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We’ve all had our fair share when it comes to rejections, but country music superstar Maren Morris is evidence that you should never allow a few “nos” to knock you down. Despite her success in pop country music, the Grammy-winning performer recently shared that several singing competition shows, including The Voice and American Idol, rejected her from auditioning.

Maren Morris’s musical journey to success

Born in Arlington, Texas, Morris is the daughter of Greg and Kellie Morris. When she was young, her parents ran the Maren Karsen Aveda Hair Salon in Arlington, which is still in business. Maren was a regular at the hairdresser’s shop as a youngster. She eventually worked as a receptionist and guest coordinator at a hotel.

A gathering at her parents’ hair business served as the catalyst for Maren’s discovery that she had an inedible singing voice. Patsy Cline and LeAnn Rimes were among the artists she sang karaoke renditions of during the occasion. Awed by her innate talent, Greg began pushing his daughter to sing in front of crowds.

As a child, Maren began performing in her native exas. Her dad served as both manager and booking agent for her career. Maren’s performances frequently occurred in the bars and clubs of Dallas and Fort Worth. While most of her pals went to slumber parties on the weekends, “Music was always this weekend job that I had,” Maren told the Dallas Observer.

In 2005, she flew alone for the first time to a Grammy camp, where she attended music sessions with industry insiders. Maren released her first studio album, Walk On, at the age of 15 in 2005. The album included 10 songs written by the artist and distributed under the Mozzi Bozzi label. In order to pay for the record’s production and distribution, Maren’s parents “basically sold the furniture out of the house,” her mother told Harper’s BAZAAR.

Maren Morris was rejected from many singing competition TV shows

Maren Morris has become one of the most talked-about artists in Nashville, thanks to the release of her latest album, Girl. However, most popular TV talent programs rejected the singer-songwriter earlier in her career.

In the eyes of many, American Idol is the breeding ground for superstars. However, The Boot acknowledges that the show’s organizers have also turned down several performers who’ve become superstars. During Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, a fan called in and questioned Maren about being rejected from American Idol and The Voice.

Andy’s disbelief was shared by Maren, who then added America’s Got Talent to the list of shows that passed her over. In a previous interview with Today, the 29-year-old singer remembered her horrific auditions. At 17 years old, she auditioned for American Idol at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

“You audition for, like, a 20-year-old producer who probably has no music cred,” Maren explained. The required singing time is just eight seconds, yet your performance should be nothing short of your very best. She recalls having to go down the “walk of shame” to reach her mother’s vehicle, where they both sobbed the rest of the way home. It all worked out in the end, however.

American Idol was not the only TV audition Maren experienced. She went on to try out for shows like The Voice, Star Search, and America’s Got Talent. According to her, “It was all no.” However, Maren still saw a silver lining and was able to put a positive spin on the situation, eventually making it big in country music.

Maren Morris’s breakthrough

Country music singer Maren Morris performs at a "Next Women of Country" event in 2015
Maren Morris performs in 2015 | Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT

Morris’s first big hit track, My Church, came out in 2016. It charted at No. 5 on Billboard Country; No. 9 on Billboard Country Airplay and No. 3 on Canada Country. At the 60th annual Grammy Awards, Maren won Best Country Solo Performance for the song.

The Hero tour, which Maren headlined to promote her album in 2017, was the next step in her career. A deluxe version of Hero was published, including three additional tracks.

She later wrote and recorded Dear Hate with Vince Gill as a reaction to the 2017 tragedy in Las Vegas. All revenues were donated to Music City Cares Fund. Many Grammy nominations came Maren’s way after winning the Country Music Association’s Best New Artist award. Her song Chasing After You hit No. 5 on the Billboard country charts in 2021, when she teamed with her husband, Ryan Hurd.

Maren’s next song, Circles Around This Town, released in January 2022. In March 2022, she released her second studio album, Humble Quest. A return from the glittering country albums chart and No. 21 on the Billboard 200, Humble Quest made its mark on the music industry. Pitchfork describes it as “Matter-of-factly masterful.”

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