million streams to date and recognition as one of Holler’s Best Country Albums of 2025. But if Country Queen was the crown, her next chapter is the aura.
Mackenzie’s new releases mark an evolution that confidently wears a magnetic and contagious presence. It’s the sound of a woman you notice before you understand why. Aspirational–but undeniably human–close enough to recognize yourself in her, while luminous in a way that makes you fall in love with who you’re becoming. Following the April 3 release of her new song “All In Already,” the 2026 ACM New Female Artist of the Year nominee continues the momentum with her sassy new track “High Pony,” arriving May 15.
Still rooted in classic Country storytelling, this new project expands the atmosphere around it. The production feels warm and charming. The writing cuts deeper but lands softer, and a rare duality exists throughout. It’s playful yet iconic, and grounded yet glowing. Mackenzie moves from barefoot honesty to center stage confidence without changing a single thing about who she is. This music leans into nuance: the tucked-hair glance, the laugh that spills out without apology, the ache beneath the wit. It feels like sunshine blended with a secret, both effortlessly cool and undeniably alluring.
Beyond her own artistry, Mackenzie continues shaping the next wave of Country music as a trusted co-writer behind Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty,” “Indifferent,” the CMA-nominated “You Had To Be There” (with Kenny Chesney), and multiple tracks on Moroney’s latest album. Her breakout duet “I Wish You Would” (ft. Midland) was hailed as one of 2025’s most irresistible collaborations, cementing her as both a compelling voice and a sought-after pen. Named to MusicRow’s ‘Next Big Thing’ Artists Class, Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch, and CMT’s Next Women of Country, Carpenter has shared stages with Miranda Lambert, Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum and more. She continues into 2026 on select dates of Riley Green’s Cowboy As It Gets Tour, as well as select dates of Jason Aldean as support for his Songs About Us Tour.
ABOUT BIG MACHINE RECORDS:
Led by Founder, Chairman, and CEO Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Records & Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment are the core record company brands in Borchetta’s portfolio of businesses.
The Big Machine/Nashville Harbor artist roster includes Riley Green, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, The Jack Wharff Band, Marfa, Aaron Lewis, Caroline Jones, Cole Goodwin, Greylan James, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Shaylen.
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