Country music sensation Maren Morris is staunchly defending her position as a woman thriving in an industry where men often dominate.

“Every decision I’ve made over the years in music, particularly country music, has been deliberate,” Morris, 35, shared in a TikTok video on Friday, January 9. “I was fortunate to find success in country music. My debut single, ‘My Church,’ received extensive radio play and, while it never reached No. 1, it became hugely popular. It even earned me a Grammy.”

She further elaborated, “Professionally, I was experiencing a peak, but as my first album, Hero, featuring ‘My Church,’ released in June 2016, the political landscape shifted with [Donald] Trump‘s election in November of the same year. The success of my debut record coincided with Trump’s first year in office, making everything feel inherently political, even if it wasn’t a major concern before.”

Morris also reflected on her career over the past decade, navigating the country music scene under the tenures of “Trump, [former president Joe] Biden, and then Trump again,” noting that it’s been intriguing to witness the increasing politicization of the country music environment.

Addressing recent headlines about her stepping away from country music, Morris clarified that it is “an exaggeration” to suggest she is completely abandoning the genre. “I feel like I’m not saying goodbye, but I can no longer engage with the more toxic elements of this institution,” Morris, 33, expressed during an interview on Wednesday, October […].

“And the last few years I have definitely taken moves during Covid, post all of that — I’ve gotten divorced, I’m, like, a single mom now and I’m sort of, like, in my own weird music space,” she added. “It’s really heartbreaking because I love my Texas roots, I love country music, I love Nashville – I live here [and] I have not lived anywhere else in the last 15 years — but it’s been very hot. Like, no one is very friendly.”

Us Weekly confirmed in October 2023 that Morris filed for divorce from her then-husband Ryan Hurd after five years of marriage. The country music star cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the pair’s split in documents obtained by Us. Prior to their split, the former couple welcomed their son, Hayes, in March 2020.

@marenmorris

Replying to @Kevin Smith

♬ original sound – marenmorris

While Morris said on Friday that while “some people are cool” in the country music scene, “it’s been very dicey at these award shows and s***,” adding, “I don’t really go to them anymore, but it’s been very heated.”

“But you cannot be a full song writer and, you know, reflect reality and live through song without being political,” she continued. “Like, I’m sorry, it is what it is … I try to be kind, I try to be benevolent, but there are people and energies in the sphere of my work the last few years that have really put me off. So, I’ve stepped away in certain facets. But I still love country music.”

Morris then gave a shoutout to her loyal fanbase before admitting that she has “lost a lot of fans over the years because of my viewpoints.” (Morris was involved in a highly-publicized feud with Jason Aleadon and Brittany Aldean in 2022 after Brittany made controversial comments about gender affirming care for trans youth.)

Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM Maren Morris isn’t transitioning into the “pop” music world anytime soon. “Obviously no — like, that’s hilarious,” Morris, 33, said of the possible pivot to pop stardom in a Tuesday, November 28, interview with Variety honoring her as Changemaker of the Year. “I’m not getting out of Dodge. I love […]

“I think that’s fair,” Morris said of people deciding not to listen to her music because of her personal and political views. “If you don’t agree with me, you can’t enjoy my music because of my viewpoints, you’re absolutely allowed to do that.”

She continued, “But I am only here for an iteration of revolution around the sun, a couple, and so I do feel like I have sacrificed a lot of my mental health, my financial standing, my family, just because I am so deeply concerned and uncomfortable with the weird status quo of country music.”