Maren Morris: People’s Criticism Of Her Playboy Photos ‘Empowered’ Her

Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

April 7th, 2022 11:47 AM

Maren Morris has been out and about in the last month doing interviews to promote her new album Humble Quest, and she’s been speaking her mind. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly about people’s reaction to her doing Playboy in 2019.

Maren said, “I’ve weirdly felt empowered in times where I’ve gotten the most criticism, like when I did Playboy in 2019. There were a lot of people clutching their pearls over-literal side boob, not even the whole boob like just get over it.”

She added, “Dolly Parton did Playboy in the ’70s, so everyone chill out.”

Morris was also candid about her success, following her own advice, “Don’t be an a–hole on the way up, and don’t be an a–hole on the way down.”

11 Maren Morris Songs That Matter

• 11. “80s Mercedes” – (2016)

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  It was her second single, following the powerful “My Church.” Maren co-wrote and co-produced the song with the late great producer Busbee during a session where they traded ideas about their numerous influences from that era.

• 10. “Craving You” (Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris) – (2017)

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  It’s hard to go wrong with a duet with Thomas Rhett. Maren contributed vocals on the song and recorded her parts in an hour. Morris almost didn’t make it to the final release, as Rhett initially wasn’t sure that it was "really a duet song." We’re glad he reconsidered.

• 9. “The Middle” (with Zedd and Grey) – (2018)

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  Dance music superstar Zedd said that working with Maren Morris was "super fun because she is clearly an amazing singer and very talented musician." This song introduced her to the pop world.
• 8. “Girl” – (2019)

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  Just a solid song from the CMA Award winning album of the same name that year (2020). The song reached a peak of Number One on the Billboard Country Airplay chart on August 3, 2019.

• 7. “I Could Use a Love Song” – (2017)

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  Couldn’t we all use a love song now and then? It’s also a no-frills heartbreak song that gives us all hope.

• 6. “You All Over Me (From the Vault)” (Taylor Swift featuring Maren Morris) – (2021)

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  It’s from the “Taylor’s version” of “Fearless,” where Swift re-recorded her old albums, including the outtakes.
• 5. “Chasing After You” (with Ryan Hurd) – (2021)

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  What a great duet for this husband-and-wife team. Let’s hope they take Tim (McGraw) and Faith’s (Hill) path and start doing more together.

• 4. “Dear Hate” (featuring Vince Gill) – (2017)

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  A powerful song that still resonates so loudly with today’s social climate. She wrote it after the Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 festival in 2017.

• 3.”Better than We Found It” – (2020)

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  One of the most important songs to come out of the crazy year that was 2020. It was one of the most powerful songs to come out of a year that most of us would like to forget.
• 2. “My Church” – (2016)

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  Her first hit and the song that brought her to the dance of country music stardom. The song won the award for Best Country Solo Performance and was nominated for Best Country Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

• 1. “The Bones” – (2019)

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  The lyrics in this song are epic. The song won CMAs for Song of the Year and Single of the Year.

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Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

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