When The Civil Wars broke up, music lovers were left to wonder: What happened to the duo’s impeccable harmonies and melodious sound? The duo, made up of Joy Williams and John Paul White, took the world of folk and Americana by storm, earning a near-cult following through their two albums. The band’s sound was simple yet unique, combining elements of folk, country and rock to produce beautifully matched vocals. They also had a way of touching the hearts of their listeners through their emotional lyrics, allowing their fans to connect with them on a personal level.

Yet behind the scenes, their relationship was rocky. According to Williams, the tension between her and White was like “playing with fire.” She and White’s conflict often motivated their songs. However, their differences were also the reason for their breakup. In 2012, they canceled their tour of the United Kingdom and Europe. When they reunited for a 2014 Grammy performance, they didn’t even mention each other.

Their conflicting ambitions may have been a major factor in their breakup. It’s been argued that great powers see local conflicts as part of their central competition and that they intervene in them to protect their own interests. One example is NATO’s intervention in Kosovo, which could have led to a full-scale war between Russia and the West. However, this war never happened because the two superpowers feared that a direct clash would reduce their capabilities to oppose each other.