Maren Morris recently announced that she will be taking a break from the country music scene, but she wants to make it clear that it’s not a permanent or complete departure. In a recent interview on the New York Times‘ podcast Popcast, the 33-year-old singer-songwriter said, “It’s a little exaggerated to say that I’ve left country music because that’s just ridiculous. But I won’t be heavily involved in it. I’m content doing my own thing.” As part of her hiatus, Morris will not submit her music for country music awards and will be leaving Sony Music Nashville to sign with Columbia Records in New York.
“I don’t want to say goodbye, but I can no longer be part of the toxic elements of this industry,” Morris further explained. “I love Nashville and my family is there. People come from LA and New York to write with us because we have amazing songwriters. But I no longer want to be part of this circus where I have to tolerate and justify people’s bad behavior. After 2020, I couldn’t continue like that. I’ve changed, and a lot of things changed for me that year.”
According to People, Morris’ feelings intensified after experiencing the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. However, she also noted how she sensed the underlying issues as soon as she entered the country music scene in 2016. Morris explained that there was always a sense of not belonging, as if she didn’t fit the mold of traditional country artists like Dolly Parton. Her criticisms of the industry’s failure to address sexism and racism were often taken as a broad attack on everything it stands for. “It feels like they’re saying, ‘Not only are you criticizing our way of life,’ which I’m not, ‘you’re criticizing every fundamental belief we have, you’re criticizing Jesus, you’re criticizing blue-collar workers, you’re criticizing farmers,'” Morris said.
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Morris went on to say, “They will go to great lengths to defend the abuse and inequalities that exist within the industry.” She experienced this firsthand when she spoke out against fellow country star Morgan Wallen’s use of a racial slur in 2021 and faced death threats as a result. “I’ve had to find my own way through all of this,” she added. While Morris didn’t reveal all the specifics of her future plans, she expressed her hope that her fans will continue to support her. “Come along if you want to; everyone is welcome,” she said. Watch the podcast here. (Read more Maren Morris stories.)
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