The country crooner said he’s ‘kind of scared’ by the public’s reaction to the song.

Country singer Zach Bryan breaks his silence on the backlash he’s received over his new song.Gus Stewart/Redferns

Zach Bryan is speaking out about the controversy surrounding upcoming song, “Bad News.”

After sharing a teaser of the track to Instagram over the weekend, Bryan inadvertently sparked outrage with his lyrics, specifically with a line that seems to criticize ICE and provide a commentary on the current state of the country.

While the internet continues to be divided over the message of Bryan’s song—which conservative critics have labeled as “woke” and “un-American”—Bryan took to Instagram this week to set the record straight.

Zach Bryan Addresses the Backlash to His Controversial Song ‘Bad News’

In a message posted to his Instagram Story on Tuesday, Oct. 7, Bryan asked his fans “please f—kn read this,” while addressing the heated backlash from his “new” song, which he said he actually already shared months ago.

“This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media,” he wrote in the lengthy note. “This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything.”

He 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.”

“I served this country,” Bryan went on to explain. “I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space.”

Bryan previously served in the U.S. Navy for approximately eight years before he was honorably discharged in 2021 to pursue his music career.

“I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou a–hole, just a 29 year old man who is just as confused as everyone else,” he continued. “To see how much sh– it stirred up makes me 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,” the “Pink Skies” artist added.

In a follow-up message, Bryan wrote, “The last few months of my life I’ve been scrutinized by more people than I ever thought possible. I feel like I’ve tried my hardest in so many ways and it’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore. Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time.”

“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!”

He concluded his message by telling his followers, “God speed ol sons I’m out