Maren Morris Says She's Been Texting With Kyle Richards Amid Marital Problems, Has Met Morgan Wade

The songstress also doubles down on her explanation about new music amid country music industry drama.

Maren Morris is lending her support to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards amid her struggles with husband Mauricio Umansky after 27 years of marriage. 

"I've been texting with Kyle," Morris revealed on Wednesday's Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. "I feel for her, for sure. I can't even imagine that long of a relationship, but yeah, she's obviously going through something and we're watching it through this lens of public whatever. But I think she's a human being that's going through a tough thing."

Morris is in the midst of a tough thing herself, as she filed for divorce from her husband of five years, Ryan Hurd, last month. The former couple shares one child, 3-year-old son Hayes

Asked by Cohen whether she knows Richards' gal pal, country artist Morgan Wade -- who has been the subject of persistent romance rumors with the Real Housewives star -- Morris replied, "I do, yeah! I know Morgan. She's great." 

Cohen responded with a curt "OK," prompting giggles from the live studio audience. Morris replied by throwing her hands up in a shrug and adding, "She is!" 

Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Elsewhere in the interview, Morris found herself once again clearing the air when it comes to her new music and where it falls on the spectrum of musical genres since announcing her intent to step back from the country music industry. 

"I will sort of, like, clarify," Morris said in response to a fan question, "I have not left country music. That was, like, the headline, but I actually -- what I said was I'm just leaving behind the sort of toxic parts of it, and that's like in any part of the music industry, but just certain things that I'm in control of." 

Morris then doubled down on her previous remarks that she will take the "good parts" of country with her on her new music. 

"I've always written everything very, like, genre-bendy for years," she shared, noting that her Texas roots are a heavy influence on her sound and songwriting process. "I just make music." 

Morris has already said as much in numerous interviews, explaining that her so-called departure from the country genre has more to do with business than her creativity. The songstress has officially transitioned to Columbia Records from the label's Nashville division and is currently promoting a new two-song EP, The Bridge, which she recorded with pop luminaries Jack Antonoff and Greg Kurstin. 

Morris has previously dubbed her transition "hyperbolic" rather than literal, adding that she had asked for her music to not be considered for potential nominations on the country music awards circuit. 

"I wrote these two songs, 'The Tree' and 'Get the Hell Out of Here,' and I just felt like I was leaving some things in country music behind that didn't really serve me anymore," she explained on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week. "It felt like calling it The Bridge felt like this step to the next thing, whatever that is."

As she continues working on that next thing, Morris said on Watch What Happens Live that she has been working regularly with Antonoff "on and off all year" along with "a few other people, too." She's currently in "writing mode," she shared.

For his part, Antonoff notably worked with Taylor Swift on her pop crossover album, 1989, and has gone on to produce all of her subsequent albums.

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