Maren Morris is still taking in her Coachella performance after gracing the stage of the music festival two nights in a row this past weekend.
“I feel like I just got my voice back today — thank God, because I had all these interviews — yesterday was like my recovery don’t talk day,” Morris tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve never had that much time at Coachella. The last time I’d done it was 2019, and I just came out and did ‘The Middle’ with Zedd, but this time I was doing the LA Philharmonic on Saturday, and then Zedd’s set Sunday night, and it was just so fun.”
Morris, who dubbed her Saturday night set “Churchella,” performed “My Church,” the lead single from her 2016 debut studio album Hero, in a floor-length gold gown with a live gospel choir and the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel on April 12. The appearance marked the first time a major orchestra appeared at the festival.
“That’s just such an honor to be asked by them to do anything, but also them doing a set at Coachella is so cool,” says Morris. “I would love for a symphony or orchestra or philharmonic to come out and incorporate artists into their set, also with some classical music, of course. I’d never witnessed anything like it, so I was just on cloud nine.”
Both Morris and the orchestra only had about two weeks to prep, the rehearsal for the performance taking place the day before at the Hollywood Bowl. “I met Gustavo then and I was just like, ‘He’s a rock star,’” says Morris, who was equally impressed by the choir.
“I was a little bit nervous because they’re coming out of this Vivaldi Concerto, and then I’m supposed to just start A capella with ‘My Church’ and I didn’t have a pitch reference. I kind of did, but it had to happen so seamlessly, so by show day, I was just listening to my own song over and over to get the pitch correct. The singers really held me through that. I kind of kept coming back to them through the performance. I was like, ‘They’re my duet.’ They were amazing,” she adds.
Sunday night was much more lax for Morris, who performed again for German DJ and producer Zedd’s set, during which he also brought out John Mayer, Julia Michaels, Elley Duhé and Bea Miller. In a full-circle moment, Morris once again sang her hit single “The Middle.” “The crowd for Zedd was so supportive,” the country singer recalls. “It was massive, so loud.”
Morris managed to take in performances from some of her peers during the festival as well, dashing over to catch Charli XCX’s set after her own Saturday night.
“She had already started because they staggered the set times, so I caught a few minutes of her, but I really wanted to get back to the stage I had been on for Clairo, so I caught a little bit of that, and then, of course, I saw Zedd on Sunday. I wanted to see Jennie, and then I heard a little bit of Post Malone,” she says.
“I’m always working when I go there,” adds Morris of not being able to catch all of her faves. Admittedly, she wouldn’t mind having that problem again for Coachella 2026. “Maybe next time I’ll be on the lineup,” says Morris, who’ll release her fourth studio album, Dreamsicle, on May 9. “I mean, I’ve performed so many times.”
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