Hayley Williams isn't holding back. She's naming Morgan Wallen as the muse behind a pointed lyric on her new album that calls out a "racist country singer."
In an interview with The New York Times, Williams confirmed that when she sings, "I'll be the biggest star at this racist country singer's bar," she's referring to Wallen.
Asked directly by the interviewers, she stated, "It could be a couple, but I'm always talking about Morgan Wallen. I don't give a shit."
She doubled down with humor and boldness by adding, "Find me at Whole Foods, bitch! I don't care." Her frank tone shows she doesn't fear backlash, US Magazine reported.
Williams also made it clear that using her voice to address racial issues is part of who she is now. "I'm never not ready to scream at the top of my lungs about racial issues," she said.
She sees those topics as deeply connected to many of her other passions, from climate change to LGBTQIA+ rights.
"When you're passionate about something and you really believe in something... talk about it," she urged.
Hayley Williams reveals Morgan Wallen is the “racist country singer” she is referring to on her track ‘Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party’:
— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 2, 2025
“It could be [about a few people] but I'm always talking about Morgan Wallen, I don't give a s—. Find me at Whole Foods, b—, I don't care” pic.twitter.com/B8sg2qTunI
Hayley Williams Spotlights Racial History in Song
In that same conversation, she offered listeners a peek into her deeper lyrical choices. According to RollingStone, on her song "True Believer," she references Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," a song about racial violence.
She also wrote about a place in Franklin, Tennessee, bought by a formerly enslaved person from their former owner—an element of local history she fears is being erased by gentrification.
"I was able to inject some of this history I'm aware of ... it feels really important to pass on," she said.
Williams did not shy away from calling out musical establishments tied to country stars either. She told Stereogum she has "beef" with many of them.
When asked about her least favorite bar, she deadpanned, "Morgan Wallen's spot, whatever it is."
She even joked about opening her own bar someday—but likely one for communities she cares about, rather than one tied to a traditional country music persona.
In 2021, he was recorded using the N‑word publicly, an incident that drew backlash and consequences. He later apologized, but the moment remains part of his legacy.
By claiming that lyric, Williams is staking territory: she will name names when she feels it's important.
© 2025 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
