Maren Morris’s Humble Quest has been nominated for album of the year at the 2022 Country Music Association Awards. But she is still on the fence about attending. Morris has been beefing with the more conservative elements of country music ever since Brittany Aldean made what were seen as TERF-baity statements on Instagram. “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase,†she captioned a video. “I love this girly life.†Morris and fellow singer Cassadee Pope talked over the post on Twitter, with Morris writing, “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.†Ever since, Morris has been the focus of right-wing ire, getting her own seg on Tucker Carlson and getting into it with Candace Owens. (Morris caught wind of the Tucker Carlson moment via a group thread with the Brothers Osborne and Kacey Musgraves.) Now Morris is feeling separated from certain sectors of country music.
“Honestly, I haven’t decided if I’m gonna go. I’m very honored that my record is nominated. But I don’t know if I feel [at] home there right now,†she told the Los Angeles Times. “So many people I love will be in that room, and maybe I’ll make a game-time decision and go. But as of right now, I don’t feel comfortable going.†Morris went on to say that she felt sad attending the ceremony last year. “Some nights are fun. Others I’m just crawling out of my skin,†she said. “I’m not good at those events because I’m awkward. But this time I kind of feel peaceful at the notion of not going.â€