Country music artist Mickey Guyton has stated that her decision to call out fellow artist Morgan Wallen for using a racial slur played a role in her early labor in 2021, as reported.

The Grammy-nominated singer shared in an interview with the Associated Press that her public condemnation of Wallen’s actions “definitely triggered” her labor process.

“To be clear, it wasn’t too early, but it definitely set it off,” Guyton explained to the AP. “The day before I went into labor, I experienced intense cyberbullying, and it was incredibly stressful.”

She elaborated on the situation, saying that she believes there were “many contributing factors” beyond that single event. “Everything we’ve witnessed throughout 2020 was truly challenging, but this pushed me to my limit,” she added.

On February 2, 2021, a video surfaced showing Wallen using a racial slur that has historically targeted Black individuals outside his home in Nashville. Just days later, on February 8, Guyton revealed the birth of her son Grayson, who is now three years old. Guyton has previously discussed her early labor experience during an interview with “Entertainment Tonight” in 2021 and again on “The Breakfast Club” radio show last month.

She was among the leading Nashville artists who spoke out about the incident, joining voices with Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini.

“When I see comments claiming ‘this is not who we are,’ I laugh because this is precisely who country music is,” Guyton noted in an X post, adding that she has “seen it for 10 years.”

She went on to say, “You should take a look at some of the disgusting comments directed at me on a daily basis. It’s a harsh truth to confront, but it’s the reality.”

In her interview with the AP, Guyton also touched upon her identity as a Black artist in country music, admitting she questions it “frequently.” However, she finds motivation in the success of Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” which features Black artists like Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Tanner Adell, and Brittney Spencer, saying, “that makes it all worthwhile.”

Swift backlash followed Morgan Wallen’s racial slur incident

The country music industry in Nashville reacted quickly and decisively after the video of Wallen emerged.

His label, Big Loud Records, announced that they were “suspending” his contract, effectively removing their biggest star from the limelight. The largest radio network in the country, iHeartMedia, immediately took Wallen’s songs off the air at over 800 stations. He was also banned from the Academy of Country Music Awards and CMT Music Awards and removed from playlists on streaming services.

In the wake of the incident, Wallen issued an apology, canceled all of his upcoming concerts, and retreated from the public eye. He made a return approximately two months later, reassuring his dedicated followers that he would be back “sooner rather than later.” In July, he surprised fans with a performance at a Luke Bryan concert in Nashville, receiving a lengthy standing ovation from the audience.

Later, he participated in an interview on “Good Morning America” with host Michael Strahan, one of the program’s two main Black anchors. When Strahan asked Wallen if he thought country music had a “race problem,” Wallen replied, “It would seem that way, yeah. I haven’t really sat down and thought about that.”

Now, three years later, Wallen’s career has regained its former success, and he ties with Lainey Wilson as the leading nominee at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards.