Megan Moroney Doesn’t Want to Be Pitted Against Carrie Underwood

Megan Moroney caught a stray early this year after some fans, unhappy with Carrie Underwood‘s decision to sing at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, voiced their intentions to boycott Underwood’s music and pivot to Moroney’s instead.

But Moroney tells Rolling Stone that she thinks pitting women against women — for any reason — is an inherently backwards move.

“I’m like, ‘Why am I getting brought into this?'” Moroney says, recalling the social media buzz at the time.

“I’m happy they relate to my music,” she continues, “… [but] I’m never happy tearing down another woman.”

Read More: 25 Women Changing the Country Music Game

A Glamour article from January digs into some of the details of the Underwood-to-Moroney fandom shift, interviewing one social media user who previously ran an Underwood fan account but rebranded themselves toward Moroney after the inauguration.

They described Moroney as “unproblematic” and a “fresh, authentic voice that country music needs.”

Meanwhile, the same fan felt that Underwood — who has a large LGBTQ+ following, many of whom have found a rallying cry in her 2018 song “Love Wins” — had betrayed a portion of her fanbase by choosing to sing at Trump’s inauguration ceremony.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Moroney said “it’s a valid feeling” that some fans saw Underwood’s performance as a betrayal. She also hopes her music speaks to listeners of all political stripes.

Read More: I Know Who Carrie Underwood Was Winking at During the Inauguration

“I come from a really big family, with each side of the [political] spectrum. And I’ve found that you can’t change anyone’s mind,” she reflects. “The best thing I can do is love them. That’s what I want to give my fans, too. My music is there so hopefully they can find comfort.”

As for whether she’d make the same decision did to sing at Trump’s inauguration? “It’s hard to say,” Moroney replies.