The Stunning Transformation Of Maren Morris
Maren Morris has undergone a seriously stunning transformation. The country music industry is obviously full of talented singers, songwriters, and musicians from all walks of life. And despite popular opinion, they don't all sing about their wife leaving them and driving off in their truck with their dog. Country music has truly evolved over the years, and part of that is due to the talented young people taking the industry by storm, like Morris.
Morris has had multiple smash hits, such as "My Church," and "I Could Use A Love Song," in addition to her 2019 chart-topper, "The Bones." And while Morris has performed sold-out concerts and crashed the show of a pop icon, there's so much more to her than her wildly successful career. In fact, Morris has led quite an interesting life, spending much of it trying to break into the music industry. It's evident by her stunning transformation that one thing is quite clear: Maren Morris was meant to be a star.
Maren Morris' childhood in Texas was idyllic
Much like many other country music artists, Maren Morris grew up in the south, though not in Nashville. Morris actually spent her childhood in Arlington, Texas, and her younger years sound super idyllic. While she didn't live in a palatial residence with servants and staff, she reportedly had a super close relationship with her family, and was happy to spend most of her time with them.
According to E! News, Morris was born in Dallas in 1990, to parents Greg and Kellie Morris; she also has one younger sister, Karsen Morris. As a child, Morris would hang out at her parents' hair salon, and frequently made appearances at the parties they threw. She loved to sing along to the radio, and would sometimes perform some of her personal favorites on the karaoke machine her family owned.
Clearly, from a young age, Morris showed signs of being super talented, but who could have predicted that she would become the star that she is today?
When Maren Morris got her first guitar, it changed her life
Serena Williams got her first tennis racket when she was 6 years old. Beethoven wrote his first composition when he was 12. And just like all the greats, Maren Morris started making music when she was young. But it was when Morris got her first guitar that her life completely changed. If another certain country-turned-pop star is any indication, learning your instrument at an early age is the key to success.
According to E! News, Morris, just like Taylor Swift, first called a guitar her own when she was 12 years old, and it was love at first sight. Though Morris had been singing for fun before that, mastering the guitar allowed her to take poems she'd written, put them to music, and start writing real songs.
Of course, that didn't mean that Morris found instant success upon learning to play her instrument, but it sparked something in her that made her want to be a professional musician — and that led to her eventual stardom.
Maren Morris was a totally adorable '90s girl
Seeing as Maren Morris was born in 1990, as noted by Good Morning America, she grew up in a remarkable decade for fashion: the '90s. So even though Morris spent much of her childhood finding creative outlets, she was also a typical '90s girl in many ways. In fact, Morris was hip to all of the fashion trends that were all the rage when she was a kid — some of which have to make her laugh now to look back on.
To that end, Morris posted several throwback photos of herself as a young girl on her Instagram story (via One Country), and she totally leaned into all the best '90s trends. For example, in one snap, Morris is rocking randomly curled hair and eye glitter; in another, she's visibly excited after receiving a portable CD player for Christmas. She also can be seen wearing zebra pants in another picture (really?), and what looks to be platform Converse sneakers in another.
The fact that Morris was once an unrepentant '90s child makes her all the more relatable. Perhaps some of those '90s fashion trends will finally come back in style, too.
Maren Morris had a unique side-hustle growing up
Maren Morris spent a lot of time as a child performing music out and about, something most kids would only ever do at school or church. But for Morris, spending her free time practicing her craft was what she wanted to do.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Morris revealed that while she participated in a lot of normal activities, she also had an uncommon side hustle. "I did choir, soccer, some theater," she recalled in an interview with the magazine. "The only weird thing about my life was that I was playing honky-tonks on the weekends." Given that Morris started doing this when she was only 11 years old, that made her quite the precocious youngster.
Additionally, E! News reported that while Morris might not have been making a ton of money — though Maren Morris is worth a lot more than you think today — she was still doing what she loved. "I started playing all around Texas — any bar or club that would let me in there," she explained. "I was the only kid in school that had a job on the weekends," she reportedly wrote on her website.
Maren Morris released her first album when she was only 15
Since Maren Morris always had an innate love of singing and performing music, after she learned to play guitar, she became a force to be reckoned with. Though her first chart-topping album wouldn't come out until she was much older, Morris still wanted to record music for other people to listen to when she was really young.
To that end, in 2005 Morris released her first album, entitled Walk On, on a label named Mozzi Blozzi. The album consisted of 10 songs — most of which Morris wrote herself — and featured a very angsty-looking Morris on the cover. Obviously, the record wasn't as successful as the albums Morris would record when she got older. However, it's quite impressive that a 15-year-old girl managed to release her own album, featuring songs she wrote herself, subjecting herself to the court of public opinion. Who else can boast such a successful feat at that age?
Maren Morris got rejected a lot before breaking into the music business
Like many other young hopefuls in the music industry, Maren Morris wasn't one to shy away from competition shows like American Idol, which she auditioned for when she was 17. And honestly, who could blame her? Since so many people have gotten their start on a reality show, Morris clearly wasn't alone in her ambition. Still, before she finally got her big break, she had to deal with some serious rejection.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Morris explained that she wasn't turned down from one competition show, but two. "I think about all of the freaking talent shows I've tried out for in my life and I'm so glad I didn't make any of them," she said. "It's full circle, because I was rejected from The Voice. I was rejected from American Idol – and I'm happier for it now." How's that for some 20/20 hindsight? Since plenty of stars get rejected from American Idol, Morris is in good company.
Morris was also rejected from America's Got Talent and Star Search, which she discussed on an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Ouch!
