Maren Morris still finds it surprising when crowds turn up for her performances.
The My Church singer has drawn criticism from some fans in recent years for speaking out on political and social issues and for moving away from country music into a genre‑free space.
Consequently, the 36-year-old remains amazed to see audiences filling venues as she goes on tour.
“I still sometimes step out and think, ‘How are all these people here?'” she told Rolling Stone. “And it’s not to diminish my work or my presence. I was taught early on that there’s only one way to do things. Now that I’m pursuing it my way, it still shocks me that people keep showing up.”
Maren noted that she has embraced performing in intimate settings rather than large arenas, and believes artists shouldn’t consider themselves failures if a downsizing becomes necessary.
“There’s probably a lot of pride among artists who don’t want to do it,” she said. “It’s almost as if, having moved up to arenas or stadiums and then dropping to a lower capacity, some people treat that as a sign of failure. But it isn’t. Sometimes the world simply changes, and continuing to deliver your fans the experience and the escape you offer can mean playing in a smaller venue.”
Maren, who toured behind her Dreamsicle album last year, added, “This is my life’s work. I really want to place it somewhere it will be cared for. And if that means it looks smaller, so be it. I’ll ensure it receives more care.”
