Maren Morris Has Been ‘Deeply Creative’ amid Divorce and Pivot Out of Country Genre: ‘There’s a Lot to Write About’

Major personal and professional shifts are inspiring Maren Morris’ new music.

The “My Church” singer-songwriter, 34, appeared on the Sept. 25 episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast and opened up about how creative she’s been feeling after her divorce from ex-husband Ryan Hurd and pivoting out of the country genre.

Morris spoke about tapping into a new creative space following “a huge 180 in my life in the last two years,” telling the podcast host about her move from Columbia Records’ country-focused Nashville label to the company’s New York branch.

“I think just retooling this genre shift kind of away from country and more so, like, in every realm, genre-less space, has been really tough but necessary and scary — just to walk away from something that I built for so long,” she said. “I didn’t fit it anymore. It didn’t fit me.”

The Grammy winner then touched on her changing relationship to Hurd, 37, with whom she shares son Hayes Andrew, 4. “We’re getting it together, but the co-parenting thing has been going well, and we’re trying our best in this way, but it’s still pretty fresh,” she explained. “I have just been so deeply creative the last year because, probably, of all this transition.”

“There’s a lot to write about, but, like, a freedom too,” continued Morris. “I don’t have to serve this machine of what I think country music was or what it expected me to be. I can just do my thing now.”

The “Cut!” performer expressed feeling “lucky” to have the support of fans and “freedom” to work through the changes in her life. “But now it’s like, the sky’s the limit. Where do we go from here?”

Morris released a new EP, Intermission, in August, and she has tour dates scheduled through the rest of the year, including opening slots for Pink. However, she doesn’t want to spend all her time working.

“I also know when I have to say no sometimes to opportunities because I don’t wanna be gone all the time. I don’t wanna be touring 280 days a year. Like, I want to be home,” she told Shepard, 49. “I wanna be a good mom and also have a social life because then I really don’t have anything to write about.”

“If I’m not going through the s—show of dating, there is no album,” added Morris, who publicly came out as bisexual in March. “The well has to be filled in that way.”

Recently, PEOPLE learned the “Circles Around This Town” artist was newly dating Justin Assada of Netflix’s Perfect Match, though their current relationship status is unknown.

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