Maren Morris Struggled to Write Sophomore Album

Maren Morris just released “GIRL,” the debut single from her upcoming sophomore album. Morris admits she struggled to write the new set of tunes, which follows her wildly successful Hero record.

“I had major writers’ block when I was trying to write the first songs of this new phase of mine,” Morris confessed to PEOPLE. “That happens when you take time off though. You have to work that muscle out again.”

Morris released Hero in the summer of 2016, as her introduction to country music fans. The album included the Grammy-winning single, “My Church,” adding extra pressure to the singer as she worked on her new album.

“Attempting to write ‘My Church’ the sequel is just not realistic or productive,” Morris maintained. “I’m in such a different head space. I wrote ‘My Church’ four years ago, and so much has happened since then.”

With the pop-sounding “GIRL” as the lead single from the next record, many fans speculated that the success of her collaboration with Zedd and Grey on “The Middle” fueled her less-than-country sound, but the 28-year-old says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I’ve had a lot of questions from fans: Am I going pop now? But I’m a guest in that world,” Morris said, adding that most of her new album was completed prior to recording “The Middle.”

“There are songs on this album that are pop-leaning or even kind of ’90s R&B, then there are moments that are very Carole King,” Morris said. “I’m still very connected to my original roots, which are in my version of country music. I have to do me.”

“I can’t really try to sound like anyone else or be this pop star — I’m myself,” she continued. “I definitely love pop music, and I’m constantly inspired by it as a songwriter, and I loved being a part of this cataclysm that was ‘The Middle’ for this past year. But I don’t know that I can just waltz out the gate and be like, ‘This is a pop record.’”

What Morris can say defined her upcoming album is all of the events of the past few years, including her marriage to Ryan Hurd.

“It’s a yearbook; it’s a time stamp of the last few years of my insanely chaotic existence and love life,” Morris said. “I’m super proud of it. I’ve listened to it so many times. My husband has listened to it so many times. It’s ready for everyone else to hear it and hopefully connect to these songs. I think they will.”

Download “GIRL” on iTunes.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jeff Kravitz