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Maren Morris<\/a> is pulling back the curtain on what it\u2019s been like to navigate the country music world as a woman \u2014 and she\u2019s not sugarcoating it.<\/p>\n In a candid TikTok video<\/a> posted on Saturday (Jan. 9), the Grammy-winning artist reflected on her 10-year run in the genre, describing the experience as, at times, \u201creally heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe choices I have made over the years<\/a>, being a woman in music \u2014 especially country music \u2014 [have been] very calculated,\u201d Morris said. \u201cI was very luckily successful in country music.\u201d<\/p>\n Her breakout moment came in 2016 with \u201cMy Church,\u201d the song that earned her a Grammy and introduced her voice to millions.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>These 8 Country Stars Were Canceled: Here\u2019s What They Did to Earn It<\/a><\/p>\n But behind the scenes, she says, the atmosphere was already shifting<\/a> \u2014 and not always in ways that felt welcoming.<\/p>\n Morris recalled how her debut album Hero<\/em> arrived just months before the 2016 presidential election \u2014 and how quickly things began to feel different<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe country music space [has] become very politicized,\u201d she shared, noting how the culture shifted as national politics bled into industry dynamics.<\/p>\n Though she didn\u2019t dwell on specific political flashpoints, she described the past decade as emotionally complex \u2014 especially for a songwriter trying to reflect the world honestly in her work<\/a>. What once felt like neutral ground has, at times, felt tense and isolating.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>7 Artists Who Started Out in Country Music, But Aren\u2019t Anymore<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe last few years I have definitely taken moves\u2026 I\u2019ve gotten divorced, I\u2019m a single mom<\/a> now, and I\u2019m sort of in my own weird music space,\u201d she said. \u201cI love my Texas roots. I love country music. I love Nashville\u2026 but it\u2019s been very hot. Like, no one is very friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that while \u201csome people are cool,\u201d the atmosphere around awards shows<\/a> and industry spaces has become \u201cvery dicey\u201d and \u201cvery heated\u201d \u2014 leading her to bow out in some ways.<\/p>\n Despite all of it, Morris hasn\u2019t stopped creating \u2014 and she hasn\u2019t lost her love for the genre<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot be a full songwriter and reflect reality and live through song without being political,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is what it is\u2026 I try to be kind. I try to be benevolent.\u201d<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Kelsea Ballerini + Maren Morris Are Writing Together: Three Days, Girl Time \u2026 and a Duet?<\/a><\/p>\n Her latest project, Dreamsicle<\/em>, arrived last May \u2014 her first major release since stepping away from country radio and redefining her creative direction.<\/p>\n The record reflects a blend of personal growth and reckoning<\/a>, and for Morris, it\u2019s simply the next chapter in her story.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are people and energies in the sphere of my work the last few years that have really put me off,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I\u2019ve stepped away in certain facets. But I still love country music.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/em> we think Jelly Roll will have a major cover story spot and took a stab at guessing the 2026 CMA Entertainer of the Year.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 there’s always 2027.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA Space That\u2019s Become ‘Very Politicized’<\/h3>\n
Still Rooted in Country \u2014 But More Selective<\/h3>\n
A Songwriter First<\/h3>\n
9 Bold Country Music Predictions For 2026<\/h2>\n