Maren Morris is grounded, but not silenced on ‘Humble Quest’
Country star Maren Morris has been so accepted by pop audiences with hits like “The Middle” and “The Bones” that some would have expected her third major label record to be her “Red” moment, the Taylor Swift shift from country to pop star.
But Morris was feeling so grounded by monumental changes in her life — becoming a mother during the pandemic, losing her producer to cancer and the racial reckoning in America — that the music that leapt out wasn’t exactly club bangers.
“If people are expecting some giant (expletive) pop record, I think they are
going to be surprised,” said Morris from her home in Nashville, Tenn. “But I think that it’s still very much me.”
“Humble Quest,” coming out Friday, reflects Morris’ personal growth after two popular albums and multi-platinum hits that centered her as an outspoken and genre-fluid star in a rapidly changing country music landscape. The Grammy-winning Texas-born singer’s openness on sexuality, femininity, politics and her acknowledgement of country music’s racist history has put a target on her back as well, mostly from anonymous online critics.
“There was this dichotomy of feeling very humbled by the weight of the world and the election and the pandemic and
motherhood, but also feeling this release of criticism and judgment from complete strangers,” said Morris.
The word humble has often been thrown at her in negative ways, such as commenters saying Morris should cover up her body. That’s only led Morris to clapback by tweeting photos from her “Playboy” magazine shoot.
Her husband, fellow country singer Ryan Hurd, has a large influence on this record, although he has been writing with Morris since her first major label album “Hero.” They are both nominated this year for a Grammy for best country duo/group performance for their duet “Chasing After You,” from his new record.