NEW YORK — Maren Morris, renowned for her influence on the country music scene, has been vocal about her support for the LGBTQ community. Her advocacy took a personal turn when she recently revealed her bisexual identity, a decision that she had grappled with privately before sharing publicly. “I just maybe, internally, hadn’t had the bravery to go there in myself, and say the words out loud,” Morris explained. “When you spend the majority of your life in straight relationships and you haven’t explored that part of yourself … is now the right time for me to tell everyone while I’m married that like, ’Hi, I’m also attracted to women?’”
The Grammy-winning artist, known for her activism including support for the Black Lives Matter movement and immigrant rights, has navigated substantial changes in her life over the last year. Among these is her divorce from fellow musician Ryan Hurd. These life-altering experiences have heavily influenced her latest release, “Dreamsicle,” her fourth studio album.
Morris shared, “There’s a freedom that I’ve found in this album that’s a new version of what I thought I had.” She describes the album as more mature, a reflection of her personal growth and experiences over the years. At 35, she finds herself less concerned with external perceptions and more in tune with her authentic self.
Following her 2022 album “Humble Quest,” Morris has crafted a collection of 14 tracks that blend traditional country, pop, soft-rock, and dreamy bluegrass. These songs continue to showcase her ability to blend genres effortlessly. The album includes collaborations with renowned producers and teams such as Jack Antonoff, John Ryan, and The Monsters & Strangerz, with Morris contributing as a writer on every track.
“I was writing all through all of those personal losses and evolutions,” Morris revealed. She explained that during the creation process, she often found solace in her songwriting sessions, often extending them late into the night to avoid confronting her personal grief. This emotional rawness is evident in tracks like the poignant “grand bouquet” and the upbeat “cry in the car,” which captures the juxtaposition of peppy rhythms and deep emotional struggles.
Morris also experiments with new themes in “Dreamsicle.” She explores personal experiences like her first date with a woman while crafting the track “push me over,” a collaboration with MUNA. This experience, she notes, was an important step in her journey to embracing her identity.
The album’s title track, “Dreamsicle,” encapsulates the transformative journey Morris has undertaken. She wrote this song alone, a significant departure from her usual collaborative process. It reflects a poignant 3 a.m. realization about the impermanence of life and the need for personal rebirth.
As Morris prepares for a forthcoming global tour scheduled for July, which includes over 40 dates mixing headline shows and festival performances, she reflects on the overwhelming support she’s received since coming out. Despite some criticism directed at the country music scene’s perceived intolerance, Morris emphasizes the warmth and acceptance she has found among her peers.
Importantly, Morris wants her fans to see “Dreamsicle” as a narrative of healing rather than merely a “divorce record.” “It deals with grief. It deals with the friends that helped patch you back together,” she said. Morris sees the album as a testament to resilience, offering hope and healing to others navigating similar challenges. “If I can do it, … someone will hear it and feel like they can get through that day that they’re in,” Morris expressed.