Mickey Guyton is the first solo Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy in the country category. Although Mickey didn’t win last night, she did make history in a genre of music that has worked extremely hard to keep Black people out. Mickey was interviewed by ET Online correspondent Keltie Knight on the red carpet at the Grammys. They talked about her historic nomination, her song Black Like Me (I downloaded it), giving birth to her son Grayson thirty days ago, and the backlash she received from calling out country singer Morgan Wallen. Morgan was caught on video using the n-word while drinking and partying with his friends. Morgan later apologized after being shunned (eye roll). Mickey told Keltie that the vitriol and hatred that came at her caused her to go into premature labor with her son. Below are a few excerpts from her Entertainment Tonight interview on Youtube:

On her song Black Like Me resonating with people
The world stopped and it forced us to really look at ourselves but I wrote this song almost three years ago after I saw Botham Jean and that story of how he passed away. I was so affected by that and I’ve seen police brutality happen against my husband. Just now the world stopped and was able to see it and to see us and to see what is truly important that we are all one.

On calling out Morgan Wallen for racism
The hate that I got after I called it out was really bad. It caused me to go into early labor. The stress the day before I gave birth. I was literally in bed clinging to my mom and my husband because of how horrible it was.

We have a lot of work to do because I didn’t do anything wrong and [Duchess Meghan] didn’t do anything wrong by calling it out but the hate we get back for that is insane.

Holding that door open and really lifting each other up that’s what 2021 is to me. It’s not enough that I’m the only black woman signed to a major record label in Nashville there needs to be several black women signed to major record companies in Nashville. Even the LGBTQIA plus community there’s so many artists that are finally coming out and saying this is who I am.

[From ET Online on Youtube]

What is really sad about this situation is that Mickey is one of many Black women who have had their unborn child put into danger because of racism, like Meghan Markle and Beyonce. Racism is literally violent and puts Black women and children’s lives in danger. I am glad that Mickey was able to get the support that she needed and that she delivered her son safely. I absolutely love the story behind her song Black Like Me and it is such a beautiful song. The more Black people, especially Black women, discuss the damage to their health from dealing with racism, the louder the call for addressing it will be. Good luck to Mickey with breaking barriers in country music. It is definitely a genre I have loved since I was young, being from Texas and all. It would be nice to see country come home to some of its African roots since country stems from Irish folk music coupled with African instruments (the banjo). I look forward to watching Mickey’s star rise and I wish good health to her and her family.

Here’s that interview:

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