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Country music has been going through some changes these past several years. Some artists, including Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile, are leading the cause for building a more inclusive industry. According to these singers, this might have created two different country music worlds.

Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile have spoken out against other country artists

Morris and Carlile are outspoken about wanting more representation for women, people of color, and LGBTQ folks in country music. Because of this, they often stand against artists with more traditional, conservative views.

For example, in 2021, after Morgan Wallen was caught on camera using the N-word, singer Kelsea Ballerini tweeted, “The news out of Nashville tonight does not represent country music.”

Morris responded to Ballerini and said, “It actually IS representative of our town because this isn’t his first ‘scuffle’ and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn’t his first time using that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse.”

Maren Morris signing in into a microphone next to Brandi Carlile playing a guitar
Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile | Tim Mosenfelder / Contributor

In the fall of 2022, Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, came under fire for making a transphobic post on Instagram. Morris was one of the Aldeans’ biggest critics. She even called Brittany “Insurrection Barbie” to mock her political views.

Carlile also publicly defended Morris, writing on Twitter, “Bravo @MarenMorris. It’s when you selflessly bear another’s burden that you actually reflect god’s love. Way to not tolerate disgusting behavior. It’s tough…but good to see this hidden divide exposed in country music – let your little light shine.”

Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile feel like there are ‘two country musics’

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times in September 2022, Morris opened up about the division among country artists.

“I was talking after all this to Brandi Carlile, who was like, ‘It does feel like there are two country musics,'” Morris said. “And, I don’t know, it should have been heartbreaking to hear that. But I was actually really relieved and encouraged to hear it.”

She continued, “It made me feel like, OK, country music on this mainstream level absolutely could be two things, and I’ve been trying to make it one, and maybe I should stop. I don’t know if Brandi meant it to be a positive, but I took it as one. It was like a pressure release.”

Maren Morris doesn’t mind losing some fans over her political views

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Morris understands that not everyone agrees with her views, but she would rather be honest and attract like-minded individuals than stay quiet only to lose fans later on.

“I’ve been very clear from the get-go,” she said. “It sucks when artists stay quiet, stay quiet, stay quiet, and then they finally reach their breaking point and have to say something because something is so unjust or disgusting. And then they lose half their crowd because they stayed quiet.”

Morris added, “I try to tell my husband this, because he’s still building: Let people know where you stand. The ones who don’t get it will fall away, but the ones that stick with you will know what they’re contributing to.”

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