There have been some very public examples of recent progress in country music, be it the radio pulling Wallen off the playlists after his use of a racial slur on the video last month or a record of four black artists – Jimmie Allen, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton and John Legend (for a duet with Carrie Underwood) – receiving nominations at the 2021 ACM Awards. In addition, Guyton and Darius Rucker were chosen to co-present the ACM and CMA awards, respectively, last year. Morris hopes to be a part of that change as well, starting with the people she chooses to work with.
“You will always have people wanting to come after you if you say something that is unpopular with them or their group thinking,” she admits. “For me, it’s like, I have to think about my son and the people in my circle going forward – with whom I write, who I work with – and think, ‘Am I making room for everyone?’ I don’t care if someone at TikTok thinks I suck. It’s not really my problem. I just want to exist in a genre that is working to be better. “
Morris’s hit song “The Bones” – which reached 12th place on the Billboard Hot 100 and found success across the country, pop and AC radio stations – was nominated for Sunday’s Grammy as best country song. She will also perform at the ceremony, alongside John Mayer.
See the full interview below: