Since its debut in 2011, the beloved singing competition, The Voice has produced some of the biggest stars in the music industry — think Cassadee Pope, Melanie Martinez and the late Christina Grimmie. But as with every music show out there, it’s not always the winners who make it big on the show. Morgan Wallen is one such example. The American country singer who competed on the show’s sixth season The Voice Season 6 was initially part of Usher’s team, before switching to Adam Levine’s in the battle rounds. Though Wallen’s voice turned heads, he was eliminated during the playoffs, far from winning it all. Still, the exposure helped him land a career in country music.

Wallen went on to release hits like “Whiskey Glasses” and Dangerous: The Double Album, which shattered records and solidified his place in the country’s mainstream. But his success hasn’t come without controversy. His personal life has been really messy and ugly with multiple scandals, including racial slurs, tarnishing his public image. Despite the backlash, Wallen’s music continues to top the charts, proving that in the music world, talent and controversy often go hand in hand. Following

Is Morgan Wallen Going to Jail?

It’s always surprising to see celebrities going off the rails after tasting fame. This seems to have been the case with Wallen, who was arrested in Nashville on April 7, 2024, after he allegedly threw a chair off the roof of a six-story bar. The chair landed about a yard away from the officers who arrested Wallen on the spot and charged him with disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment. Eyewitnesses reported he was laughing while pushing it off the roof. While Wallen was completely wasted when he threw the chair, he fully cooperated with the authorities once he was caught. In fact, during his December 12, 2024, hearing, he pleaded guilty to the charges. Now, whether this was an attempt to save face and take his punishment as it came or if Wallen has changed for the better remains yet to be seen.

The judge has sentenced the country singer to seven days of incarceration at a DUI education center. Wallen also has to remain on two years of probation along with paying a $350 fine and court fees, according to BBC News. But while Wallen is going to jail for his reckless behavior, and considering that he has had a series of increasingly rash incidents lately, it won’t be long before he lands himself in a situation like this again — although we really hope it does not happen.

This Incident Is the Latest in Wallen’s Long List of Controversies

Image via Tyler Golden/NBC

Wallen was one of those contestants from The Voice for whom the contestants were genuinely rooting. Early on in his career, he had hits like “Up Down” and his 2018 single “Whiskey Glasses” which was certified nine times platinum. In fact, in a lot of ways, he was actually doing better than Season 6 winner Josh Kaufman who kind of faded into the background. But his frequent run-ins with the law have left him looking rather incapable. It all started when he was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges back in May 2020.

While the charges were eventually dropped, his irresponsible behavior seems to have only escalated. After the first arrest, Wallen was under a lot of fire for breaking COVID-19 protocols and partying right before he was set to perform on Saturday Night Live in 2020. And just when things were picking up for him after his album Dangerous debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 album in January 2021, Wallen started spiraling down once again.

A month after the release of Dangerous, Wallen was suspended by his label for being caught using a racial slur in a video obtained by TMZ. Once again, Wallen issued an apology soon after the incident like a clockwork. However, fellow country artist Mickey Guyton came forward to share that this wasn’t the first time Wallen had used racial slurs. In the aftermath of all this criticism, Wallen released an apology video on Instagram to own up to his mistakes.

A few days later, he admitted to struggling with substance abuse and cited that as the reason behind his violent acts. At the same time, it must be noted here that Wallace’s battle with addiction was nothing new at this point. His songs “Born with a Beer in My Hand” and “Thought You Should Know” are about how he got addicted to pain medication and heroin. All these violent outbursts and this repeated cycle of harmful behavior show a pattern and, considering the latest incident of throwing down a chair that could’ve easily been life-threatening, his apologies seem devoid of a sense of responsibility.

What Wallen’s Recent Arrest Means for His Career

Wallen’s sentencing could be a major turning point in his career, but whether it’s a setback or just another blip on the radar is yet to be seen. Just months before his sentencing this month, Wallen took to social media to convey how deeply ashamed he was of his behavior. Having expressed to fans his regret, it sounds like the same scripted apology he’s issued after previous incidents. This line of remorse comes after years of similar slips. From his 2020 public intoxication arrest to his infamous racial slur incident in 2021, Wallen has repeatedly cited how he would change, only to slide back into some rather controversial events.

His latest apology could be his most significant yet — that is, if he truly changes. But given his history of empty promises, it’s hard to believe he’ll do the work required to rebuild his image. The question is: Can Wallen’s career survive another scandal, or will this latest one be the breaking point? If he can’t show real, lasting change, his fans and industry peers like Guyton might not be as forgiving the next time around. Wallen’s future in country music hinges on whether he genuinely takes responsibility or if his career becomes just another example of talent overshadowed by toxic behavior.

All seasons of The Voice are available to stream on Peacock.