Maren Morris' ‘Dreamsicle' album invites healing as she embraces her new life
NEW YORK (AP) — When country star Maren Morris would voice support for the LBGTQ community, including publicly clashing with Jason Aldean's wife over gender-affirming care for transgender youth, she thought she was doing it as an ally. She didn't realize it at the time, but she was also speaking up for herself, too.
'I just maybe, internally, hadn't had the bravery to go there in myself, and say the words out loud,' said Morris, who recently came out as bisexual. '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 winner, who's also stood in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter social justice movement and immigrants, has experienced drastic life changes throughout the past year, including a divorce with fellow singer-songwriter Ryan Hurd. These learning curves shaped 'Dreamsicle,' her fourth studio album, out now.
'There's a freedom that I've found in this album that's a new version of what I thought I had,' Morris explained. 'It's just more wise and lived-in. And maybe part of that's just like being in your 30s — you just don't care as much.'
Following 2022's 'Humble Quest,' the 35-year-old singer-songwriter crafted 14 tracks filled with an eclectic, yet cohesive mix of traditional country, pop, soft-rock and dreamy bluegrass vibes. It continues the free-flowing, unconfined mix of sounds the 'The Bones' singer is known for. Production includes superstar pop producer Jack Antonoff, John Ryan, Laura Veltz and The Monsters & Strangerz production team, with Morris credited as a writer on every song.
'I was writing all through all of those personal losses and evolutions. … I was really just avoiding going home, and I would stay in my sessions late, and also write on days that I probably should have just taken a nap or gone to see my therapist,' Morris said. 'There were moments where I'm singing on some of these songs where I don't even remember doing the vocal because I was just in such a state of loss and grief.'
Standout moments include the beautiful Americana-esque 'grand bouquet' where Morris sings, 'been so busy praying for my grand bouquet/not noticing you gave me a new flower every day.' There are also her staple poppy songs like 'cry in the car' that attempt to mask the pain and frustration of heartbreak behind upbeat tempos.
But it's not all doom and gloom; 'The Middle' vocalist explores new themes, like on the previously released singles 'bed no breakfast,' and 'push me over' which she wrote with the electro-pop band MUNA.
'I went on a date with a woman for the first time, and I was just like I want to write about this,' she said, noting she felt safe exploring the topic with the queer-identifying band.
While she says each song represents some facet of this new era, the title track provides the fullest picture.
'It was the first song for one of my albums that I wrote alone and I don't often do that,' said Morris, who added 'Dreamsicle' came to her at one night as a 3 a.m. realization that change was necessary. 'Everything that I thought was going to be permanent in my life, like in some form or fashion, either ended or evolved into something completely different.'
Morris is currently prepping for her global tour in July, with more than 40 dates mixing headlining shows and festival appearances.
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Since coming out, she emphasizes she's received an abundance of love throughout Nashville, and has been overwhelmed by the support in the country music space that some have criticized as intolerant.
More importantly, she hopes fans understand 'Dreamsicle' is not a 'divorce record,' but a celebratory album of healing.
'It deals with grief. It deals with the friends that helped patch you back together,' Morris said. 'It's important to show and to prove to myself that I can process and heal from this. … If I can do it, … someone will hear it and feel like they can get through that day that they're in.'
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
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