Miranda Lambert has moved past her divorce to Blake Shelton and is enjoying her life with boyfriend Anderson “The Snuggle is Real” East. Miranda gave an interview to Billboard magazine to speak about her new double-album, The Weight of These Wings, which was released last November. This is only the third interview she’s given on it. I really like the photos from this editorial. You can see them, along with the whole interview, here. The interview gave Miranda a chance to talk about her life but more so what she will and won’t address. One thing she won’t talk about it politics because, as she says, she just can’t win on that front.
On shutting down an interview after being asked about her divorce with Blake Shelton: “I just didn’t need to talk about the record. If you want to hear my side of the story or my opinion of what happened, it’s all on there. There’s no mystery anymore — take from it what you will.”
On letting off steam with Wings: “I walked in with guns blazing. I just knew one thing: I didn’t want a breakup record. I was like, ‘Let’s feel it all. I was ready to have the days where I can’t even stand up and the days where I’m celebrating.”
On how she’s matured: “I’m more known for my fiery personality and my confidence, but that’s not me all the time. I won’t look at things ever again in the same light, because different things in your life bring you to a deeper level with yourself. I won’t take pain for granted anymore.”On Tweeting “Where are the damn girls?” in response to Billboard’s Country Streaming Songs chart: “It sucks. It makes me mad. You can print out any top chart, and you’ll see maybe a couple females, or not even one. I’m thankful for my spot headlining festivals. I’ve worked for it — but I shouldn’t be on a whole show with no girls. [Women] have to bring it, too. I think there was a time [for women] before, and there will be again, and that doesn’t stop any of us. I love country radio when they all play me, and when they don’t, I think that sucks.”
On helping other women artists: “If I get a door kicked open, I want to hold it open for the girls coming behind me. I’m writing and singing songs that count. I want to do a good job of holding up my end of the deal, which is lifting up other singer-songwriters.”
On not writing political songs: “I am a 100 percent believer in not ever using the platform that I’ve built for anything other than music, because music to me is an escape from your own reality. I don’t want to go to a show and hear somebody preach about their opinions. It’s so divided [in politics], you can’t win anyway — and what are you winning? For someone to agree with you, and now you’ve spoken your piece and pissed off many other people, just for one person to go, ‘She’s right’? It doesn’t do any good. I’m a country singer. We talk about tears in our beers.”
You know what sells? Talking about divorce and politics. You know what else sells? Talking about how you won’t talk about divorce and politics. It’s a good strategy. Not only do you put these two hot buttons into the discussion, you remind people how you graciously side-step those conversations. I admit, I like her response about her divorce: it’s all in the songs. If you want to know her thoughts, buy the record. The politics point is a little trickier for me. Discussing the disparity of male and female artists in country music and pointing out that she intends to hold the door she kicked open for other women is political. So what Miranda is actually saying is, she won’t tell you if she voted for/supports #45 and that is most likely an attempt not to alienate her fan base. It reminds me of Carrie Underwood’s reasons to not discuss politics at the CMAs. Honestly, I almost prefer not knowing who voted for #45 so – fine, keep quiet. To be fair, she said she wasn’t singing about politics, but let’s agree Miranda will address politics when it affects her.
Personally, I like Miranda’s ‘fiery’ personality in interviews. When she talks about guns blazing and kicking down doors, I can see her doing that. I’ve only recently turned on to her music and enjoyed Wings. I hear her when she said she “won’t take pain for granted again.” I think many who have loved and lost can relate to that, regardless of how real the snuggle is now.
Photo credit: Miller Mobley/Billboard and WENN Photos
I’m so Trump but I fear for my album sales.
Aren’t country music people the Trump lovers?
I’ve never heard a song of hers (country music gives me seizures!) but I do appreciate her responses to these questions. Frankly I’d rather not know who Hollywood/famous people vote for. Ignorance is bliss.
That’s what I thought too. She’s got balls but obviously not enough to say this.
I do like her, I can’t help it. Her album Weight of these Wings is pretty outstanding but has gotten next to no radio play because it’s not the pop country crap that is playing these days. It is meaningful and heartfelt, not about partying, trucks and tailgates.
Exactly. No one ever uses the term “preaching” when it’s about conservative opinions, only liberal or progressive.
I think it’s just as likely that it’s “I’m anti-trump, but I fear for my album sales”. She knows what her base audience is like – being pro-Trump isn’t going to offend them.
My thoughts too.
Her audience is going to be pretty conservative.
She lives her life as a feminist (kicking doors open for the girls who come next is badass), but can’t live that loudly because her audience does not like that type of commentary.
I agree. I’m guessing that she is a moderate who holds a variety of liberal and conservative views, has likely voted Democrat in the past, and probably dislikes Trump. However, she can’t ever come out against a Republican without alienating her fan base. I think this is probably true of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. These are white women from conservative states, who have likely developed some progressive beliefs as they interact more with liberals in the entertainment industry. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of these women hold liberal social views but are more conservative when it comes to gun ownership and things that protect the southern way of life that they enjoy as much as their fan base.
That’s exactly what I’m thinking. She doesn’t want to “Dixie Chick” herself out of a career.
I love Miranda’s music and I generally hate country music.
