Gabby Barrett opened up about her boundaries with husband Cade Foehner (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
A singer has sparked backlash and concern after revealing that she has turned down big career opportunities out of ‘respect’ for her husband.
Country music star Gabby Barrett discussed some of the boundaries she and her husband, Cade Foehner, have put in place in their relationship during an appearance on the Unexpected podcast with Hannah Love.
The 23-year-old, who finished third on the sixteenth season of American Idol, told the podcast host that she doesn’t duet with male singers on intimate love songs as it could make her husband ‘uncomfortable’.
She explained: ‘I won’t get into specific songs, but there have been large song opportunities that have come in for me to duet on or be a part of.
‘I respect my husband a ton and I’ve listened to what he has to say and I think he deserves that, the Bible talks about us doing that for our husbands and there’s been songs that are just not appropriate to sing wording-wise, like love songs.
‘When you accept the song there’s obligations that go along with it, that you’d sing it on award shows together, or you’d be doing interviews together. What does that look like on the stage? What does the dynamic look like if I’m singing with another man? Is that going to make my husband uncomfortable? Probably.’
Gabby, who is currently expecting her third child with Cade, added: ‘I respect [my husband] and love him so much that I’m not going to jeopardize my marriage to do a duet with somebody.
‘I care about this a lot more and I pray and hope that God will bless my efforts in trying to keep my marriage straight.’
Hannah sympathised with the star’s boundaries, sharing a story from her own relationship involving a music video her husband (Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay) was working on.
She claimed that he’d written a song for her but was going to have another woman play her in the video. Hannah made it clear she wasn’t keen on this, and she didn’t think it would be right to show it to their kids in the future, as it would confuse them as to why their dad was singing a love song for their mum to a stranger.
Gabby says she has turned down certain duets with male singers as they’d have made Cade ‘uncomfortable’ (Picture: Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
But this anecdote wasn’t enough to stop the onslaught of outrage over Gabby’s comments.
Hundreds of people took to the @unexpected.hannahlove Instagram to share their thoughts over the interview, with some branding Gabby and Cade’s boundaries a ‘joke’ and ‘bizarre’.
A user named @my.opiniions replied: ‘Hun, your marriage is a joke if you are not [allowed] to collaborate with the other sex!’
Similarly, @smackenzie.co said: ‘I’m halfway through the interview and while I love y’all respect your husbands… I think it’s kinda bizarre that y’all won’t collaborate with the opposite sex. You have to separate work and your personal life. It comes off as an insecurity thing.’
While @abq_pdx proclaimed: ‘Lmaoooo your husband’s masculinity sounds fragile. How sad.’
However, not everyone felt this way and many people praised Gabby for doing what she felt was right for her relationship.
A social media user who posts as @theredcynthia wrote: ‘I sincerely do NOT understand the outrage her comments are getting. Last I checked, women are allowed to set their boundaries. If she isn’t comfortable doing whatever she shouldn’t do it period. Who TF is anyone else to judge her? Leave her be.’
And @aleeceeahh replied: ‘Yes!! Why would you want a career or position on life that doesn’t align with who you are and what you want in this life? Everyone wants everyone to be what they want but it’s who you want to be and how you want to show up that matters.
‘Singing and performing is one aspect of your life. It may be a big one in terms of being well known around the world, but you and your family and your relationship with god comes first always.’
Regardless of the criticism, Gabby is likely to remain firm in her views on her ‘Godly marriage’ as she doubled down on them later in the podcast, adding: ‘I have tons of people that say to me, or have texted me, or commented about me and said, “She’s ruining her career by talking about these things” and by, X, Y and Z.
‘I treasure a Godly marriage over anything the world could offer. I know where I’m going, I know who I’m gonna see, who I’m going to answer [to]. Those people are going to have to answer to Him, too.
‘I’m trying to do the best with what I’ve been given for Him.’
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She doesn’t want to make her husband ‘uncomfortable’.