Shaboozey has spoken out after a moment between him and Megan Moroney at the American Music Awards went viral.
The moment took place on Monday (May 26), during the 2025 edition of the music awards. On the night, the two singers took to the stage to present the award in the Favourite Country Duo Or Group category, however, one of the comments made by Moroney led to the co-presenter giving her the side eye.
“Country music has been an important part of AMA history. The very first year of this show, the award for Favourite Male Country Artist went to the great Charlie Pride,” Shaboozey began.
Moroney continued: “That same year, Favourite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson, and this award went to the Carter family, who basically invented country music.”
It was there that the singer gave her a quick look, paused to process the comments, then let out a laugh before announcing the nominees. The moment soon went viral and became one of the most talked about aspects of the night.
The Carter Family are an American folk group who were popular in the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s and described by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as “the first family of country music”. Hit songs included ‘Keep on the Sunny Side’, ‘Wildwood Flower’, ‘Can The Circle Be Unbroken’ and ‘Wabash Cannonball’.
Now, Shaboozey has shared a statement in relation to the on-stage moment with a series of posts on X/Twitter.
“Google: Lesley Riddle, Steve Tartar, Harry Gay, Defoe Bailey, and The Carter Family…” he wrote in one post, while another read: “When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…”
He then added: “The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike.”
When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…
— Shaboozey (@ShaboozeysJeans) May 27, 2025
The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike.
— Shaboozey (@ShaboozeysJeans) May 27, 2025
There was some debate as to what prompted the side-eye from Shaboozey on the night. The Tennessean suggested that it may have come in relation to how many tie the genre’s roots back to long before the 20th century and how it “gained renown when Black Africans were first brought to the Americas as enslaved people”.
Deadline, however, suggested that it may have come from a misunderstanding, with Shaboozey potentially thinking that Moroney was referring to Beyoncé and her ‘Cowboy Carter’ era in the comments.
Bey’s 2024 country album has seen the singer win multiple awards – including two AMAs –and her latest run of live shows has included appearances from her daughters, which may have led to Shaboozey thinking that the comments were praise for the ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ singer.
Winners at the ceremony included Rod Stewart, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Janet Jackson who received the Icon Award. Elsewhere, Zac Brown was presented with the inaugural Veterans Voice Award. See the full list of winners here.