Maren Morris had a powerful friend in the industry
Though Maren Morris didn't grow up with famous parents, or live near Nashville or Los Angeles where she could have made plenty of connections, she still had a powerful friend in the music industry. And that friend, a fellow Grammy Award-winning country artist, helped her realize that there was more to the music industry than just performing.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Morris explained that through her friend Kacey Musgraves, she was introduced to the world of professional songwriting. "She showed me around her publishing office," she shared. "It opened up this world for me: People go in, Monday through Friday, sit down and write a song." She added that this was quite the dream job, so she started doing it herself.
Eventually, Morris tied the songwriting to her existing singing talent, and became the powerhouse artist she is today. But while she was younger and still figuring things out, Musgraves was a great friend and contact to have.
One song changed everything for Maren Morris
After heading off to Nashville at age 20, Maren Morris became a woman on the verge of fame. Initially, she spent her time writing songs for other artists, like Tim McGraw. But while doing so, she also realized that some of the songs she was writing were perfect for someone else: herself.
The song "My Church," which went on to score Morris her first Grammy nomination, truly changed her life. "That was really the tipping point of me going from songwriter to artist," she recalled in an interview with NPR. "The second that song was done and we were listening back to it, the first thought in my mind was, 'Wow, they were right. I'm not sending this to anybody.'"
Morris was right to go with that instinct, too. "My Church" was the song that launched her career, and was the lead single off of her breakthrough album, Hero, in 2016.
Maren Morris got engaged to the love of her life
As Maren Morris' professional life took off, there was one person by her side that ended up being more than just a songwriting partner. Morris met Ryan Hurd in 2013, and they actually worked together for a while before becoming a couple in 2015. "We had been friends for only a couple of years, but there was always this writing chemistry in the room, and eventually, the timing of it was undeniable," Morris told People. "We had such a foundation built off writing so many songs over the years that we were like, 'Why are we avoiding this?'"
Then, in 2017, Morris and Hurd got engaged, which Morris shared with her social media followers, (via People). Hurd also shared a post celebrating the news, clearly happy with the development in their romance. After all, a strong friendship is a great foundation for a relationship, something the pair had figured out.
Maren Morris' wedding was picture perfect
On March 24, 2018, Maren Morris got married to the love of her life, Ryan Hurd, as noted on his Instagram page. And from the looks of it, the wedding was picture perfect. Not only did Morris look amazing in her wedding dress (which was inspired by her mother's bridal gown), but the reception looked like the best party ever.
In an interview with People, Morris explained that while she was planning her big day, she knew she didn't want any part of it to be boring. "We just want it to feel like a party," she revealed. "We don't want it to feel stuffy, or have this long 18-course dinner." Rather, Morris wanted the wedding to be a reflection of her and her husband's style, something that everyone could enjoy. Who doesn't love margaritas and Motown, anyway?
It certainly appears as though Morris got the wedding that she hoped for. Congrats, you two!
Maren Morris credits this for some of her best songwriting
Though Maren Morris' singing career took off after she released her album Hero, she still had quite a songwriting journey to take — and a few lessons to learn along the way. And while some might assume that songwriting just comes naturally or easily to stars like Morris, she's had to work pretty hard at getting the craft down just right.
As she told Rolling Stone in an interview, Morris has had to remind herself to trust her gut more often. "I've found every time I think something is stupid or overreaching or so silly, [it] is usually the right idea," she explained. "Because that came out of a part of your brain that was being unhinged."
That's the reason that Morris writes songs when she's hungover, as she finds she has no filter in that state. "I've written some really good songs that I love hungover because I wasn't overthinking it," she continued. Honestly, writing while hungover doesn't sound that appealing, but it clearly works for Morris, so more power to her. What else happens to your body when you have a hangover?
Maren Morris has received a ton of award nominations
Maren Morris has spent most of her life singing, writing songs, and performing. But as every artist knows, no amount of hard work guarantees that you'll be awarded for all the effort you've put into your craft. Fortunately for Morris, she's received a ton of award nominations, and has taken home some pretty impressive statues.
In total, Morris has been nominated for 13 major awards, and has won two of them, as noted by IMDb. In 2017, she took home the Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance for her song, "My Church." That same year, she also won the Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, Morris was nominated for the MTV VMA for Best Power Anthem award for her hit single, "GIRL."
Morris' success is completely her own doing; with her talent, charm, and ambition, there's no telling what other awards she'll take home in the future.
In 2019, Maren Morris started her own band
In 2019, the same year Morris released her hit album GIRL, she also started her own band with a group of powerful women: The Highwomen. According to Rolling Stone, the band consists of Morris, Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby — and Morris was extremely proud to be a part of it.
In an interview with Esquire, Morris explained why she felt it was important to form an all-female country band. "I feel like little girls will hear the Highwomen and be changed by it," she revealed. Morris also added that she has a soft spot for women. "I've always been a girl's girl," she continued. "I've just always been surrounded by women."
In fact, Morris is so fond of women that she feels her relationships with them have "changed [her] molecules." That's a pretty powerful statement, and we're absolutely here for all of it.
Maren Morris became a mom in 2020
With everything Maren Morris has had going on in her professional life, it's quite impressive that she also had time to fall in love and get married. Then in 2019, Morris made an exciting announcement in an adorable Instagram post: she was pregnant with her first child. "The irony is just too rich that after a year of living in the 'GIRL' headspace, the universe would give us a baby boy to even things out," she wrote in the caption. "See you in 2020, little one." She also showed off a photo of her baby bump, alongside her husband, Ryan Hurd.
The next year, on March 23, 2020, Morris and her husband welcomed Hayes Andrew Hurd into the world, according to a post on his Instagram page. If you're curious, here's the real meaning of Maren Morris' baby name. Congratulations on your bundle of joy, Maren and Ryan!
Doting mother that she is, Morris has posted plenty of photos of their sweet boy on social media, and has truly embraced the mom life. What a stunning transformation she's undergone!