Maren Morris Embraces Single Life, New Music, and the Humor in Heartbreak

Even pop stars aren’t immune to awkward first dates — just ask Maren Morris. The Grammy-winning singer recently shared a less-than-stellar dating experience that left her questioning the norms of modern romance. “There was one date I went on where the guy felt compelled to kiss me at the end,” Morris, 35, revealed. “I was like, ‘That is so weird for a first date.’ Unless there’s instant, undeniable chemistry, the first date feels more like an interview. Dinner? Drinks? No way. You’re a stranger, and you’re trying to kiss me?”

Though she’s dipped her toes back into the dating pool, Morris isn’t in a rush to settle down again. Over a year has passed since her divorce from fellow musician Ryan Hurd, with whom she shares her 5-year-old son, Hayes. Now, she’s relishing her independence — and her personal space. “I love not having to share a bathroom,” she joked. “I can spread out all my skincare and fragrances. Honestly, I’ve joked that I want to live like Frida Kahlo and her husband — just in houses next door to each other. Their bedrooms were connected by a bridge. That’s about as close as I want to be to someone romantically.”

But while her personal life has been filled with change, it’s also been a source of inspiration. Her upcoming album, Dreamsicle, out this Friday, reflects a year of transformation and self-discovery. The 14-track project captures Morris navigating life’s twists and turns — from her evolving identity (she came out as bisexual last year) to her bold decision to step away from the country music world she once called home.

The album is a mix of emotions, blending heartbreak and humor in equal measure. Tracks like “I Hope I Never Fall in Love” and “This Is How a Woman Leaves” explore the melancholy of love lost, while the playful synth-pop duet “Cut!” with Julia Michaels pokes fun at the pressure to keep it all together. “You have to laugh at life’s sad tragedies,” Morris said. “Everything ends, and it’s out of your control. You can let it plague you forever, or you can laugh, move on, and take the lesson: better luck next time.”

Dreamsicle also serves as a love letter to the ’70s, an era that shaped the album’s aesthetic and sound. “It has everything from stripped-back, folksy singer-songwriter vibes to tracks you can dance to,” Morris explained. “That feels like the ’70s to me — Fleetwood Mac meets Studio 54.”

“She is in real life who she is in her music,” said Sheryl Crow, a longtime admirer of Morris’s work. “She’s always asking the hard questions and trying to make sense of them for all of us.”

Morris’s style, both on and off stage, reflects her multifaceted personality. “I love glitter, rhinestones, and disco when I’m performing,” she said. But in her personal life, she gravitates toward neutrals and calm, spa-like vibes. “My home is full of beiges — but not in a basic way,” she laughed. “I don’t sleep well, especially before an album release. My mind is always racing, so I need my living space to feel like a sanctuary.”

As she prepares to release Dreamsicle, Morris is embracing the chaos and beauty of her life. Whether she’s navigating motherhood, crafting music, or enduring awkward first dates, she’s finding the humor, lessons, and inspiration in it all. And as her fans eagerly await her new album, one thing is clear: Maren Morris is stepping into this next chapter with grace, grit, and a little bit of glitter.