It's been decades since Maren Morris first attended GRAMMY Camp all the way back in 2005 — nearly 20 years ago. Still, she remembers precisely how she felt then and how much of a "rare opportunity" it was.
She met luminaries like Jimmy Jam and Paul Williams, and the setting made the then-15-year-old feel legitimized and creatively elevated. "I learned how to peer into myself and learn what unique thing I had to bring to the table musically," she tells the Recording Academy.
Since then, Maren Morris has had an entire career: She won a GRAMMY, received 17 GRAMMY nominations, joined the country music supergroup the Highwomen, topped the Billboard country charts, and much more.
Morris just had a full circle moment — Recording Academy style. On Monday, Morris returned to GRAMMY Camp, the GRAMMY Museum's signature music industry camp for U.S. high school students, as a guest artist to celebrate the program's 20th anniversary, which takes place in Los Angeles this week. She joins viral NYC bass phenom Blu DeTiger and captivating New Jersey singer/songwriter Jeremy Zucker. Together, they are guiding students on their paths to a career in the music industry.
"I think that the main thing I'm imparting is that they don't need to rush their art or building their fan base," Morris says. "With social media and trending sounds and dances every day, it's easy to feel like you're getting lost or not keeping up fast enough with what your peers are doing.
"Just stick to being authentic," she continues, "and people see that, no matter what time they arrive to the party for you."
Still processing yesterday's unforgettable day at #GRAMMYCamp with @MarenMorris! 😍
In a Q&A moderated by @schyoneal, the GRAMMY Camp alumnus and GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter shared her industry wisdom students, followed by an amazing performance. pic.twitter.com/nnb6HmSYgw
— GRAMMY Museum (@GRAMMYMuseum) July 17, 2024
Another one of Morris' pieces of advice: Don't confuse loyalty with complacency. She explains that she likes to "shake up my production or co-writing comfort by working with new people who bring things out of me I wouldn't normally in a more comfortable creative situation."
In the end, "Find people that listen to you," Morris concludes, "but also push you and your creativity to new areas of yourself." There's no place better to do exactly that than at GRAMMY Camp, where the mentee can one day become the mentor and guide the next generation of artists and music industry professionals.
The 20th annual GRAMMY Camp celebration is running now and concludes with the GRAMMY Camp Finale Student Showcase on Saturday, July 20, at the Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum.
Applications for GRAMMY Camp 2025 will be available online in September.
