Country music star Zach Bryan released a preview of his new song, titled “Bad News,” in which he talks about the fading of the “red, white and blue” amid the current political climate, including his disapproval of the actions of so-called law enforcement and ICE raids.
After the publication of a short fragment of the song on the artist’s Instagram, Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, harshly criticized him.
Noem told podcaster Benny Johnson that she was “disappointed and disheartened” by Bryan’s lyrics, especially since he served in the US Navy from 2013 to 2022.
“I hope you understand how disrespectful that song is, not only to law enforcement, but to this country,” Noem said. “For every person who has fought for our freedoms. You just compromised everything by putting out a product like that, attacking those who are just trying to make our streets safe.”
After Noem criticized him, Bryan shared a message on his Instagram, defending his lyrics and pointing out how using his creative outlet as a weapon has shown how “divided” America is.
The country star served in the Navy for eight years before launching his music career. “For everyone to use this as a weapon now just shows how devastatingly divided we are. We need to find our way back. I served this country, I love it, and the song itself is about how we all got out of this divided space. I wasn’t speaking as a politician or as an asshole, just as a 29-year-old man as confused as everyone else.”
He added: “Left or right, we are all one bird and American. To be clear: I am not in any of those radical camps. To all those who are disappointed in me, regardless of your beliefs, know that I am also doing my best and that we all say things that are sometimes misinterpreted. Have a good day and I love you all!”
Bryan ended his post by reiterating how proud he is “to have served a country where we can all express ourselves freely, despite the violent and drastic anguish that the United States has faced in recent months.”
Zachary Lane Bryan is an American country music singer-songwriter and rock musician. After two self-produced studio albums, DeAnn (2019) and Elisabeth (2020), signed to Warner Record American Heartbreak (2022), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and was led by the single “Something in the Orange,” which peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
Her fourth album (2023) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while its single, “I Remember Everything” (featuring Kacey Musgraves), reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance.
Their fifth album, The Great American Bar Scene (2024), reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart and generated the single “Pink Skies”, located in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
