Olly Murs has responded to criticism of the “cruel” lyrics to his new song “I Hate You When You’re Drunk”.
Last month, the singer released his new single from his album Marry Me.
However, the lyrics were quickly dissected online, with critics suggesting that the song showed Murs attempting to humiliate a loved one for getting drunk and that the words were “misogynistic”.
While Murs’s fiancée Amelia Tank defended the former X Factor finalist, he has now responded to his critics while appearing on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday (6 December).
“I mean, it’s obviously upsetting to think that people took it that way because it was not that intention,” Murs told hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent. “It was a song that I really related to in the studio when it was a song that was [written] eight years ago.”
He explained: “It’s so true, because at the start of January, I had a New Year’s resolution I wouldn’t drink for a year. And so I’ve been out and my friends, my family, different people, “Oh my god, I hate you when you’re drunk.’
“So when we wrote the song, it was never about Amelia or anyone. It was just a song that we really related with at that time.”
Echoing that he was “really upset” by the way the lyrics were misunderstood, Murs continued: “I can’t believe people have taken it that way, which is a shame as I think the song is really great.
“I think when you see something that’s written, it can look a lot worse. When you listen to the song and you understand the type of artist I am. It was just more in a cheeky, fun way.
“If there was anyone that I would thought would get offended by it would probably be Amelia, if she thought it was about her, but it actually wasn’t. But, hey, we move on,” he concluded.
In “I Hate You When You’re Drunk”, Murs opens the song with the words: “Oh, you’re slurrin’ all your words, there’s make-up on my shirt / You’re dancin’ on the tables, can’t you see / That you look like a mess and you’re singin’ Whitney?”
The lyrics were criticised by Self Esteem, who shared a screenshot of them with the words: “Presented without comment.”
DJ Shaun Keaveny wrote: “Olly Murs is quite the sad, controlling boyfriend according to the lyrics of his new song, ‘I Hate You When You’re Drunk’. I look forward to her reply song ‘I Hate You When You Sing’.”
