Maren Morris Breaks Silence: Shocking Revelation of Death Threats Targeting 3-Year-Old Son After Taking Stand Against Morgan Wallen

Maren Morris shared her harrowing experience after condemning Morgan Wallen's use of a racial slur, revealing that her son, Hayes, was subjected to death threats.

"That was terrible," exclaimed Morris, aged 33, during the October 4 episode of The New York Times' "Popcast" podcast. "Not because I regret my statement, because I absolutely don't. It needed to be publicly condemned by fellow individuals."

Wallen, who is now 30 years old, was captured on video uttering a racial slur during a night in Nashville in 2021, an action for which he has since apologized. When the footage was made public, Morris promptly retaliated with a post on social media.

"It is indeed a true reflection of our town as this incident is not his first brush with controversy, and he recently shattered a major streaming record despite it all. At the time, she expressed her thoughts via X (formerly Twitter), stating, 'We are well aware that this was not the first instance of him using that offensive word. We continue to support and shield them from consequences, regardless.'"

During Wednesday's podcast episode, Morris revealed that the aftermath of the scandal inflicted considerable emotional distress on her life.

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

"I cannot speak for the experience of being subjected to a racial slur since I am white," she explained. "However, what deeply affected me was the aftermath - the relentless stream of death threats. It wasn't just directed towards me, but also towards my son. I could never have imagined that criticizing a racial slur would escalate to such alarming levels."

Referring to Nashville and the country industry, Morris, who welcomed Hayes with her husband Ryan Hurd in March 2020, expressed her surprise at the impact her clapback had. She admitted to underestimating the power of the town and its ability to protect itself, acknowledging that the strong reaction she received was historically accurate.

Courtesy of Maren Morris/Instagram

In a lighthearted remark, the “Girl” singer playfully claimed to have foreseen the future when she proclaimed that Wallen would be shielded. Despite temporarily disappearing from country radio and facing a suspension from his music label, Wallen's success remained steadfast. It's worth noting that he has even been tapped to headline the coveted 2024 Stagecoach music festival.

Morris described the public's intense response to her remarks about Wallen as a "warning shot." She has now disclosed her intentions to create some distance between herself and the country music community.

"In addition to voicing your thoughts, there is also the unfortunate consequence of losing friends that you thought were supportive," she expressed during the "Popcast" podcast. "These are individuals who I have had disagreements with in public, but who had previously extended tour opportunities to me."

One year after denouncing Wallen's offensive remarks in 2021, Morris found himself embroiled in a public dispute with Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean, regarding the provision of gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

"I am not hesitant to hold people accountable, but recently, especially in the past year, I feel that burden shouldn't always fall on me," Morris expressed. "I don't wish for others to go through what I've experienced. I'm eager to move forward and focus on positivity, embracing the light, and welcoming those who choose to join me on this journey."

In this article

Maren Morris