https://www.youtube.com/watch?amp;v=Lj6Y6JCu-l4
Videos by Wide Open Country
Maren Morris just teamed up with DJ Zedd and electronic music duo Grey on a new single called "The Middle," and it's got all the makings of a pop hit.
With her rich voice front and center, Morris delivers some of her danciest and expressive vocals to date. She goes from belting runs to a bridge that goes from whispers to rasp in nothing flat.
To put it simply, this trio may have just released one of the biggest pop songs of the year. And it's only January.
Of course, country stalwarts will probably tense up at the thought, since the most acoustic element in the entire track is Morris' voice. And even that is clearly affected stylistically beyond her traditional country material.
But who cares? "The Middle" is relatable and singable upon first listen, with lyrics that actually resonate and a cool production aesthetic. Check out the lyric video for the song above, which has already racked up more than 100,000 views in half a day.
The song actually comes on the heels of a new campaign from Target stores dubbed #MoreMusic. It's a lead-up to the performance of the song at this year's upcoming 60th Grammy Awards.
"I'm so excited we're finally able to share 'The Middle' with the world," Morris says in a press release. "Zedd was so great to work with and so easy-going, it felt like we'd been working together for years. The sound is reflective of my many influences as an artist - a little bit country, little pop, little R&B, relatable, emotional and catchy as hell. There are no limits with this song and I can't wait to see how the fans react."
Target also plans to use the song for its spring marketing campaign, which begins Feb. 4. You can catch Morris performing the song at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 28 starting at 7:30 p.m. on CBS.
