Maren Morris seems like a relatively recent arrival to the country pop scene, launched to popularity by her 2016 major label debut Hero and its even better follow-up, 2019’s Girl.
I was surprised to learn that Morris independently released three albums before those, starting back in 2005. That’s a 17-year recording career for a woman who only recently turned 30. Those first few albums, two released before she turned 18, don’t seem to be available anywhere.
The main opening act on Miranda Lambert’s Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour is Maren Morris, who is definitely on the rise. She’ll likely be playing as a headliner starting next year.
Morris made a splash with her 2016 album Hero, featuring the hits ‘My Church,’ ‘Rich’ and ’80s Mercedes’ but had her first major success with the track ‘The Middle,’ a cut by the DJ Zedd that featured her on lead vocals. That song hit #5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and #1 on the pop chart.
Maren Morris is having a moment. The Nashville singer is coming off of the top five smash ‘The Middle’ (with producer/DJ Zedd) and just dropped ‘GIRL,’ her second full-length album to high sales and critical acclaim.
I didn’t spend a lot of time with Morris’ debut album, Hero, though I liked it well enough. I’m enjoying Girl a lot more.
It’s been six years since Vampire Weekend’s last album, the extraordinary Modern Vampires of the City.
Lots has happened since then, including the departure of key band member Rostam Batmanglij and a relationship between frontman Ezra Koenig and one of my celebrity girlfriends, Rashida Jones, which resulted in the birth of their first child last summer.
What do you know, back to back country performers in Billboard’s Top Ten! Maren Morris follows up her well-received 2016 album Hero by serving vocal duties on an EDM track by German DJ Zedd.
‘The Middle’ doesn’t exactly sound like a country/dance crossover. In fact, it was recorded by a laundry list of well-known performers before reaching Morris. Everybody from Tove Lo to Camila Cabello, Carly Rae Jepsen to Demi Lovato.
Meet Me In Montauk 