Most divorced couples avoid working together. Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd did the exact opposite. Nearly two years after finalizing their divorce, the former spouses reunited in the recording studio to release “We Can’t Be Friends,” a song they originally wrote together a decade ago. Looking back on the experience, Morris admits she couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.
Speaking with Apple Music while celebrating the 10th anniversary of her debut album Hero, Morris explained that revisiting the song with Hurd felt surreal.
“I think it’s hilarious,” she said, noting that the track is essentially a hookup song called We Can’t Be Friends—yet the two ended up recording it together years after ending their marriage.
The song has a long history.
Morris, Hurd, and songwriter Caitlyn Smith originally wrote it around 10 years ago, but it never made the final tracklist for Hero. For the newly released anniversary edition, HERO: A Second Wind, Morris decided the song finally deserved its moment, inviting both Hurd and Smith back into the studio to add background vocals.
Despite their divorce, Morris says making music together still felt natural.
She explained that songwriting has always been at the heart of their relationship and that reconnecting creatively reminded them of where everything began. Rather than reopening old wounds, the recording session became a chance to celebrate the music they created together before life took them in different directions.
Morris and Hurd were married in 2018 and welcomed their son, Hayes, in 2020 before divorcing in early 2024.
Since then, both have spoken openly about prioritizing co-parenting and maintaining a healthy relationship for their son’s sake. Morris has previously shared that they now get along well, live close to one another, and have found a positive rhythm as co-parents.
The collaboration is just one of several deeply personal moments tied to HERO: A Second Wind.
Morris recently revealed she now lives in the former home of her late producer Busbee, calling it a place where she feels emotionally safe and connected to one of the people who helped launch her career. Revisiting Hero has allowed her to reflect not only on her professional journey but also on the relationships that shaped her life.
For fans, the reunion is a reminder that not every breakup has to end in bitterness.
While romance didn’t last forever, Morris and Hurd have found a way to preserve the creative partnership that first brought them together.
And in Morris’ eyes, there’s something undeniably funny about recording a song called “We Can’t Be Friends” with the very person who proves that sometimes… you actually can.
