This past weekend, Maren Morris, a well-known American singer-songwriter and 2017 Grammy winner for Best Country Solo Performance, captivated the Newport Folk Festival venues.
Prior to her Sunday performance on the Quad Stage, Morris talked with What’sUpNewp.
Morris, who had previously performed at Newport Folk, explained how this year was different. I had the most joy walking around on other people’s sets, and that’s what Newport is all about—the camaraderie. Morris stated, “You just jump in on each other’s stuff because all your friends are here.”
I arrived barely in time for The Bleachers’ set on Friday after a very long and hectic day of travel that was fraught with delays. After getting up and singing a song with Jack [Antonoff], I sang with Remi Wolf yesterday. Lukas Nelson and I performed the [Jane] Pickens Theater last night, which was a lot of fun. Morris then stated on Sunday afternoon that he had three distinct things planned for today.
Why does Morris find Newport so special? She remarked, “It’s just so beautiful.” And it’s already bliss when you’re at a festival without perspiring. Additionally, because the stages are so close to one another, it’s easy to stroll and attend a friend’s performance. This time, we stayed in town for the entire three days, and we were accommodated in a motel in the little downtown area. Morris acknowledged some local Newport restaurants, praising the coffee at Picnic Bakery and the sushi at Stoneacre Brasserie.
Morris played a number of songs from her new album during her solo performance, including the tune “Grand Bouquet” from her Dreamsicle LP, which made its live debut.
Morris, who composed 95 songs for her Dreamsicle CD, seems to have a natural talent for writing. Morris discussed the forthcoming deluxe edition of Dreamsicle, which will include four new tracks and be released on August 1. Morris said, “I was writing all week a month or six weeks ago and got so much stuff that I loved that I was like, Let’s just do a deluxe [album] for the tour kickoff.”
Morris stated, “I’m really excited to get that one in the set list,” in reference to her new song, “Be a bitch,” which was released last Friday. One song, “Running,” is a melancholic yet empowering Wilson Phillips-style tune. However, I can’t wait to add them all to the set list.
Morris merchandise, which can be bought on her website, is notable for its audacious inventiveness. Morris responded, “I always use a graphic designer, because there’s so much I can’t visualize,” when asked how she approaches the design process. However, I occasionally get erratic thoughts. My obsession is typefaces. I always wear the merchandise samples personally to ensure they feel good before someone buys them because I genuinely care about how it looks on the other end and I want it to be comfortable. However, I also adore absurd merchandise. We recently released a bumper decal that reads, “Honk if you’re a bitch.” In addition to crazy merchandise, I adore a standard tour t-shirt with the face and the dates on it.
Morris finds inspiration in a variety of artistic mediums besides music. Going to the movies alone is one of my favorite activities. I see it as feeding the fountain of inspiration, and you are the only one who can make an opinion for yourself. Morris responded, “I love scary movies: I went and saw 28 Years Later and I loved that,” when asked what kind of films she now enjoys. Everything Danny Boyle is amazing. I must see the new one, Eddington, with Joaquin [Phoenix], because I adore Ari Aster. Right now, I adore everything that has a hint of creepiness to it. I just need something that will frighten me; I don’t need something sentimental or tearful. However, I adore Steel Magnolias as well.
Today, July 29, the MorrisDreamsicletour begins in Park City, Utah. On September 5, Morris and Jade LeMac will perform in Boston at the Leader Bank Pavilion. Be a bitch, Morris’s incendiary new single, is currently accessible on streaming services.
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