Watch Maren Morris and Zedd’s ‘The Middle’ Music Video-Slash-Target Commercial
During Sunday night's (Jan. 28) 2018 Grammy Awards ceremony, a Target commercial featuring Maren Morris and Zedd's new single, "The Middle," made its debut. Readers can press play above to watch the ad-slash-music video.
The "The Middle" clip features both performers, and starts off with Morris riding in a glass elevator up to a "rooftop" that doubles as the main setting for the ad. In fact, the other skyline "roofs" on the performance stage backdrop serve as actual platforms for dancers to use for impressive body contortions. However, these dancers also shimmy and groove around both Zedd (who plays keyboards amid the hubbub) and Morris, who is sporting a red suit jacket and matching wide-legged pants over a black bustier.
For the song's second verse, Morris dances with with individual kids, who show off some serious breakdancing moves. The ad culminates with Morris in the middle of a floor design full of concentric circles made to look like (what else?) a target, and then ends with people dressed in red and white huddled together to look like the familiar Target logo.
"The Middle" features Morris on vocals, singing from the point of view of one-half of a couple in a fight: "Take a step / Back for a minute / Into the kitchen / Floors are wet / And taps are still running / Dishes are broken / How did we get into this mess?" Morris sings. "Got so aggressive / I know we meant all good intentions ..."
The chorus of the song calls for compromise, however: "So me pull closer / Why don't you pull me close? / Why don't you come on over? / I can't just let you go," Morris sings. "Baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle? / I'm losing my mind just a little / So why don't you just meet me in the middle / In the middle."
According to a press release, the Target spot was directed by Dave Meyers and "celebrates the [Grammy Awards'] history of unexpected performances that reach across musical genres." The retail chain is also using the song in a series of upcoming commercials, which will begin airing on Feb. 4.
Morris was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards, for "I Could Use a Love Song," but lost the category to Chris Stapleton and his tune "Either Way."
See Country Stars Walk the 2018 Grammy Award Red Carpet