Maren Morris Talks Coachella Sets with Zedd and the LA Philharmonic: “I Feel Like I Just Got My Voice Back”

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Maren Morris is still basking in the afterglow of her outstanding performances at Coachella, where she captivated audiences for two consecutive nights over the weekend.

Today, I’ve regained my ability to speak again – a blessing indeed given all the interviews I had yesterday,” Morris shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Yesterday was essentially a day of rest for my voice, as it needed recuperation after all those interviews. It’s been quite some time since I performed at Coachella; the last time was back in 2019 when I joined Zedd for ‘The Middle’. But this year, things were different! On Saturday, I collaborated with the LA Philharmonic and then took the stage with Zedd on Sunday night. The whole experience was absolutely delightful.

On the 12th of April, Morris, known for labeling her Saturday night performance as “Churchella,” sang her hit single “My Church” from her 2016 debut studio album Hero. She performed this number in a long gold dress, accompanied by a live gospel choir and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. This was a groundbreaking event as it marked the first time a major orchestra took part in the festival.

Morris expresses great appreciation at being asked by them to participate in any project, and he’s thrilled about their Coachella performance. He dreams of a situation where a symphony, orchestra, or philharmonic joins them on stage, blending classical music into the set. He’s never experienced anything similar before, so he was absolutely ecstatic.

Morris and the orchestra had roughly two weeks to prepare, with the rehearsal for the show happening a day prior at the Hollywood Bowl. That’s when Morris encountered Gustavo, whom he immediately thought was “a rock star.” Morris was equally amazed by the choir as well.

She felt a tad anxious as she was about to transition from a Vivaldi Concerto to singing ‘My Church’ a cappella, without any pitch reference to guide her. Although she had a vague idea of the pitch, it needed to blend flawlessly, so leading up to the performance, she repeatedly played her own song to ensure the pitch was accurate. The singers were her anchors throughout that experience. In fact, they became her unspoken duet partners during the performance. She admits, “They were my support, and I couldn’t have done it without them. They were incredible.

On Sunday evening, I found myself back on stage, joining forces with the renowned DJ and producer Zedd. The energy was electrifying as we were joined by John Mayer, Julia Michaels, Elley Duhé, and Bea Miller. In a surreal twist of fate, I once more took to the mic to perform my chart-topping single “The Middle.” Reflecting on the experience, I can’t help but smile at the memory of the incredibly receptive crowd that Zedd drew. The atmosphere was electric, deafening even.

Over the weekend, I dashed to catch Charli XCX’s performance, right after wrapping up my own set on Saturday evening. I was lucky enough to catch some of my fellow artists during the festival as well!

She began early because their performance times were spaced out, allowing me a brief glimpse of her set. However, I was eager to return to the stage where I’d been for Clairo’s performance, so I only caught a short moment there. Then, naturally, I saw Zedd on Sunday. I wanted to watch Jennie, and I also got a taste of Post Malone’s show.

Morris acknowledges she’s often busy when she visits, missing out on some of her favorites. Still, she’d gladly face that issue again for Coachella 2026. With a twinkle in her eye, she jokes, ‘Perhaps next time I’ll be the one performing.’ Morris is set to release her fourth studio album, Dreamsicle, on May 9, and with her extensive experience on stage, who knows?

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2025-04-18 03:24