Maren Morris Once Experienced a Panic Attack During a Tour with The Chicks

Maren Morris once faced the intense emotions of her divorce in a moment she wasn’t prepared for: during soundcheck before a performance.

In a recent interview with SiriusXM, the singer shared that maintaining her busy schedule of performing and songwriting was challenging as she navigated her split from ex-husband Ryan Hurd.

Morris was touring with the Chicks leading up to her official filing in October, and during a September show in Toronto, things came to a head.

“A lot of things at home weren’t feeling great, and I definitely, during soundcheck, had a bit of a mental — well, it was just a panic attack,” she recalled.

She explained that “a lot of factors” contributed to her feeling overwhelmed but managed to gather herself in time for the show.

“Life doesn’t wait for you to conveniently break down in the comfort of your own bedroom,” Morris said. “Sometimes you have to put your big girl pants on and go do the show still.”

In the interview, Morris shared that it wasn’t until her divorce was finalized that she allowed herself to fully process the emotional toll.

“No one asked me to, but I guess institutionally or socially, I thought, ‘You know what, I’m gonna fall apart when it’s safe to,'” she said.

The singer and Hurd share a 4-year-old son named Hayes, and being “steady” involved being present for her son.

“You still have to be a mother, even when everything in your life feels like it’s imploding. Or that year,” she noted. “You’re shielding the explosion from a 4-year-old.”

Morris’ divorce coincided with significant personal and professional changes. She moved away from mainstream country music to explore a more genre-fluid space.

During the same week she filed for divorce, Morris continued with her musical commitments.

“The week that I filed for divorce, I had writing sessions all week with people who flew in from L.A. to Nashville. I didn’t want to cancel because they had made the trip to write with me,” she explained.

“I felt a responsibility, even through the darkness,” Morris shared. “My friends from L.A. asked if I was sure I wanted to be there and offered to cancel, but I insisted. I needed to be there. I couldn’t go home. Writing three or four times that week helped me stay productive and momentarily escape the pain.”

Morris’ latest project, an EP titled Intermission, was released earlier this month.