Maren Morris took the stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, August 21, to show her support for Vice President Kamala Harris. The singer-songwriter performed her 2020 protest anthem “Better Than We Found It,” a song originally released in response to the murder of George Floyd and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Morris’ performance served as a powerful contrast between the Democratic and Republican platforms, highlighting the urgent need for unity and progress. “When lines of tomorrow are drawn / Can I live with the side that I chose to be on? / Will we sit on our hands, do nothing about it? / Or will we leave this world better than we found it?” she sang, echoing the song’s call for a better future. The lyrics resonated deeply, as she continued, “America, America, divided we fall / America, America, God save us all / From ourselves and the Hell that we’ve built for our kids / America, America, we’re better than this.”
Morris, 34, has long been an advocate for inclusivity within the country music industry. In 2022, she shared how her activism stemmed from witnessing inequality in the genre. “I didn’t start making music to become an activist,” she explained. “But once you see the disparity, it’s impossible to ignore.”
As a bisexual woman and vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, Morris has not shied away from challenging discriminatory views in the industry. She notably criticized country star Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany, for making transphobic comments in August 2022, calling her out on social media. Morris also famously responded to Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s insult—when he dubbed her a “Lunatic Country Music Person”—by creating T-shirts with the phrase, raising funds for trans rights organizations.
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