Maren Morris is on a quest for something sweeter in “Dreamsicle.”
Maren Morris
Featured Songs: “dreamsicle,” “bed no breakfast,” “push me over,” “Kiss The Sky,” “too good”
Maren Morris approaches her artistry like a sculptor, ready to carve out new creations from a raw block of stone. “It’s a block of stone, and I’ve got the chisel,” she shares. “I have no idea what’s going to be on the other side, but I have to get to work.” Her latest album, D R E A M S I C L E, represents a significant transformation for her, marking a new chapter following her divorce from fellow songwriter Ryan Hurd. “He’s been a part of all my albums. This was the first that he’s not,” Morris reflects. “In a bittersweet way, I had to say goodbye not only to that relationship but also to him being my soundboard throughout this whole process.”
However, this transition also opened avenues for collaboration with fresh voices in music. Morris welcomed some of pop’s brightest talents on D R E A M S I C L E, including Jack Antonoff, Greg Kurstin, Julia Michaels, and a meaningful collaboration with MUNA. She recalls the experience with the Los Angeles-based indie pop trio, saying, “It was like going to a masterclass on how to date a woman.” The creative energy flowed organically, turning what could have been a swift writing session into hours of joyful conversation.
As the album unfolds, we also witness Morris embracing her identity more fully. “Happy to be the B in LGBTQ+,” she joyfully declared, marking her emergence into a more authentic self. “There was some nagging weight on me, and I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. You suppress so much…[Coming out] was me accepting and celebrating in a public way that part of myself that has always been there.”
Another discovery she shares on D R E A M S I C L E pertains to rediscovering love. “I feel like a Martian,” she describes. “I don’t know how anything works, how dynamics work. Dating is an interesting funhouse mirror of self-perception.” This profound self-awareness is threaded throughout the album, particularly in songs like “bed no breakfast,” where she celebrates the bliss of independence.
“After I’ve had a night with someone, I really want them to go back to their own house,” she shares warmly. “I think I’ve reclaimed this independence. I have my own space, where everything is mine. I just want the morning to be as peaceful and reflective as possible.”
Morris also highlights how motherhood has enriched her creative perspective. Songs like “because, of course” have been inspired by her son, Hayes. “[Motherhood] is a lesson in empathy,” she reflects. “You’re seeing something through another person’s perspective, and it’s a child. It’s a healing experience for your inner child.” Recently, she contributed her voice to the animated film The Wild Robot, enhancing a poignant moment where a character learns to soar.
“Every time I watch that scene, I bawl my eyes out. It makes me think of when Hayes is going to go off to college,” she confides, touching on the beauty and bittersweet nature of growth. As Morris navigates these life passages, she acknowledges a common concern: the fear of missing out on life’s fleeting moments. The title track of her album resonates with this theme, focusing on appreciating life’s sweetness before it fades away. “All things eventually end,” she reflects. “If you just accept that, the grief part of it is allowed to dissipate. You become freer to be present and fully enjoy something as it’s happening.”
This episode of World Cafe was produced and edited with care, capturing the essence of Morris’s journey as she explores themes of love, identity, and the beauty of presence.
