"Every show must end
Every circus leaves town
You don't know the magic's gone
Until the lights go down"
That refrain from "Carousel" seems to have come true in the case of Miranda's time with Sony! But such departures are seldom fully explained, and we may never know the whole story.
So far (to the best of my knowledge), neither Miranda herself, nor Marion Kraft at Shopkeeper, has given any indication of how music releases will be handled in future - independently, niche label, or other major signing, must all remain possibilities. (The Pistol Annies, incidentally, are also signed to Sony, and may still have a contract to fulfill, so it is possible that Miranda may still do some work there!)
This article, from Whiskey Riff
https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2023/03...ways-with-longtime-label-sony-after-20-years/
makes two points of possible interest in explaining the break
--that Miranda may have preferred to release Carousel or Waxahatchie, rather than Strange, as a single
--and that a comment she posted on social media - "knowing your worth is everything" - could carry the implication that she was feeling undervalued by the label
Personally, though, I would take those points with some caution
--firstly "Strange" was written by the same trio (Miranda, Luke Dick & Natalie Hemby) as most of the album, and it includes some similarly innovative music, and some enthusiastic "attitude" in the presentation. (It contains the line "Country don't twang, rock 'n' roll ain't loud" - but contradicts both with a steel guitar intro and some great Rock guitar work). It strikes me as a characteristic Miranda "statement" - and one that was potentially more catchy, and more general in appeal as a single, than the more reflective songs (that made excellent album cuts). I don't really see the choice of song as being one that she would have have strongly objected to.
--secondly, the social media comment was in reply to a man who said he admired strong women who knew their worth, so Miranda may have meant the reply in terms of personal attitude (at least as much as it being a sly dig at Sony).
That said, though, I think both points may well have some connection with the story, as parts of a wider picture.
In her Instagram post, Miranda made this comment (which I believe is likely to be the main key to the break): "I wouldn’t be true to myself if I wasn’t constantly looking for the next challenge and a new way to stretch my creativity." Although at first glance that could seem a cliché, which any artist might use to cover a career change, I feel that it does tie in with what Miranda has been doing in the last few years. "The Weight of These Wings" and "Marfa Tapes" were albums that definitely put creativity ahead of commercial or promotional constraints (and must have pushed the limits of the "creative freedom" deal she negotiated with John Grady in 2004 to near breaking point in the minds of some Sony staff!) Recent work also marked a break from her long standing production work with Frank Liddell (She produced the current album herself, together with Luke Dick and Jon Randall - both frequent recent collaborators, with a leaning to the more Alternative Country wing). She may have felt that if she wants to continue experimenting, a break with Sony is the natural conclusion.
Why I do see "Strange" as also likely to be relevant has more to do with its promotional fate, than with its choice as a single. It stalled on radio, barely reacing the 40s. But I think Sony would have got it higher a few years ago (as they did with other "outlier" songs that must have had promotional challenges, such as Little Red Wagon, or All Kinds of Kinds. Obviously, I have no proof - but they may have given the impression that they weren't giving it the extra pushes that it probably needed - given the combination of sexism and ageism that has been widely discussed in relation to Country radio in general. Some commentators have made the points that the record label "climate" has shifted to promotion of newer artists like Luke Combs and Maren Morris - and that several established artists, including Carrie, Brad Paisly and Kenny Chesney have also left Sony in recent years. For Miranda, the trade-off between creative experimentation and the practical help she might get from the label in future might have seemed increasingly weighted against the latter!
All told though, I think fans can continue to look forward to exciting work in future, wherever it's done!