For some in the music industry, there is no clearer evidence that times have changed than country artist Maren Morris. The Arlington, Texas, native released her self-titled EP in August 2015. Less than two weeks later, it had garnered more than a million streams on Spotify, opening the floodgates for Morris.
In the span of two years, she signed with Sony Music Nashville; put out her platinum single, “My Church,” and gold single “80s Mercedes;” and released her label debut, 2016’s “Hero,” which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart. She also scored 2017 Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist, Best Country Album, Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance, the latter of which she won.
With her sweeping success, many media sources and new fans labeled Morris an out-of-nowhere upstart.
“Everything you’ve never heard of is always an overnight sensation,” she says with a laugh.
In truth, Morris, 27, has been a professional musician for more than a decade, and in recent years, her work as a songwriter in Nashville led to cuts with artists such as Kelly Clarkson and Tim McGraw.
At the same time, Morris says that she doesn’t mind when people mistake her for an overnight success because her supporters know what she is about. More importantly, she knows herself.
“It’s nice to really be not so much of a new artist anymore,” she says. “I’ve established myself and my music and also my story. I’ve had time for people to really get to know me and me get to know them—everything from touring bars around Texas when I was 12 to trying out for every TV talent show in existence.”