Hayley Williams Called Out Morgan Wallen by Name
Nashville native Hayley Williams didn’t mince words when she confirmed that Morgan Wallen was the target of a pointed lyric in her new solo track. During a recent appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, the Paramore lead singer directly identified Wallen as the “racist country singer” referenced in her song “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.”
“It could be a couple, but I’m always talking about Morgan Wallen,” Williams said. “I don’t give a s**t. I don’t care.”
The line in question—“the biggest star / At this racist country singer’s bar”—takes direct aim at Wallen’s Nashville venue, This Bar and Tennessee Kitchen, which opened in 2023.
Wallen’s 2021 Racial Slur Incident Still Resonates
Wallen, a Grammy-nominated country artist, came under fire in 2021 after he was filmed using a racial slur while intoxicated. The video, which surfaced via TMZ, led to swift backlash across the music industry. He was pulled from major radio stations and digital playlists, though his commercial success remained largely intact. His albums continued to perform well, and he eventually opened his own bar in downtown Nashville, named after his hit song “This Bar.”
Despite the fallout, Wallen has not publicly addressed Williams’ recent remarks.
Williams Unpacks Southern Identity and Racial Hypocrisy
Williams, who was born in Mississippi and raised in Tennessee, has long spoken out about the racial and cultural contradictions she experienced growing up in the South. Her recent solo work, including the track “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party,” explores the intersections of race, religion and identity.
“I’m never not ready to scream at the top of my lungs about racial issues,” she said on Popcast. “I don’t know why that became the thing that gets me the most angry. I think it’s because it’s so intersectional that it overlaps with everything from climate change to LGBTQIA+ issues.”
Her latest project continues that exploration, confronting the social and political frameworks that shaped her upbringing in a conservative Christian environment.
Song Highlights Themes of Privilege and Cultural Contradictions
“Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party” appears on Williams’ newest solo album, which delves into themes of hypocrisy, privilege and cultural tension. The song’s lyrics reflect her discomfort with the sanitized version of Southern pride that often ignores systemic racism..