Maren Morris shuts down critics saying she’s ‘not country’ after she won THREE awards at CMA Awards

Maren Morris cleaned up this week, taking home three trophies from the Country Music Association Awards.

But the Grammy winner has since had to defend her country crown from critics of her big wins.

She took to Twitter Friday to shut down critics saying she’s ‘not country,’ as she advocated for authenticity in the genre, following her successful night at Wednesday’s awards show.

Country status: Maren Morris took to Twitter Friday to shut down critics saying she’s ‘not country,’ as she advocated for authenticity in the genre, following her successful night at Wednesday’s CMA Awards

The 30-year-old wrote: ‘Coming down from the other night. I am still in awe. Thank you to my friends and family, my fans, and my Nashville peers for this honor.’

She won the first two awards of the evening, Song of the Year and Single of the Year, both for her track The Bones. 

Morris added: ‘I still can get hurt when people claim I’m “not country” but when I stood there accepting @cma Song of the Year, I realized it is much harder to forge your own path & sound than attempt to be a knock off of someone who’s already pioneered the genre. Thank you for accepting me.’

She previously admitted on CBS This Morning of her upcoming third album: ‘I really don’t know what my sound looks like from this day on. I know the lyrics are country, but the rest is sort of up in the air.’

Still in awe: The 30-year-old wrote: 'Coming down from the other night. I am still in awe. Thank you to my friends and family, my fans, and my Nashville peers for this honor'

Still in awe: The 30-year-old wrote: ‘Coming down from the other night. I am still in awe. Thank you to my friends and family, my fans, and my Nashville peers for this honor’

Hot streak: She won the first two awards of the evening, Song of the Year and Single of the Year, both for her track The Bones

Hot streak: She won the first two awards of the evening, Song of the Year and Single of the Year, both for her track The Bones

Staying authentic: Morris added: 'I still can get hurt when people claim I’m “not country” but when I stood there accepting @cma Song of the Year, I realized it is much harder to forge your own path & sound'

Staying authentic: Morris added: ‘I still can get hurt when people claim I’m “not country” but when I stood there accepting @cma Song of the Year, I realized it is much harder to forge your own path & sound’

The Girl artist also took home the award for Female Vocalist of the Year, beating out Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Kacey Musgraves and Carrie Underwood.

She used her acceptance speech to pay respects to the Black women who ‘pioneered the genre,’ including Brittney Spencer, Rihannon Giddens, Linda Martell, Yola, Rissi Palmer and Mickey Guyton.

Morris said: ‘There are so many amazing Black women that pioneered and continue to pioneer this genre, and I know they’re going to come after me. They’ve come before me. 

‘But you have made this genre so, so beautiful. I hope you know that we see you. Thank you for making me so inspired as a singer in this genre.’

She told CBS of her wins: ‘I just feel like I never really saw myself winning this. When I vote on that award in years past, it’s for not the best singer of the bunch because that’s so subjective. But, I feel like that goes to someone that your peers think had a massive, monumental year. 

Up in the air: She previously admitted on CBS This Morning of her upcoming third album: 'I really don't know what my sound looks like from this day on. I know the lyrics are country, but the rest is sort of up in the air'

Up in the air: She previously admitted on CBS This Morning of her upcoming third album: ‘I really don’t know what my sound looks like from this day on. I know the lyrics are country, but the rest is sort of up in the air’

So humbled: Morris added of her wins: 'I am just so humbled that my Nashville community, my industry peeps think that my year has been big because part of it has been in 2020, which has been kind of a s*** show. So, someone saying I had a good year is so much validation' (pictured in October, 2020)

So humbled: Morris added of her wins: ‘I am just so humbled that my Nashville community, my industry peeps think that my year has been big because part of it has been in 2020, which has been kind of a s*** show. So, someone saying I had a good year is so much validation’ (pictured in October, 2020)

‘So I am just so humbled that my Nashville community, my industry peeps think that my year has been big because part of it has been in 2020, which has been kind of a s*** show. So, someone saying I had a good year is so much validation.’

Morris also took to the stage in a sexy plunging silver jeweled gown to perform her award-winning track The Bones.    

It comes after she welcomed her first child back in March, a son named Hayes Andrew, with husband Ryan Hurd, 34. 

The Hero artist said in another speech earlier in the evening: ‘I had a baby eight months ago, so just being out tonight is a win itself.’

Mom's night out: The Hero artist said in another speech earlier in the evening: 'I had a baby eight months ago, so just being out tonight is a win itself'

Mom’s night out: The Hero artist said in another speech earlier in the evening: ‘I had a baby eight months ago, so just being out tonight is a win itself’