Maren Morris - the iconic voice behind hits like 'My Church' - has announced her departure from the genre that made her a star.
In a seismic shift that is sending shockwaves through the country music scene, an emotionally candid interview with the Los Angeles Times has provided insight into her reasons for this groundbreaking career move.
Morris reveals: "The stories going on within country music right now, I've tried to avoid a lot of it at all costs. I feel very, very distanced from it. I had to take a step back." She attributes her decision to a blend of personal and professional concerns, along with a discontentment over the way country music is being used in what she calls "culture wars."
This revelation comes just three months after Jason Aldean faced severe criticism for his song 'Try That In A Small Town', which drew accusations of promoting violence and having racist undertones. Despite the controversy, Aldean's song shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a fact that Morris finds disconcerting.
She argues: "People are streaming these songs out of spite. It's not out of true joy or love of the music. It's to own the libs. And that's so not what music is intended for. Music is supposed to be the voice of the oppressed — the actual oppressed. And now it's being used as this really toxic weapon in culture wars."
Maren Morris doesn't hold back in her new music video "The Tree," part of her recently released two-song EP, "The Bridge." The video seems to throw shade at Aldean's controversial song, featuring a sign that reads, "Welcome to our perfect SMALL TOWN from sundown to sunset." This appears to be a strategic move from Morris, who has previously clashed with Aldean over matters like gender identity.
Discussing her new song 'The Tree', Morris shared on Instagram: "It's about a toxic 'family tree' burning itself to the ground. Halfway through, I realize it's burning itself down without any of my help."
The 33-year-old singer-songwriter seems to have found solace in her artistic expression, singing in the new track: "I'll never stop growin', wherever I'm goin' / Hope I'm not the only one."
In the LA Times interview, Morris addresses those who might see her departure as a victory for conservatives, stating: "I'm sure some people may think that. And I would say, 'Feel free. Go ahead.'" Yet, despite the separation, Morris confesses a complicated relationship with country music: "I don't want to have an adversarial relationship to country music. I still find myself weirdly wanting to protect it."
Her latest EP, The Bridge, mirrors her evolving perspective and growing disillusionment with the country genre. "These songs are obviously the result of that — the aftermath of walking away from something that was really important to you and the betrayal that you felt very righteously," Morris said.
As Maren Morris steps into the next chapter of her musical journey, her exit poses significant questions about the state of country music today and the cultural divisions it's creating.
