Zach Bryan responds to backlash over ICE criticism in new song
Country music star Zach Bryan is speaking out after a new song, in which he appears to criticize immigration enforcement agents, sparked uproar.
Country music star Zach Bryan is speaking out after excerpts of a new song, in which he appears to criticize immigration enforcement agents, sparked uproar.
In a statement posted to his Instagram stories, Bryan, 29, clarified that the controversial new song “Bad News” had been written “months ago” and that it was not intended to take a partisan side.
“This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media,” he wrote. “This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything.”
Bryan continued: “When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back.”
On Oct. 6 Bryan treated his followers to a one-minute clip of “Bad News,” in which he could be heard singing: “ICE is gonna come, bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / But I’ve got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone.”
“The bar stopped bumping / The rock stopped rolling / The middle fingers rising and it won’t stop showing,” he later sings. “I’ve got some bad news / The fading of the red, white and blue.”
Listeners were quick to correlate the lyrics with President Donald Trump‘s mass deportation efforts, which have become a hallmark of his second term and sparked outrage as officials use increasingly violent tactics to remove people living in the country unlawfully.
In addition, the Trump administration has vowed to flood cities run by Democrats with federal agents as part of the nationwide crackdown. Federal officials have targeted so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Bryan, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, added in his statement that the song was intended to highlight America’s division, not add to it.
“I served this country,” he wrote. “I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space.”
The reaction, he said, has made him “not only embarrassed but kind of scared.”
“Left wing or right wing, we’re all one bird and American. To be clear, I’m on neither of these radical sides. To all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in, just know I’m trying my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes,” he continued.
In a second slide, he added that he had been dealing with increased scrutiny over the past few months, perhaps in reference to the outcry over allegations of psychologically abusive behavior toward ex-girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia.
“It’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore,” he wrote. “Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time.” Circling back to the song, he added: “I am SO proud to have served in a country where we can all speak freely and converse amongst each other without getting doxxed or accosted on the internet or worse; the violence and heartbreak we’ve faced in the last few months!”
Contributing: Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.usatoday.com ’
