Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris Team Up for Songwriting Session in Charleston

Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris have officially confirmed a long-awaited collaboration, as revealed in an exclusive interview with People magazine on July 28, 2025. The two country stars, who first connected as Best New Artist nominees at the 2017 Grammy Awards, recently spent three days together in Charleston, South Carolina, to write new music. This marks the first time they've written together.

"In one TikTok video, the artists were seen enjoying their time together in Charleston, further highlighting their friendship." Their playful TikTok content quickly sparked fan speculation about a possible musical project, which has now been confirmed.

"Maren and I haven't had the chance to catch up in years, and we've both had so much life that's happened," Ballerini, who recently led Pantene's new "Country Fried Hair" campaign, tells PEOPLE.

The writing retreat was more of a creative hangout than a structured songwriting session. "[It was] me, her, and Alysa [Vanderheym], and we wrote and we went to dinners," the "First Rodeo" singer says. "It was not work. It was much more play than work."

Ballerini expressed admiration for Morris's songwriting and musicality, and the reunion offered a chance to reconnect after both artists experienced significant life changes in recent years. Ballerini's most recent project, Patterns (Deluxe), came out in March 2025, and Morris released her latest project, Dreamsicle, in May.

As Ballerini gears up for her upcoming international tour dates in Australia and the UK, she's also embracing a quieter phase in her career. "I wish I could sit here and tell you I had a bunch up my sleeve. I really don't for the first time in a long time, and I'm learning to be comfortable with that," she says.

While there's no official word yet on when their collaborative song will be released, fans are already anticipating the blend of Ballerini and Morris's distinctive voices and songwriting styles.