I think it’s the opposite. She’s probably very liberal and doesn’t want to alienate her fans. The Dixie Chicks were the biggest band in country music before they criticized GW. Like this post says, she speaks out about women in country music and she’s a tough chick. She’s doing what she can in that genre.
Meh. I think she’s liberal in some ways,like gay rights, but I guarantee she has many Republican views. She’s probably a huge NRA supporter.
Why? Most of her fanbase is for Trump and/or Republicans. Most country music artists don’t discuss politics. If they are more liberal-minded or more moderate, they fear alienating their base. Reba McEntire didn’t say a word on The View when Joy tried to get her to talk. She said she was on stage to entertain, and didn’t even crack a smile as Joy pushed a little about Trump.
I don’t even think Reba voted for Trump, but I think she is firm in her belief her musical career is separate from her private life as far as who she votes for. She said her job is to be on stage and entertain people and make them forget their problems for a few hours. Her daughter-in-law, Kelly Clarkson, is far different. She was a big Hillary supporter.
Many entertainers feel that way, liberal, moderate, or conservative.
Maybe she just genuinely doesn’t think it’s anyone’s business. Maybe she doesn’t feel the need to preach her ideas and thinks everyone else has a their own opinions that are just as valid as hers. She has that right.
This! I’m so tired of preachy celebs and especially the “you have to say what you voted for” attitude. I feel the latter is dangerous for democracy as it is, because it destroys the secrecy of the ballot, which I think is a very important core value of democracy. But if there’s this social pressure to reveal your vote, secrecy of the ballot just doesn’t exist anymore. Even if you lie.
Read: Miranda Lambert won’t talk politics because she knows it would alienate a sizeable portion of her base.
Agreed. But honestly is that all bad? She’s a business person too and trying to make money while she can. If this country is truly divided 50 50, no matter who she voted for she loses half her business. And half get pissed and attack and criticize and yeah, if I were her I’d keep my mouth shut too.
I think a majority (certainly not all) of the people that buy her music are conservative. So it would be a bigger hit on her livelihood.
Wrong. More than half her business. The country music fan base is predominantly Republican, not half Democrat/half Republican.
I don’t know if it’s bad, but Taylor Swift got dragged HARD on here last fall when she wouldn’t.
I don’t much care for Lambert’s voice, but I like her as a person. I can’t have another person metaphorically killed by Trump association, so she can be quiet if she wants.
I don’t blame her for not wanting to talk about it. I tend to think she’s a solid “R” vote but I could be wrong. And if she does lean left it would probably devastate her sales if widely known by her largest fanbase.
I get the feeling she voted for Trump, along with Taylor Swift.
I vowed to stayed out of politics during my first vote but Trump versus Clinton, I made sure people they knew I was for Hillary
I think people who refuse to talk about politics because it’s messy can only afford to not do so because they’re in a position of entitlement and privilege.
I did not talk politics at work. It’s too heated a topic and I had a job where I was essentially grading others on the standards and I would not want any political thought to ever come up if someone was not pleased with how they rated. I don’t think that scenario has to do with entitlement or privilege. But I know what you mean in a lot of other circumstances.
You can only not declare your vote if you are entitled or privileged? What line if thinking is that? We have secrecy of the ballot. Everyone can choose not to talk about what/who they voted for.
I don’t talk about politics with anyone except VERY close people (immediate family and such) because it’s nobody’s business. And it doesn’t matter if I voted similarly to the rest of people at work or not, I won’t talk about it because once I start I will get asked about it every single election. And as I said: it’s nobody’s business except my own. I have to be okay with what I voted for, not the rest of the world. And I neither want to be applauded for that nor ostracized.
While it is mostly a cop out, I do understand her philosophy that you are not going to change anyone’s mind by the celebrity version of ranting on Facebook. Much more important that she use her position of power to open doors for other female or minority artists, donate to charity, etc. But obviously when she feels passionate enough about something, she will speak her mind, so I think she is just not passionate enough about politics in general to risk her fan base.
It’s nobody’s business. She’s not required to share.
Good people voted for Trump. Just as bad people voted for Clinton. It’s not all black and white, no matter how deeply people want it to be.
Exactly.
We have secret ballots for a reason. It’s nobody’s business who she votes for.
I guess people are so used to celebrities being obnoxious and in your face about politics, that they think that’s the only way to be.
“Good people for for Trump”.
No. Just no. You can’t call yourself a good person if you voted for an unqualified bigot.
I agree.
There are kind people who either lack basic education or are extremely ignorant. Some vote selfishly, as in who will lower my taxes, not for the benefit of other people they don’t share the same sex, sexual orientation, or race with. I have interacted with Trump supporters. They aren’t bad or mean, but they are ignorant. Lots of people fit into this category.
There are rapists, pedophiles, thieves, liars, abusers, cheaters, etc. who voted for Clinton. Where in the world are they good, decent people just because they casted a vote for her? Some of you need to pull your head out of your behind and see that the world isn’t black and white. Most people don’t care about problems that do not concern them. As a straight, black woman, I truly could care less about the LGBTQ community. Fight your own battles. And white feminists only care about themselves. I have YET to encounter a white woman who truly cared about issues that affect women of color. When I see you ladies go hard for why missing black women and girls are rarely covered by the media maybe I might care about white woman’s tears #IJS