Shaboozey is still down to get tipsy with Megan Moroney.
The rising stars have “no issues” between them despite Shaboozey side-eyeing Moroney after she said the Carter Family “basically invented country music” at the 2025 American Music Awards on Monday, May 26.
“He knows she was simply doing her job by reading off the teleprompter. He looked over to see if she’d have the same reaction that he did, but he was side-eyeing the AMAs script, not Megan,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively.
The “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer immediately went viral on social media for rolling his eyes and laughing at Moroney’s comment as they presented the Favorite Country Duo or Group trophy to Dan + Shay during the ceremony in Las Vegas.
Hottest Celebrity Couples on the 2025 American Music Awards Red Carpet
However, the insider tells Us that Shaboozey, 30, “has no doubt in his mind” that the “Am I Okay?” singer, 27, is “not only aware but respectful” of the Black musicians who paved the way for the Carter Family, who are widely credited with popularizing the folk genre.
“Remember, [Shaboozey] broke through by appearing on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, an album meant to celebrate the history of the Black artists who started the country music genre, so he very much believes they deserve their flowers, as they influenced the Carter Family and not vice versa,” the source notes.
Us Weekly has reached out to reps for Shaboozey, Moroney and the AMAs for comment.
Why Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and More Stars Skipped the 2025 AMAs
After turning heads with his candid reaction at Monday’s show on CBS, the “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” singer took to Instagram to defend his co-presenter.
“Just want to clear something up: my reaction at the AMAs had nothing to do with Megan Moroney! She’s an incredibly talented, hard-working artist who’s doing amazing things for country music and I’ve got nothing but respect for her,” Shaboozey (real name Collins Chibueze) wrote in the comments section of Moroney’s Instagram post later that evening.
“I’ve seen some hateful comments directed at her today, and that’s not what this moment was about,” he continued. “Let’s not twist the message – she is amazing and someone who represents the country community in the highest light!”
The five-time Grammy nominee also shared a message on X saying the “true history of country music … cannot be erased.”
