Maren Morris Says She Is Officially Leaving Country Music

“I thought I’d like to burn it to the ground and start over but it’s burning itself down without my help.”

Today, Maren Morris released a new two-song project, titled “The Bridge,” featuring “The Tree” and “Get The Hell Out Of Here,” and although the project is still categorized as Country, she is apparently saying goodbye to the genre that she’s been apart of since her debut album, “Hero,” was released in 2016.

“These two songs are incredibly key to my next step because they express a very righteously angry and liberating phase of my life these last couple of years, but also how my navigation is finally pointing towards the future, whatever that may be or sound like,” Morris says. “Honoring where I’ve been and what I’ve achieved in country music, but also freely moving forward.”

In the music video she released today for The Tree, a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag is shown, as well as signs that read “Go Woke, Go Broke” and “Welcome to our perfect small town,” which is clearly in response to Jason Aldean’s single, “Try That In A Small Town“ released back in May.

The Aldean and Morris feud first began in August of last year when Jason’s wife, Brittany, posted an Instagram video of her putting on makeup with a caption that read;

“I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.“

After the post garnered attention on social media, Cassadee Pope took to Twitter and took a shot at the popular country singers wife, saying this:

That’s when Maren Morris decided to chime in, neither artist directly calling Brittany out by name:

Brittany ended up responding on Instagram, referring to Maren as “Karen” and thanking her for calling her “barbie.” Due to the feud, Maren later said she probably wouldn’t attend the CMA Awards, admitting “I don’t know if I feel home there right now.”

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times regarding her exit from Country music and the current political climate, Maren had this to say:

“After the Trump years, people’s biases were on full display. It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic. All these things were being celebrated, and it was weirdly dovetailing with this hyper-masculine branch of country music. I call it butt rock.“

When asked about the fact that Country songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart four times this year, Maren said this:

“I’d say, sure, congratulations on crossing over onto the big all-genre chart. But the stories going on within country music right now, I’ve tried to avoid a lot of it at all costs. I feel very, very distanced from it.”

Maren also touched on why she believes Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” resonated with so many listeners:

“I think it’s a last bastion. People are streaming these songs out of spite. It’s not out of true joy or love of the music, It’s to own the libs. And that’s so not what music is intended for. Music is supposed to be the voice of the oppressed — the actual oppressed. And now it’s being used as this really toxic weapon in culture wars.“

Finally the end of an era. Watch Maren’s brand new music videos, as well as our full YouTube video packed with more information, here: