ABC/Image Group LAAt Wednesday’s CMA Awards, Maren Morris is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for “Dear Hate.”  She’ll be performing on the ABC telecast with Chris Stapleton and soul/gospel music legend Mavis Staples.  She says she can’t reveal too much about the performance, but says it’ll have a lot of soul.

“I know that we’re doing some really soulful stuff,” she tells ABC Radio.  “I’ve never met Mavis but I’m such a fan and Chris and I, I’ve opened for him in the past and both his and my careers both sort of launched at the CMA Awards…but it’s cool to be coming together on the CMA stage.”

Meanwhile, Maren is officially finished with her second album. “Believe me, I promise, in the new year, very early, it’s gonna be out!” she tells ABC Radio.

One song that won’t be on that album, though, is “Dear Hate,” her CMA-nominated duet with Vince Gill, which she released to raise money for the victims of the Las Vegas massacre. Maren says the song “lives in its own universe.”

As she explains, “It’s been an unexpected gift releasing ‘Dear Hate,’ and having the response from fans and survivors and people going through therapy right now after stuff like that, and still wanting to come see live music.”

Tune into the CMA Awards Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC to watch Maren get soulful with Chris and Mavis — and to see if “Dear Hate” can bring home the trophy.

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