Maren Morris is speaking her truth and kicking off a new era of music with her Intermission EP, released on Friday, August 2.
“Every good show needs an intermission,” she captioned an Instagram post in June, announcing the new music.
Intermission acts as Morris’ first foray into a new genre of sorts after widely criticizing the “institution” of country music in October 2023. When it came to her music specifically, Morris told Us Weekly exclusively in February that she had “basically a whole record done, and then my life imploded.” (She appeared to be referencing the feud with Jason and Brittany Aldean over transgender rights and divorce from husband Ryan Hurd.)
“I sort of am back to square one, which is not that scary to me anymore because … nothing could shake me at this point,” Morris said of her new sound. “I’m in the fun stage of figuring out what the sound is.”
Morris also told Us that she doesn’t worry “about the end result” or “audience’s view” when it comes to crossing genres with her music. For Intermission, Morris introduced listeners to her new-ish sound when releasing “Cut!” — a collaboration with Julia Michaels — in June.
Now that the five-song collection has officially been released, it’s safe to say the old Morris can’t come to the phone right now. Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the Intermission lyrics:
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‘Cut!’
As the lead single from this collection of songs, Morris kicked off Intermission strong proving that “every good show needs an intermission” as she sings in the track’s bridge.
“‘Cut!’ is about me holding myself together through the day, looking well-rested, not a hair out of place, not canceling any plans with friends because that’s how well I want you to think I’m doing,” she shared in a press release. “Perhaps those things are all true, but at night, I let the mask slip and let myself scream or fall apart to let the steam out of the kettle.”
‘Hope I Never Fall in Love’
Us got a first taste of this track before its official release July release. The song, dropped on the heels of her divorce, details Morris’ thoughts about relationships. She referred to it as “the afterglow of a s-tshow” on Instagram.
“It’s a bittersweet heartbreaker because I’m in self-protection mode but still want to feel things. So throwing parties, going home with a stranger, popping champagne, whatever we need to do to process our trauma, it’s not a pretty road to healing,” she wrote. “I, of course, do want to fall in love again, but I can’t put my heart through it just yet, so here’s a number about this strange but constructive (and destructive) window of my life.”
‘Push Me Over’
Morris came out as bisexual June — and this song appears to be part of her sexual awakening.
“I’ve been waiting for a night like this / West side, red lips / We can test out my hypothesis / Your hands, my hips,” the first verse reads. Morris continued, singing about “how your perfume smells on me later” before jumping into the sultry chorus.
“Want you in my bed cause I don’t need more friends / The more that you come closer want you to push me over,” she sings. “Sitting on the fence feels good between my legs/ The more that you come closer, want you to push me over.”
‘Because, Of Course’
It’s unclear exactly what Morris’ intentions are behind this song. However, there appears to be a callback to her 2020 song “Better Than We Found It” within the first verse.
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“I’m not a mathematician/ But the world’s done a number on you,” she sings. A case could be made that she’s singing to her son, Hayes, especially when the chorus ends with the line: “I’m always gonna love you because, of course.”
‘How a Woman Leaves’
Morris has stayed rather tight-lipped about the details surrounding her split from Hurd — until now. This track seems to allow the musician to share the ups and downs of her past marriage.
“Close your eyes and listen to me closely, like you used to know me, now you don’t” she opens the track. “Smile at me like you understand me, you don’t understand me, you don’t.”
Elsewhere in the song, Morris sings: “I don’t have to prove to you that I was so good to you.” As she continues into the chorus, Morris packs a huge punch.
“Not gonna try and be your friend. All I want is you to get out of my heart, out of my head. This is how a woman leaves,” the lyrics read. “Even though it’s killing me, I’ll make it look so easy that even I believe me. Go ahead and look me in the eye, go ahead and tell me you’re surprised.”
The song’s final line leaves a major mark as well.
“You have the nerve to ask why I’m not crying,” Morris sings. “I did all my crying lying next to you.”
