Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors

In a late-night mea culpa, Zach Bryan found himself backpedaling after a controversial tweet that pitted music giants against each other. The 28-year-old country star publicly addressed his comparison of Kanye West and Taylor Swift on social media, attributing the mishap to a mix of booze and bad judgment.

"For the record guys I wasn't coming for Taylor the other night. I was drunkenly comparing two records and it came out wrong," Bryan wrote on Thursday, September 19 via his Instagram Stories, overlaying his text on a screenshot of the 34-year-old pop sensation's track "Fortnight," featuring Post Malone.

Zach Bryan performs during the Quittin Time tour at Nissan Stadium on June 29, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. A few months later, the country star urges fans not to "drink and tweet' following a controversial... Zach Bryan performs during the Quittin Time tour at Nissan Stadium on June 29, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. A few months later, the country star urges fans not to "drink and tweet' following a controversial post. Keith Griner/Getty Images

The "Something in the Orange" singer admitted his since-deleted post, which read: "Eagles > Chiefs, Kanye > Taylor," was purely about the music and not meant to stir controversy. "I know there's a lot of stuff that clouds around Ye and I was speaking purely musically," he continued.

His apology tour didn't end there. Acknowledging the power of Swifties, Bryan added, "I'm sorry to any Taylor fans I pissed off or let down. Love you guys and I'm trying my best!" The Grammy winner also opened up about his personal struggles. "I've been going through a hard time in my own life," he confessed.

"To be completely honest, it just came off as rude and desensitized to Taylor. I respect her so much as a musician that the last thing I want is people thinking I don't appreciate and love what she has done for music," he wrote, before urging his fans not to "drink and tweet."

Wrapping his post, the "I Remember Everything" crooner said, "Taylor has been a force of nature for as long as we've all been growing up and I admire that," adding, "I never want people to think I have a hint of malic or meanness towards anyone, ever, that's why I'm saying all of this."

For those catching up, the dust-up between Bryan and Swifties has deep roots, going back to a 2009 incident when West, 47, interrupted Swift's VMA speech to declare Beyoncé the more deserving winner. Their brief reconciliation soured after the famous rapper's controversial lyrics in "Famous" and escalated with a leaked private call by Kim Kardashian (who was West's wife at the time, however the pair called it quits when the Kardashian star filed for divorce in February, 2021). Both artists have kept the feud alive in their recent music, trading veiled jabs in their latest albums.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.