Maren Morris Shouts Out Country Music’s Black Women During 2020 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Acceptance Speech
Maren Morris finally came home the winner of Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov. 11). As fellow nominees Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde cheered from the audience, Morris walked onstage to accept the coveted award.
"My God, I'm going to try not to curse," a shocked Morris said to the crowd as she cradled the trophy.
And while Morris took the time to thank her team, she also made an important shoutout to a slew of Black female vocalists, including Rissi Palmer and Mickey Guyton, stating that she is a "fan of their music" and that these "amazing black women" are as "country as it gets."
"This has been the most magical night," she added at the end of her speech. "I get to see my baby after this."
A CMA Female Vocalist of the Year trophy has been a long time coming for Morris, who's been nominated in the category every year since 2016, but -- up until now -- has never won. She previously brought home the title of 2019 Album of the Year for her sophomore record, Girl, which earned her CMA accolades both as the recording artist and as co-producer.
Though 2020 has brought big changes for every artist, Morris' life has changed perhaps even more dramatically than most: In March, she and her husband Ryan Hurd became first-time parents when the singer gave birth to baby Hayes. When she performed at the 2020 ACM Awards back in September, Morris admitted that she was still adapting to getting back onstage after a few months of focusing on family, both because of her new baby and also because the COVID-19 pandemic had been preventing her (and everyone else) from touring.
Despite all the changes, Morris has continued to see considerable career success throughout 2020. Her CMA-nominated single, "The Bones," became the singer's third No. 1 radio hit in February, and also made her the first female artist to score a multi-week chart-topping hit since Carrie Underwood released "Blown Away" in 2012.
Morris edged out Underwood for CMA Vocalist of the Year in 2020, along with fellow nominees Kacey Musgraves, Lambert and McBryde.