As whispers and speculations arise, the Grammy-winning artist, Maren Morris, appears to be parting ways with country music, based on her fresh tunes and a revealing chat with the Los Angeles Times.
Morris took to X (previously known as Twitter) to introduce her dual-track EP, “The Bridge.” She expressed that while the EP pays tribute to her roots, it also symbolizes a leap towards newer horizons.
The visuals accompanying her song “The Tree” offer glimpses into the various significant chapters in her life. It kicks off with Morris donning an attire from the 2016 Country Music Association Awards – a significant callback to the event she opted out of in 2022 due to a public spat with Brittany Aldean, Jason Aldean’s spouse.
More subtly, Morris tips her hat to Aldean’s contentious track “Try That In a Small Town” with a miniature model of a town displaying the message, “Welcome to our perfect small town”. Surrounding props further stoke the debate with signs like “Don’t tread on me” and “Go woke, go broke.”
Morris’ EP launch coincidentally marks a decade since her move to the musical mecca, Nashville.
Commenting on the country music landscape, Morris didn’t mince words in her interview. She criticized the industry’s reluctance to confront its roots tainted with racism and sexism, advocating for more inclusivity. “Instead of me attempting to rebuild it, the industry seems to be self-imploding,” Morris remarked.
Unabashedly, Morris has always worn her progressive views on her sleeve. From championing LGBTQ+ rights to pushing for gender-specific healthcare in regions that often resist such ideas, she stands tall.
A shining testament to her stance was when Morris performed at the “Love Rising” concert, an event promoting LGBTQ+ rights. Organized as a counter-response to legislation proposals that sought to curb gender-affirming healthcare and certain drag shows, Morris made a bold statement by introducing her toddler to drag queens backstage, daring the authorities to react.
Maren’s open-mindedness, however, hasn’t always garnered support. A classic case in point was Brittany Aldean’s 2022 video post on Instagram praising her conventional upbringing. In response, Morris advocated kindness and empathy. This retort caught the eye of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who dubbed Morris a “lunatic”. Rather than retaliate, Morris cleverly spun this comment, branding T-shirts with the term and selling them for transgender causes.
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