Maren Morris' Battle With Country Music Goes Deeper Than Being Called 'Not Country Enough'

Summary

• Maren Morris faced backlash from traditional country music fans who believed she wasn't "country" enough, despite her critical success and awards.
• Morris has been vocal about the nature of the country music industry, critiquing its handling of issues like Morgan Wallen's use of racial slurs.
• Maren Morris has decided to take a step back from the music industry due to feeling distanced from country music and wanting to distance herself from the toxic environment.

Maren Morris is a popular country music singer, but she has been vocal about issues she has with the music industry. Morris rose in popularity in 2016, specifically with her hit single "My Church." The single was featured on her debut album with a big studio Hero. Morris had previously released some EPs on her own. That year, Morris won the Country Music Awards new artist of the year. Other popular songs of Morris include "80s Mercedes," "I Could Use A Love Song," "The Bones," and her collaboration with Zedd, "The Middle."

After being in the country music scene for so long, however, Morris has announced that she is taking a step back. The reason behind her exit stems from her views of the industry. Morris considers the country music industry to be very racist and homophobic, and she no longer feels welcome. Here's why Maren Morris hates country music.

Maren Morris Was 'Not Country' Enough For Fans

Maren Morris hit it big in 2016 with her song "My Church." The song won multiple awards in the country music scene and is considered to be her breakthrough track. The song also launched the rest of Morris's career, as it helped secure her winning New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Awards.

Though Morris was finding critical success and began selling out shows, a large portion of country music fans were appalled by her quick rise to fame.

Morris, along with many other new country artists, did not fit the traditional mold that country fans are used to, and people were outraged. "Ironically, it was like, 'She's not country. Look at the way she dresses. Get the hell out of here. You don't belong here. This is not, like, Dolly [Parton],'" Morris told Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli on The New York TImes "Podcast" on October 4th, 2023.

This was not the first time Morris had addressed the hate she received. In 2020, Morris was particularly vocal on her social media about her beliefs and what she thought was right.

"I still can get hurt when people claim I'm 'not country' but when I stood there accepting @cma Song of the Year, I realized it is much harder to forge your own path & sound that attempt to be a knock off of someone who's already pioneered the genre." she tweeted in November 2020.

Though Morris has never felt truly accepted by the country music industry, her issues with the institution run much deeper than simply not fitting in.

What Maren Morris Has Said About Country Music

Maren Morris has never been quiet about what she believes in. Since rising to fame, she has always spoken out about what she thinks is right, and she has never been one to hold back just because she is going up against other large names in the industry.

Morris has criticized the country music industry a lot over the years, specifically about its racist, homophobic, and closed off tendencies.

Morris has particularly been vocal about the racism that occurs in the industry. She took great issue with how the world handled country singer Morgan Wallen's use of the N-word.

"It actually IS representative of our town because this isn't his first 'scuffle' and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn't his first time using that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse," she tweeted in response to the lack of care surrounding Wallen's scandal.

Moris has also commented on the environment of country music festivals.

"At these country music festivals, I see the Confederate flags in the parking lots. I don't want to play those festivals anymore," she said at the Country Radio Seminar in February 2021. "If you were a black person, would you ever feel safe going to a show with those flying in the parking lot? No."

Racism is not the only problem Morris sees within the country music industry.

"The stereotype is you've either got to be this religious, virginal conservative, or the wronged woman burning the house down," Morris told BBC in June 2019. "People in pop and R&B are confident and sexy and sexual, and they're celebrating it, so why don't we, in country, write these songs?"

Regarding the homophobic nature of the country music industry, Morris joined RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked in January 2023 and address the situation.

"Coming from country music and its relationship with LGBTQ+ members, I just want to say I'm sorry," she said to the contestants. "And I love you guys for making me feel like a brave voice in country music. So, I just thank you guys so much for inspiring me."

Maren Morris Takes Step Back From Country Music

Maren Morris shocked everyone when she told the Los Angeles Times in September 2023 that she was taking a step back from the music industry.

Morris explained that she has felt "very, very distanced" from country music for a long time, and something needed to change. "I though t I'd like to burn it to the ground and start over. But it's burning itself down without my help."

Morris, even if fans have not realized it, has been backing up for quite some time. She spoke to the Los Angeles Times back in 2022 about her decision to not attend the Country Music Awards despite her nominations.

She expressed that given her issues with the industry, and her recent feud with Jason Aldean and his wife, she did not feel comfortable or welcome at the award ceremony.

Following her statement in September 2023, Morris went on the New York TImes "Podcast," which was previously mentioned, to clarify her meaning of taking a step back from country music.

"I don't want to say goodbye, but I really can't participate in the really toxic arms of this institution anymore," Morris said on the podcast. Morris expressed that after some "traumatic" experiences, she no longer wanted to be a part of the "toxic" environment.

Though Morris recognized that it may be "a little hyperbolic" to say she is fully quitting country music, she "certainly can't participate in a lot of it. So I'm okay kind of just going and doing my own thing."

"I'm not shutting off fans of country music. That's not my intention," she clarified. "It's just the music industry that I have to walk away, a few fractions, from." Moris encouraged fans to make the transition with her. "Everyone's welcome."