Maren Morris reflects on ‘necessary and scary’ pivot from country music

Maren Morris has opened up about her decision to move away from country music.

During an interview for the Armchair Expert podcast on Wednesday, the singer-songwriter told host Dax Shepard that she has been inspired creatively after switching her label from Columbia Records’ Nashville branch to the one in New York City.

“I think just retooling this genre shift kind of away from country and more so, like, in every realm, genre-less space, has been really tough but necessary and scary – just to walk away from something that I built for so long,” she explained. “I didn’t fit it anymore. It didn’t fit me.”

Maren dropped a new EP titled Intermission in August.

The My Church hitmaker went on to note that she has experienced a “huge 180 in my life in the last two years” amid her split from fellow musician Ryan Hurd.

The pair, who share four-year-old son Hayes, finalised their divorce in January.

“We’re getting it together, but the co-parenting thing has been going well, and we’re trying our best in this way, but it’s still pretty fresh. I have just been so deeply creative the last year because, probably, of all this transition.

“There’s a lot to write about, but, like, a freedom too,” the 34-year-old continued. “I don’t have to serve this machine of what I think country music was or what it expected me to be. I can just do my thing now.”

And Maren insisted she is “lucky” to have the support of fans as she sets out on a new path.

“But now it’s like, the sky’s the limit. Where do we go from here?” she added.

Elsewhere in the conversation, The Bones star admitted she doesn’t want to be on the road all of the time despite having tour dates scheduled for the rest of the year.

“I also know when I have to say no sometimes to opportunities because I don’t wanna be gone all the time. I don’t wanna be touring 280 days a year. Like, I want to be home,” she conceded. “I wanna be a good mom and also have a social life because then I really don’t have anything to write about.

“If I’m not going through the s**tshow of dating, there is no album. The well has to be filled in that way.”