Maren Morris

Maren Larae Morris, born April 10, 1990, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress from Arlington, Texas. Known for music described as country pop and country incorporating elements of R&B, hip-hop, rock, and pop, she has recorded both as a solo artist and as a member of the group The Highwomen. Over her career, she has achieved multiple number-one and top-ten songs on the country charts, pop crossover success, and major industry accolades, including a Grammy Award, an American Music Award, five Country Music Association Awards, and five Academy of Country Music Awards.

Morris was raised by her parents, Scott and Kellie Morris, alongside a younger sister named Karsen. Her parents owned the Maren Karsen Aveda Hair Salon, where Morris spent much of her childhood and later worked as a front desk clerk and guest coordinator. While attending James Bowie High School, she participated in school choir, theater, and soccer. Her singing talent was recognized at age nine following a karaoke performance of LeAnn Rimes's "Blue," leading to early public performances at Johnnie High's country music talent show by age 11. When she was 12, her father gave her an acoustic guitar, which inspired her to begin writing songs.

Morris began touring Texas in her preteens with her father serving as her manager and booking agent. At age 15, she released her debut independent album, Walk On, in 2005, followed by All That It Takes in 2007 and Live Wire in 2011. After attending the University of North Texas for one semester and performing with a band called They Were Stars, she moved to Nashville in 2013 at age 22. She signed a publishing contract with Big Yellow Dog Music, co-writing material recorded by artists including Tim McGraw and Kelly Clarkson. A demo recording of her self-penned song "My Church" prompted her to record as a solo artist.

In 2015, Morris self-released an EP on Spotify that earned millions of streams and led to a contract with Columbia Nashville. Her lead single, "My Church," became a breakout country hit and won a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance. Her major-label debut studio album, Hero (2016), topped the Billboard country albums chart and produced the successful singles "80s Mercedes," "I Could Use a Love Song," and "Rich." In 2018, Morris achieved major crossover pop success as the featured vocalist on Zedd and Grey's single "The Middle," which reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

Morris released her second major album, Girl, in 2019, which won Album of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards and yielded the chart-topping country singles "Girl" and "The Bones." That same year, she formed the supergroup The Highwomen with Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby, releasing a self-titled album that debuted atop the country chart. Her third major studio album, Humble Quest (2022), earned a Guinness World Record for the most first-day and first-week Amazon Music streams for a female country artist's album.

In September 2023, Morris released the EP The Bridge and announced her departure from the country music industry. She subsequently released her soundtrack single "Kiss the Sky" for the animated film The Wild Robot, issued the EP Intermission, and toured on the RSVP Redux Tour in 2024. In 2025, she released her fourth studio album, Dreamsicle, featuring singles such as "People Still Show Up," "Carry Me Through," and "Bed No Breakfast." Throughout her career, she has been named to Forbes's 30 Under 30 list and multiple Billboard lists honoring top country artists.