If you love country music, you know Maren Morris, the country singer who exploded onto the scene in 2015 with “My Church.” Since then, she has written for television, toured with The Chicks, and released a series of smash hits. But believe it or not, Morris didn’t start out wanting to be a country star (which tracks, since she’s skewed more toward pop as her career has moved onward). Here are a few things you might not know about this fearless and talented singer and songwriter.
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1. She started out writing for other artists
Morris moved to Nashville when she was 20, but not to become a country singer. Instead, she wanted to immerse herself in the country scene and stretch her songwriting legs. Her big breakthrough was a songwriting credit on Tim McGraw’s “Last Turn Home” in 2013. One of the co-writers was Ryan Hurd, whom Morris would later marry. She also wrote for Kelly Clarkson and Toby Keith before concentrating on becoming an artist herself. Eventually, Morris felt her songs were just too personal to go to other artists. She released her first EP in 2015.
2. Her songs have been featured on The Voice and American Idol—but she lost out on being a contestant
During the early years of her Nashville career, Morris tried out for The Voice and American Idol as well as Nashville Star and America’s Got Talent. She was rejected by all those shows. In an ironic twist, other contestants would later perform her songs on both The Voice and American Idol—Morris’ song “My Church” became a popular track to sing on both productions. Morris later said she was happy she hadn’t been accepted by any of the shows she auditioned for, as it would have sent her career on a different trajectory.
3. She’s come to embody a new generation of country singers
Morris’ career has been intertwined with the Internet and social media. Her first EP was released exclusively on Spotify, and she has since championed digital streaming sales and online branding. As for her style, Morris has been grouped with Kelsea Ballerini and her friend Kacey Musgraves due to her frank lyrics and her enthusiasm for blending genres. She doesn’t have an image as a sweet country girl next door. From her nose ring to her tattoos and honest, raw music, Morris solidly embodies “new” country.
[RELATED: Maren Morris Opens Up About “Moral Cost” of Her Country Music Fame]
4. She has written for television
If you’re a fan of the TV show Nashville, which ran from 2012 to 2016, you’ve heard some of Morris’ music. She was a songwriter for the show, penning songs for several main characters. These include “Boomtown,” “Wake Up When It’s Over,” “Caged Bird,” and “The Book.” The songs were performed by major characters on the show, including those of actors Hayden Panettiere, Connie Britton, Will Chase, and others.
5. She performed while nine months pregnant
In March 2020, Morris gave an electric performance at the Houston Rodeo while almost 40 weeks pregnant with her son Hayes. Fans were amazed by her energy and charisma, particularly during her performance of “The Middle,” which she had collaborated on with Zedd. During the show, her team was backstage and ready to jump into action if she went into labor. Roughly two weeks later, Morris gave birth via C-section. After her son’s arrival, she took a break from touring for more than two years before hitting the road in 2022 for her Humble World Quest Tour and in 2023 as a supporting act for The Chicks.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT
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