Maren Morris is embracing the new era in her life.
Since releasing her last full-length album in 2022, the 34-year-old has experienced several changes in her life, most noticeably her divorce from musician Ryan Hurd, which was finalized in January 2024.
Now, she is turning the page with her album “Dreamsicle,” which she told Access Hollywood was “healing” to write.
“When you go through something like divorce or just a huge life event, everything sounds like it’s going to be extremely, you know, doomsday,” she admitted while painting on Access Hollywood’s digital franchise Behind the Easel. “But no, it’s just kind of revealing the truest part of yourself and that is not a comfortable thing to go through, but you kind of have to.”
Having come out of that, Maren admits the album was made “in the midst” of her healing and now, she is “really happy.” She also thanked the “amazing people” who helped pull her through it.
But even though Maren is in a better place, she told Access she still has moments when she needs to let her tears fall.
“There’s always more tears, where you thought it was dry,” she admitted. “I think it’s good though because it’s releasing the pressure valve and it’s good to cry. I don’t hold back my emotions anymore.”
As she’s gotten older Maren admits she feels it’s good to be more open and credits motherhood for helping her be more in tune with her emotions.
“I’m a very strong person but I think I go into like lock-down mode in conflict and I’ve really have tried to just be more open and vulnerable as I’ve aged,” she said. “It’s just not as scary anymore because I feel like I’ve been through some scary, adult stuff. I don’t know what else could give me a fright at this point.”
But even though “Dreamsicle” captures some pivotal moments in her life, the Grammy winner clarified it’s not a breakup album.
“I don’t know if there was a moment I decided to write the album, it was just happening very stream of consciousness as my life was happening,” she told Access. “I was writing before, during and after a lot of these life events, so I wouldn’t really classify this record as a breakup album. I think it’s more so the tail end of what a breakup is and then what happens after and then the year after. So, it’s a lot of highs and lows, grounding and messiness, and a lot of like confusion really. It’s all in one. But also, really freeing, really liberating.”
Since her last album and divorce, Maren said she’s also started dating and candidly talked about returning to the dating scene in her single “Bed No Breakfast,” where she playfully talks about having people over.
“‘Bed No Breakfast’ was definitely born out of being thrust back into the dating scene and you know, being in my 30’s I’m not in my precocious 20’s where you feel like you have to constantly be on and performing for the other person and faking for the other person,” she said.
“Honestly, I love my house, it’s mine, I earned it, and I really like sleeping alone,” she said while letting out a laugh before revealing the conversations that were going on while she was writing the song. “I think it was just in a funny way with my cowriters, a way to be like, ‘How do I politely tell these people like when we’re done? You can go.’ So, yeah now it’s eternalized in a song,” she added.
As for why she decided to name the album “Dreamiscle” Maren said it’s about “enjoying things that are temporary because it’s all going to melt away in some form or fashion so it’s my reminder to myself to just enjoy the moment and not overthink so much.”
Maren’s new album, “Dreamsicle” comes out May 9. Her new single “Bed No Breakfast” is out now.