Maren Morris is one of the more outspoken stars in country music. But, despite her urgency to speak her mind in public settings or on social media, the singer-songwriter admits she doesn’t want to be THAT person associated with getting into scuffles on the internet.
“I don’t really want to be known for my clap backs on Twitter. I would like to be known for my songs,” Morris recently told Apple Music Country’s Proud Radio with Hunter Kelly.
And rightfully so, as Morris, 32, who was recently labeled a “lunatic country music person” by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, has collected many No. 1 hits throughout the years. Take for example, “My Church,” “Girl,” and “The Bones,” just to name a few.
But, even though Morris, who has been nominated for a 2022 CMA Album of the Year Award for Humble Quest, wants the focus to be mainly on her music, she claims she feels like she’s one of just a few country artists willing to use their platform to speak out when they see that something needs to be said or done to change the current status of the country genre in regard to racism and the LGBTQ+ community.
“I try to rise above — not even bad behavior, but just expected behavior that has become normalized that is bad,” Morris shared. “I can’t just be this merch store on the internet that sells you songs and t-shirts….because the real human aspect of this is when I go on tour, and I see the people in my crowd. That is not the internet, that is real… And you see how your crowd starts to change the more that you let people know where you stand.”
Morris revealed where she stood in September when she publicly criticized Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean over what appeared to be a transphobic post in response to the Florida Department of Health’s new guidance over gender-affirming care for transgender kids.
Tension arose after Brittany Instagrammed a video of herself applying makeup to her face and included the caption, “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.”
That post started a heated exchange over Twitter beginning with a response made by Cassadee Pope.
“It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie,” Morris wrote in response to Pope’s Tweet, seemingly calling out Brittany without actually using her name.
It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) August 26, 2022
The rift then continued with other members of the country music community openly taking a side in the issue. And, Morris’ husband, Ryan Hurd also rallied behind his wife over the feud with the tweet, “Scoring quick points by picking on trans kids isn’t something that is brave at all. And I’m proud of Maren for sticking up for them. Badge of honor to have CO engage in completely normal discourse, too. Shut up and sing only applies to those who you disagree with.”
He later tweeted, “Getting a lot of people telling me our career is over, as if the last time she spoke up about something it disappeared. Honestly, we’re pretty ok over here. Tours are good, got a 2-year-old we love, we’re fu***** fine, and I promise she isn’t going to shut up now.”
On the Apple Music Country podcast, Morris recalled the support she received from her husband, whom she wed in 2018.
“He’s like,’I hate that you always feel like you have to be the hall monitor of modern country music’s behaviors in and around race and homophobia, transphobia,” Morris said, adding. “I don’t need to feel like I have to always be that person that speaks up. I think I come across a lot louder than I actually am because everyone else is so quiet.”
Additionally, Maren Morris is currently in the midst of her headlining tour, dubbed the Humble Quest Tour, with her next scheduled tour date at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 13.
