Morgan Wallen’s emerging star force was beaten on Wednesday when radio chains pulled his songs from their stations after he was caught on camera with the N-word.
The 27-year-old countrymaker quickly made an apology, but one brand expert told Fox News that this ‘seismic’ moment probably caused a one to two year setback in his career.
Eric Schiffer of Reputation Management Consultants tells Fox News Wallen’s racial upheaval was “deadly for him to do given his rising stature as a country star.”
“Morgan’s case will cause him financial pain in the short term,” Schiffer said. “If he reaches out to those in the African-American community through action and within the media, he should be able to return to his level before the incident within a year or two.”
COUNTRY SINGER MORGAN WALLEN APOLOGY TO SAY N-WORD IN A LITTLE VIDEO: ‘I AM MODERATE AND SORRY’
Wallen’s drop in the music industry was immediate on Wednesday afternoon, as the radio chain iHeartRadio pulled all the artist’s songs from its stations and Cumulus Media, the second largest radio chain with more than 400 stations, followed. His record label Big Loud Records also suspended him.
Morgan Wallen was caught using the N-word on video and has since been suspended ‘indefinitely’ by his record company and taken out of iHeartRadio airwaves.
(Jason Kempin / ACMA2020 / Getty Images for ACM)
According to Schiffer, the controversy in early 2021 is particularly detrimental due to the death of George Floyd and protests against the racial equality that followed.
‘This is a case where a heartfelt apology does not take him out of the septic mockery of this canceled culture in which America lives. Brands take these types of incidents very seriously and many feel that they need to stand up and protect against those types of actions, ”Schiffer claims.
Although the expert reiterated his assumption that the artist’s musical career is not for the better.
COUNTRY SINGER MORGAN WALLEN APOLOGY TO SAY N-WORD IN LEAK VIDEO
“It’s a setback, but it’s not a dazzling catastrophe for the future of his career. However, it’s a seismic moment and probably a big wake-up call,” Schiffer said.
Morgan’s 2020 was not without its other media flaws. The entertainer was blocked from a scheduled performance on “Saturday Night Live” after a video surfaced amid the coronavirus pandemic at a press party without a mask. He appeared on the sketch program months later.
The ‘Whiskey Glasses’ singer also apologized after being arrested after being kicked out of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville, Tenn.
Schiffer says Wallen’s apology on Wednesday is a good first step, but says the musician’s success depends on a more mature approach to his actions and words.
MORGAN WALLEN UNRELIABLE FOR ACM AWARDS FOLLOWING USE OF RASSLUR
Morgan Wallen’s admission to the Academy of Country Music Awards was revoked after the publication of a video in which he uses a racial expression.
(AP)
“He needs to let the dust settle and make the apology permeate. In time, he will find that this moment, when he uses it to adulthood, can be a period in which he can show greater sensitivity to all racial communities. As an icon of peasant music. ” Schiffer analyzed. “His career is not over yet. He accepted responsibility. But he will have to make sure that in the future he does not put himself in vulnerable places that can do alcohol. “
Wallen’s remorse comes after TMZ posted a video of the artist returning home with a group of friends on Sunday night. The clip shows Wallen walking up his driveway while mentioning one of his friends as the N-word and using other blasphemies. A source claims that the group was out hours before.
Wallen said in a statement to Fox News on Wednesday that he was “embarrassed and sorry” for using the racial nickname.
“I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial barrier that I wish I could take back. There are never excuses for using this kind of language. I sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better , “he said.
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To regain public respect, Schiffer said if Wallen were his client, he would tell him to ‘get drinks under control, reach out to the black communities and to the labels, and maybe spend time with those who suffered from these kinds of experiences. ‘
Maren Morris (center) and Mickey Guyton (right) were two of several country artists who spoke out against Morgan Wallen (left) on Wednesday.
(Getty)
“He needs to make a level with them to understand what they went through so that he can show that he has developed a greater sensitivity,” Schiffer added.
Award-winning country artists Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini were among several musicians who exposed Wallen on Wednesday.
“The hatred runs deep. Smfh,” tweeted Mickey Guyton, who later added: “How many passes will you keep giving? Ask a friend. No one deserves to be canceled. [but] this is unacceptable. ‘
“It’s actually a representative of our city, because it’s not his first ‘dispute’ and he just broke a big streaming record last month, regardless. We all know it was not the first time he used the word. did not, “said Morriis, 30. tweeted. “We keep them rich and protected at all costs, without using them.”
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CMT, Viacom’s country television channel, also suspended Wallen’s music. The company further wrote social media“After hearing of Morgan Wallen’s racial rhetoric late last night, we are removing his appearance from all our platforms. We do not tolerate or tolerate words and actions that are in direct opposition to our core values that celebrate diversity, equity. and inclusion. “
Wallen is also no longer eligible for this year’s Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards.