Hayley Williams of Paramore openly confirmed her new song “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party” references country singer Morgan Wallen, breaking her usual habit of keeping song subjects ambiguous. On The New York Times’ “Popcast” podcast, the 36-year-old singer bluntly stated, “I’m always talking about Morgan Wallen,” adding defiantly, “Find me at Whole Foods bitch, I don’t care.” The lyrics include the line, “I’ll be the biggest star at this racist country singer’s bar.”
This follows past criticism Wallen faced after a 2021 video showed him using a racial slur. Artists like Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris condemned his actions at the time, with Morris noting Wallen’s continued success despite controversy. Wallen publicly apologized, met with Black music leaders for education, and acknowledged his mistake in a Billboard interview: “There’s no excuse. I’ve talked to a lot of people, heard stories [about] things I would have never thought about.”
Wallen faced further scrutiny in April 2024 when he was arrested for throwing a chair from a Nashville rooftop bar, pleading guilty to reckless endangerment charges later that year. Despite backlash, some public figures, like Kristin Cavallari, defended him. On the “Dumb Blonde” podcast, Cavallari called Wallen a “good guy” and “great f**k buddy,” though she admitted he’s “been with every woman on the planet.” Wallen has not publicly responded to Williams’ song.