Morgan Wallen's Ups and Downs: From The Voice and Breaking Records to SNL and Racial Slur Controversy

Morgan Wallen got his start on The Voice in 2014 where he formed part of Adam Levine's team (after being stolen from Team Usher).

Although he didn't win and was eliminated in the playoffs, he started to gain recognition thanks to that moment — and he was glad he didn't win.

"I didn't even know what The Voice was," Wallen told PEOPLE in 2019 when he was selected as a Ones to Watch. "That whole experience kind of kick-started me a little bit."

"It was a big first step — I guess that's the first time in my life where I realized that maybe I actually have a shot at this," he added, before saying, "I'm thankful that I didn't win because it gave me a chance to take a couple years after that show and really figure out who I was as an artist and get the right team around me. When I got there, I had no clue what I was doing."

Problems with Wallen began last spring when he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges in May 2020.

 "I went out downtown last night with a few old friends. After a couple bar stops, we were horse-playing with each other," the singer-songwriter clarified on Twitter the following day. "We didn't mean any harm, and we want to say sorry to any bar staff or anyone that was affected."

The charges were eventually dropped.

On July 10, the singer welcomed a baby boy named Indigo Wilder with his ex KT Smith.

Sharing a photo with his newborn, he said he was now a "changed man."

"Since you came into the world Friday, I see mine differently now," Wallen wrote on Instagram alongside a photo holding his son. "It's not just me anymore, and I'm glad it's not. This year has been the hardest of my life in so many ways, but that's not what I will remember it by. You are. You are a gift and this tough year just made sense."

"Since you were born, I know that every decision I make will be with you in mind," he added. "I promise I'll always protect you, and do my best to be an example of a good, godly man just like my daddy was for me."

After being filmed partying days before he was set to perform on Saturday Night Live, Wallen invitation from the show was revoked for breaking coronavirus protocols.

"I'm in New York City, in a hotel room. I was getting ready for SNL this Saturday, and I got a call from the show letting me know that I will no longer be able to play. And that's because of COVID protocols, which I understand," Wallen said in an Instagram video that has since been deleted.

"I'm not positive for COVID, but my actions this past weekend were pretty short-sighted and that have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams," he added. "I respect the show's decision because I know that I put them in jeopardy. I take ownership for this."

In a lengthy interview with radio show host Bobby Bones on his podcast, the singer opened up about the criticism he faced, saying he turned off his phone and "cleared my head."

"I'm not gonna let people control the way I live my life, [but] I do also want to be mindful," he said, before adding, "And honestly, having a son, obviously now I don't know that I'd be proud to show him those videos."

He described the low moment as "almost a good thing for me."

"I took a while, like almost two weeks, and just turned my phone off and didn't even look at it," he said. "Drove on the tractor, things like that, and just cleared my head. It was really, really good to me."

"There's been times where I would just be like, 'I'm kind of like lonely and I don't know if I even like this,'" he added. "Then you know there's another high and you're like, 'Wow yeah I love this.' It just goes through phases."

In Nov. 11, Wallen won a tough category when he beat out Carly Pearce, Jimmie Allen, Gabby Barrett and Ingrid Andress for CMA New Artist of the Year.

"Well, I did not expect to get this," Wallen said in his acceptance speech. "I'd like to thank the good Lord, first of all. I'd like to thank my mama for always being the one to push me to sing, for my dad for always making the sacrifices for me and my family so I could sing."

He added, "And for my team, and for Nashville for accepting me into your family. It's been a great five years since I've moved here. Thank you guys so much, God bless you."

At the end of January, the singer talked to PEOPLE about learning from his stumbles.

"I guess that's when I truly figured out that things are different now," Wallen said about the SNL controversy. "That was the moment for me. I knew that I was becoming more and more popular, but I didn't realize it was to that extent."

"I'm not a malicious person, just kind of…." he added. "I should have been more aware.'"

On Feb. 2, a video obtained by TMZ showed the singer using the N-word while speaking to one of his friends.

Telling PEOPLE he was "embarrassed and sorry," the singer said "there are no excuses to use this type of language, ever."

"I want to sincerely apologize for using the word," he added. "I promise to do better."

But things went downhill... quickly.

The following morning, his music was pulled from the two major radio station networks, he was "indefinitely" suspended by his label and he was made ineligible for the ACM Awards this spring.

"This is not his first time using that 'unacceptable' racial slur and we all known that," tweeted fellow star Mickey Guyton. "So what exactly are y'all going to do about it. Crickets won't work this time."

After the N-word incident, Wallen received an invitation from Nashville's NAACP chapter to talk about the seriousness of the word he used.

"Even when you look at the other words that were spoken, that one has a certain venom to it that the words just don't have," attorney and Nashville NAACP president Sheryl Guinn told WSMV-TV. "Because he was such a prominent celebrity and an artist here in Nashville, I mean he's living here, we would love for him to have that conversation with us."

Days later, Jason Isbell, who wrote one of the songs on Wallen's Dangerous album, revealed he'd be donating his profits off the album to the organization.

"So... A portion of this money goes to me, since I wrote 'Cover Me Up,'" Isbell, 42, tweeted. "I've decided to donate everything I've made so far from this album to the Nashville chapter of the @NAACP."

On Feb. 10 — more than a week after the video of him surfaced — Wallen posted a 5-minute video apologizing for using the racial slur, also revealing that he has been sober for nine days.

"I let so many people down," he said. "I let my parents down and they're the furthest thing from ... the person in that video. I let my son down, and I'm not okay with that."

"And one thing I've learned already [and] is specifically sorry for is that it matters my words matter," he added. "A word can truly hurt a person and in my core, it's not what I'm okay with."

The singer revealed he accepted invitations from organizations to meet about the racist language he used.

"I'll admit to you I was pretty nervous to accept those invitations," he said. "They had every right to step on my neck while I was down, to not show me any grace. But they did the exact opposite — they offered me grace, and they also paired that with an offer to learn and to grow."

Wallen also asked his fans to not defend him and that he should continue to be held accountable for his actions.

"I appreciate those who still see something in me and have defended me. But for today, please don't. I was wrong," he said. "I fully accept any penalties I'm facing."