Maren Morris: ‘Sometimes I Forget Who I Am’
In 2016, Maren Morris hit the road with Keith Urban, on his Ripcord World Tour; this year, she is touring with Sam Hunt, on his 15 in a 30 Tour. The 27-year-old has been pretty lucky when it comes to security opening spots on major tours -- and she knows it.
"It’s been amazing," Morris gushed to The Boot and other reporters at a recent media event. "I think Sam Hunt is such a trailblazer, so to get to perform right before he plays and watch his show, you can just see into that guy’s brain. He’s very very smart ...
"It’s been so fun; it’s such a great show, and I’m so proud of [Hunt] for having that many people show up every night," Morris adds. "It is crazy the response in the crowd."
Although Hunt and Morris weren't close friends before the 15 in a 30 Tour launched, she says that they have found common ground out on the road. They've got some things in common, especially professionally, that make them compatible tourmates.
"Sam’s manager and my manager [both] work at Red Light [Management], and so we’ve always sort of been in the same circle, but obviously Sam had this meteoric rise, and then mine was like a year or two later. We were just kind of off, so we never really got to hang out, but we’ve been fans from afar," Morris explains. "It’s just cool to finally come together. He’s doing his first headline amphitheater tour, and this is my first time being direct support on anything, so that’s just crazy. And I think our music really complements each other well, because we are rooted in country, but we love to blend other genres into it and just make it energetic and fun, so it feels like a complementary tour."
Morris currently has not one but two songs on the charts: her own single, "I Could Use a Love Song," and her duet with Thomas Rhett, "Craving You." The latter comes from Rhett's upcoming new album.
"Thomas Rhett – everything he touches turns to gold ... I’ve been a fan of his, so to be on that song, it’s just such an honor," gushes Morris. "It’s such a fun song, and muscle exercise for the both of us, because it’s very ‘80s sounding ...
"I’m not a huge chart-watcher -- I think it kind of messes with my head, so I just let someone tell me when the news is good -- but it’s amazing seeing "Craving You" just shoot up the chart," Morris continues. "And "Love Song" is in the Top 30 now, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of both of those songs. It’s very exciting."
Morris, who is also headlining her own shows in smaller venues as part of her Hero Tour, often can't believe her good fortune. With two hit singles -- including her Top 10 debut song "My Church" -- and a No. 1 album to her name, the Texan says that she's still having trouble coming to terms with her success.
"Sometimes I forget who I am," concedes Morris. "It’s still a thing that is a rise, and it still surprises me when things like that happen."
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