During the Grammys broadcast last year, the world heard Maren Morris, Zedd and Grey's genre-shattering collaboration "The Middle" for the first time during a commercial break. Now, a year later, what became one of the biggest songs of the year is nominated for three awards, including song and record of the year.
In addition to those nods, the rising country star's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" is up for Best Country Solo Performance, and her duet with Vince Gill, "Dear Hate," is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song.
âThis is the best news to end 2018 on,â Morris told Billboard about the nominations. âIâve had a really amazing year paired with âThe Middle.â I went on tour with Niall Horan, and the crowds in South America were singing âThe Middleâ back so loud, and thatâs when I got it: That song had officially gone around the world, and a song of my own had never quite had that extent of a reach. Iâm sure Zedd would say the same thing: Weâre an unlikely pair, but because it fit the song so well, it was a great marriage of genres. The Grammys are known for these unlikely Grammy Moment collaborations, so to have a song that really represented what the Grammys are about is really full circle.â
This isn't the first time the 28-year-old has been nominated for a Grammy. In fact, she won Best Country Solo Performance for her breakout hit "My Church" in 2017. But that doesn't make this year any less exciting.
âTo have nominations across the board is astounding to me, because I havenât put an album out in the past two years,â Morris admitted. âItâs crazy to not be in an album cycle and have this amazing validation.â
Check out the full list of Grammy nominees here.
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