These are exciting times for country singer/songwriter MaRynn Taylor. Fresh off of releasing an EP, “Get To Know Me” this past May, she’ll play some of the biggest stages of her career yet as she supports Kelsea Ballerini on her current tour, which heads to Fiserv Forum this Saturday night. Already named as one of the “Next Women In Country” by CMT, Taylor is emerging as a name to watch before this tour, and we caught up with her just before the opening night of the 36-date run. 

OMC: You’re headed out on the road with Kelsea Ballerini, and you’re about to start playing big arenas. What was your reaction when you first found out about the tour?

MaRynn Taylor: I was absolutely shook. I posted my reaction on social media, but she FaceTimed me, and I've known Kelsea for about five years now, but I wasn't expecting her to call. Even though I’ve known her, I grew up listening to her. So it's still always just like “my gosh, hey, Kelsea Ballerini” you know? She was like “Do you want to do my big girl arena tour?” and of course it’s like, “Yeah!” immediately.

Getting to play arenas is something that, it's weird because it's like I could have never imagined, but I also imagined it happening, you know what I mean? I would always think like, “what's the view from where the artist is standing?” So I'm finally going to see what that looks like and how that feels. So I’m pumped for it.

OMC: That seems like the goal, to always play the biggest stage possible, and say that you’re meant for this.

MaRynn Taylor: Absolutely.

OMC: How do you think it’s going to feel, bringing your music to that big of a setting on a nightly basis?

MaRynn Taylor: So we've been in rehearsals this week and I've really gotten to close my eyes and listen to it a few times, and just picture what it is going to sound like in an arena. It's going to be incredible. Another one of my biggest dreams is having people sing my songs back to me, which is really incredible. So I'm excited to just have a big singalong with everybody, and to get to hear my songs on that big of a stage and that big of a tour is going to be really incredible.

OMC: Would you say this is your biggest opportunity so far?

MaRynn Taylor: This is definitely the biggest tour I've ever done. I've never played in an arena, but I have done the national anthem in stadiums, and I got to do a halftime show at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. That was my biggest concert in front of an audience. But I've never, ever done a tour like this.

Kelsea calls it her “big girl tour” because she's  headlining, but this is definitely mine as well. I've never played arenas before and so every single night, consistently, being in front of that many people is going to be very, very different for me.

OMC: What’s the biggest thing you’re looking to accomplish when you’re in this role as support on tour? Is it just getting some of your material out to the world?

MaRynn Taylor: Some of my songs, they're all about my life. I just hope that people can relate and I hope they find something in me that makes them want to like, be friends. I genuinely would love to be friends. Any concert that I have, at the meet and greets where I get to connect with fans or social media as well, I’m like follow me on Instagram or and then we can be friends.

One of my songs is called “Season Two of Friends”  So I always ask the audience, “anyone here like the show Friends?” and mostly everybody cheers for it. So we get to have that connection. That is my favorite TV show, by the way. I love making connections. I love making new friends. That's the reason I really moved to Nashville was for music and to make friends. So yeah, it’s cool to have that opportunity.

OMC: I feel like artists in your position are required to be so much more than an artist now. With social media and having to put yourself out there, is there any added pressure?

MaRynn Taylor: I have a love hate relationship with social media. Like, there are days where I'm just like, I love it and I love being funny on it and making fun of myself. I love posting what I'm doing, especially for friends and family because I'm running around, busy, so they can keep up with me. But it is an added pressure. I feel like if I can get in and write a song about my deepest feelings, then I guess it's a little more than sharing on social media. But yeah, it is difficult.

OMC: I think everybody has a love hate relationship with social media. What does the rest of the year look like for you besides this tour?

MaRynn Taylor:  So I’ll definitely make music and like I said, the biggest tour I've ever done. I'm going to do this tour and then, you know, hopefully once, you know, CMA festivals are out, I know I'm going to want to get involved with that. Then we'll see like what the fall looks like. 

On the road I'm going to be writing as well. I really miss that. I was on tour in the fall too, and there weren't many spaces for me to have an official day where it's okay to sit down and write.It would be like “from 11 to 3, I'm going to write a song,” so I'm hoping that I can fit that in. I want to bring some of my writing friends on the road and we can just write. I really miss that. So hopefully writing and touring at the same time. So we'll see how that goes.

OMC: Lastly, because you did bring up “Season Two of Friends,” what’s your go-to episode?

MaRynn Taylor: I know it changes, but “The One Where No One’s Ready.” Phoebe's like “I got the hummus” and and then Joey's wearing all the clothes, and he starts doing lunges or whatever. I think that one is so funny. I literally watch “Friends” every night to help me go to sleep because it's just such a good, happy show. So it's funny you say that because when I did vocals, my producer, Josh Kerr, even if it wasn't that song, he puts on “Friends” for me and then we just like, mute it, you know. But it’s a comfort show that makes me happy.

You can catch MaRynn Taylor opening for Kelsea Ballerini this Saturday at Fiserv Forum. Limited tickets are available at the Fiserv Forum website.