Maren Morris is shedding mild on headlines about her leaving nation music, explaining that it’s “hyperbolic” to say she’s placing all the style behind her.
“I felt like I don’t wish to say goodbye, however I actually can’t take part within the actually poisonous arms of this establishment anymore,” Morris, 33, shared in the course of the Wednesday, October 4, episode of The New York Occasions’ “Popcast” podcast, noting that it’s “ridiculous” to say she’s leaving nation music general.
“I definitely can’t take part in numerous it,” Morris added. “I’m OK sort of simply doing my very own factor. Include me should you please; everybody’s welcome.”
Morris launched The Bridge EP final month, with songs “The Tree” and “Get the Hell Out of Right here,” seemingly asserting her departure from nation music. She additionally spoke candidly about feeling “very distanced” from the style throughout an interview with the Los Angeles Occasions.
“I believed I’d prefer to burn it to the bottom and begin over,” she mentioned on the time. “However it’s burning itself down with out my assist.”
Nonetheless, Morris used the “Popcast” podcast to additional clarify what she actually meant, revealing that she gained’t be collaborating in nation music-based awards exhibits.
“I requested to not submit my music. … I don’t know if it’s ceaselessly,” she defined. “I’m not shutting off followers of nation music, or that’s not my intention. It’s simply the music business that I’ve to stroll away, a number of factions from.”

Maren Morris on stage. Catherine Powell/Getty Pictures for CMT
Morris’ mentioned that her essential difficulty with the nation music “establishment” — because it was referred to all through the podcast — got here in 2020. (Morris was outspoken on the time in regards to the significance of the Black Lives Matter motion and performers canceling concert events throughout COVID-19 outbreaks.)
“I couldn’t do that circus anymore — feeling like l have to soak up and clarify individuals’s dangerous behaviors and giggle it off,” she shared. “I’ve modified. Lots of issues modified about me that yr.”
Whereas 2020 was a serious turning level in her life, Morris famous that she had been receiving “backlash” for years within the nation music scene.
After she launched tracks “My Church” and “80s Mercedes” in 2016, Morris mentioned individuals would inform her “you don’t belong right here.” She mentioned it was the “writing on the wall” of what was to come back in her future.
“I feel once I zoomed out, hard-cold details … that is getting considerably worse annually for individuals on the margins, and girls typically,” she mentioned throughout Wednesday’s interview. “It’s not improved, it’s not even plateaued. It’s gotten worse.”
Since her rise to fame, Morris has been outspoken about varied social points and the way they’re represented within the nation music neighborhood. She famously made headlines for a public feud final yr with Jason Aldean and his spouse, Brittany Aldean, over gender-affirming look after younger individuals.
Whereas she could also be taking a step again from the “establishment” of nation music, Morris isn’t truly going anyplace.
“I like dwelling in Nashville, I’ve my household,” she mentioned. “There’s a motive why individuals come there from L.A. and New York to put in writing with us. It’s as a result of we now have wonderful songwriters there. That’s not gonna change.”
