Maren Morris is still reveling in the afterglow of her electrifying Coachella performances, having graced the music festival's stage for two consecutive nights last weekend. "I feel like I've only just regained my voice today—thank heavens, considering all the interviews I had lined up. Yesterday was all about rest and recuperation; it was my 'silent recovery day,'" Morris shared with The Hollywood Reporter. "I've never had such an extended run at Coachella before. My last appearance was in 2019, where I simply joined Zedd for 'The Middle.' But this time around, I headlined with the LA Philharmonic on Saturday, followed by Zedd's set on Sunday night. It was an absolute blast!"
Morris, who affectionately dubbed her Saturday night gig "Churchella," wowed the crowd with "My Church," the lead single from her 2016 debut studio album Hero. She donned a floor-length gold gown, backed by a live gospel choir and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel, on April 12. This marked a historic first: a major orchestra performing at the festival.
"It's an immense honor to be asked to participate by them, and for them to play at Coachella is just so cool," expressed Morris. "I'd love to see more symphonies, orchestras, or philharmonics collaborate with artists in their sets, perhaps even blending in some classical music. I'd never seen anything like it before; I was on cloud nine."
Both Morris and the orchestra had just two weeks to prepare, with their sole rehearsal taking place the day before at the Hollywood Bowl. "When I met Gustavo, I thought, 'He's a genuine rock star,'" Morris recounted, equally impressed by the choir. "I was a tad nervous because they were transitioning from Vivaldi's Concerto into my a cappella 'My Church,' and I didn't have a pitch reference. Sort of, but it had to blend seamlessly. So, by show day, I was listening to my song on repeat to get the pitch perfect. The singers really carried me through that. I kept turning to them throughout the performance; they were my duet partners. They were phenomenal," she added.
Sunday night was a breezier affair for Morris, who once again took the stage during German DJ and producer Zedd's set, which also featured John Mayer, Julia Michaels, Elley Duhé, and Bea Miller. It was a full-circle moment as Morris reprised her hit single "The Middle." "Zedd's crowd was incredibly supportive; it was massive and roaringly loud," recalled the country singer.
Morris also managed to catch some of her fellow performers' sets during the festival, rushing over to see Charli XCX after her own Saturday night gig. "She had already started because of the staggered set times, so I only caught a glimpse of her performance. I really wanted to see more of Clairo, so I popped in for a bit of her set, and of course, I caught Zedd on Sunday. I was keen to see Jennie and caught a snippet of Post Malone too," she said.
"I'm always working when I'm there," Morris admitted, lamenting that she couldn't catch all her favorite acts. However, she wouldn't mind facing that dilemma again for Coachella 2026. "Maybe next time I'll be on the headline bill," she mused, ahead of the release of her fourth studio album, Dreamsicle, on May 9. "I mean, I've performed there so many times."
