Maren Morris is pulling back the curtain on what it’s been like to navigate the country music world as a woman — and she’s not sugarcoating it.
In a candid TikTok video posted on Saturday (Jan. 9), the Grammy-winning artist reflected on her 10-year run in the genre, describing the experience as, at times, “really heartbreaking.”
“The choices I have made over the years, being a woman in music — especially country music — [have been] very calculated,” Morris said. “I was very luckily successful in country music.”
Her breakout moment came in 2016 with “My Church,” the song that earned her a Grammy and introduced her voice to millions.
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But behind the scenes, she says, the atmosphere was already shifting — and not always in ways that felt welcoming.
A Space That’s Become ‘Very Politicized’
Morris recalled how her debut album Hero arrived just months before the 2016 presidential election — and how quickly things began to feel different.
“The country music space [has] become very politicized,” she shared, noting how the culture shifted as national politics bled into industry dynamics.
Though she didn’t dwell on specific political flashpoints, she described the past decade as emotionally complex — especially for a songwriter trying to reflect the world honestly in her work. What once felt like neutral ground has, at times, felt tense and isolating.
Still Rooted in Country — But More Selective
Morris also acknowledged how personal changes have shaped her recent choices, including her decision to step back from some public-facing events in the country world.
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“The last few years I have definitely taken moves… I’ve gotten divorced, I’m a single mom now, and I’m sort of in my own weird music space,” she said. “I love my Texas roots. I love country music. I love Nashville… but it’s been very hot. Like, no one is very friendly.”
She added that while “some people are cool,” the atmosphere around awards shows and industry spaces has become “very dicey” and “very heated” — leading her to bow out in some ways.
A Songwriter First
Despite all of it, Morris hasn’t stopped creating — and she hasn’t lost her love for the genre.
“You cannot be a full songwriter and reflect reality and live through song without being political,” she said. “It is what it is… I try to be kind. I try to be benevolent.”
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Her latest project, Dreamsicle, arrived last May — her first major release since stepping away from country radio and redefining her creative direction.
The record reflects a blend of personal growth and reckoning, and for Morris, it’s simply the next chapter in her story.
“There are people and energies in the sphere of my work the last few years that have really put me off,” she said. “So I’ve stepped away in certain facets. But I still love country music.”
9 Bold Country Music Predictions For 2026
No, we don’t have a crystal ball…but we DO have nine out-there ideas for where country music could be headed in 2026.
This predictions list includes the stars we think will release new music, and we named a star we think will rise out of reality television. Plus, we predicted the exact month we think Jelly Roll will have a major cover story spot and took a stab at guessing the 2026 CMA Entertainer of the Year.
Our batting average for country music predictions has been about 4/9 in the past couple of years, so don’t expect all of these to come true. But hey, even if they don’t — there’s always 2027.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
