NPR MUSIC PREMIERES SPECIAL MAREN MORRIS LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEO OF “ONCE” FILMED AT HISTORIC RCA STUDIO A
MAREN MORRIS TEAMS UP WITH ALICIA KEYS FOR NEXT INSTALLMENT OF CMT CROSSROADS
NPR calls Morris’ debut album HERO “one of the most sonically adventurous country albums in recent memory”
Nashville, Tenn. – NPR Music exclusively premiered the special live performance video by Columbia Nashville’s singer/songwriter Maren Morris for the song “Once” which appears as the final track on Morris’ critically acclaimed album, HERO. The performance of the song that NPR calls “a true showstopper” was shot in black and white and filmed at the historic RCA Studio A located on iconic Music Row in Nashville, Tenn. Comparing her vocal stylings to the legendary likes of Beyonce and Adele, NPR declares Morris is now “claiming her space among the divas.” With the performance of “Once”, NPR touts that Morris “continues to prove that she doesn’t intend to stay within one musical zone – except that one labeled ‘excellence.’”
Watch Morris’ live performance of “Once” on NPR
The song “Once” is the final track that makes up HERO, but is not a current radio single, which makes for an interesting choice for a music video. The reason Morris decided to create a special performance video for the song spawned from when she opened for Chris Stapleton this past February at the Ryman Auditorium. At the time she hit the iconic “Mother Church” stage, her album HERO was well in the distance from release thus her ever growing fan base had not quite heard “Once” yet.
This specific evening was a special treat for both fans and Morris herself, for when she began belting the chorus “Know that if somehow we make it alive / And both get out on the other side / Know this might be asking a lot / When it’s all said and done / Don’t forget that you loved me once” backed only by two side guitar players and two back ground vocalists, Morris’ incomparable voice soared, and the room was electric.
Maren decided to create another special performance, acknowledging that the first one would never be copied, for her fans to enjoy. Instead of taking away from the special night at the Ryman Auditorium months ago, Morris chose the historic RCA Studio A to set the scene for “Once.”
Morris now becoming no stranger to special and monumental moments, as recently announce she has teamed up with GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer Alicia Keys for the next installment of CMT Cross Roads, to air Friday, December 2nd at 10pm ET/PT.