Moved by his latest EP MERIDIAN: vol 1, we asked morgxn to tell us more about the fragility and honesty of his music as well as find out more about this talented and genre-less singer-songwriter.
morgxn’s latest release was unveiled last week – a collection of five compelling songs, each with a varied emotion from the other, to make you cry, headbang, dance, ponder, or think introspectively. It is what I would call a stunner particularly for being the one to mesmerise not just our ears, and our hearts – but our spirit. And soul…
An artist who makes truly vulnerable music, morgxn brings that radiant authenticity to a mesmerising selection of songs and ultimately proves that sensitivity may be a deep source of strength.
Also read: REVIEW: morgxn’s ‘MERIDIAN: vol 1’ is an emotional stunner!
Perhaps one of the most emotionally captivating piece is ‘HOW DO YOU HOLD WHAT HURTS’ – which to date has had over 200k streams on Spotify alone.
Another masterpiece is ‘PORCELAIN’ – an electrifying and anthemic single that speaks boldly of fragility. Its accompanying music video, animated by Dani Okon and featuring illustrations by Okon and Mina Walker, was influenced by the idea of a broken superhero. It currently stands at 365k views on YouTube.
One might also remember the artist for “home” which features rock band Walk The Moon, as well as his hit WONDER (released in July 2020), which has also been “reimagined” by artists/bands such as PVRIS and Jagwar Twin, among others.
AL365: Hi morgxn, Vanessa here from AsiaLive365. Thanks for taking the time to have this interview with us. Massive congrats on the release of your new EP MERIDIAN VOL. I. How does it feel now that it’s out in the world?
morgxn: Working on these songs was sometimes the only reason I got out of bed this last year. It was kind of what kept me motivated and connected as we navigated 2020. It feels really great I have it out plus to be able to talk more openly about the songs and my journey to get here.
AL365: Tell us more about yourself. For instance, what made you decide to call yourself morgxn? Was it a stage name that you already decided upon when you went into theatre, or did it come after?
morgxn: I stumbled across a journal entry where I had written MORGXN down just before I started releasing music. In the liner notes of Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, he writes that his real name is Steveland Morris but he felt that Stevie Wonder was the vessel in which he was able to communicate all of his truths. I never wanted to come up with a name that felt far from myself. And it was like this journal entry led me in the direction of morgan with an x. So I went with it. I later came to discover all of the connections between ‘x’ and gender/expression and the ‘x’ continued to evolve with me – something I feel is essential to my journey as an artist.
AL365: What is your earliest memory making music and what instrument started it all?
morgxn: at this moment I’m thinking about the time my dad told me he’d give me $20 if I learned his favorite piano piece on piano and so I did. I started taking piano lessons when I was 9 and – along with voice lessons – also started writing the starts of songs.
AL365: What inspired you to start writing songs?
morgxn: Well, it wasn’t really as linear as a decision to write. I just always kind of put words to melodies. But I don’t think that anything I wrote was particularly good or inspired. It wasn’t until I went through some real life – some heart break. Some loss. Some hurt. I think that’s when the writing caught up to the experience I was having.
AL365: Do you still remember what the first song that you wrote was about?
morgxn: I do. It was called “i’ll always be here for you” and it was a very bad love song. Which I knew nothing about. And still know nothing about. I still don’t really write love songs. Maybe because I’m still not sure what love looks like. But also you can’t write a fake love song…. and I’m more often writing about the human spirit.
AL365: I love how personal your songs and lyrics are. ‘HOW DO YOU HOLD WHAT HURTS’, for example, is beautifully heartbreaking. If you could pick a song from all your songs that you ever wrote, which one is still the most personal to you and why?
morgxn: I think “me without you” stands out as a song that took me a year to write. I wrote a lot of songs after my dad passed. It wasn’t until I wrote this one that I felt a kind of completion to the cycle. Not that the sadness was gone…. but that it had kind of transitioned into a next chapter. Grief is often nonlinear and a lot of my first album was working through that – whether they made the album or not
AL365: I also love how each song in the new EP is so different from the other in terms of genre and colour. ‘Mood Swing’ especially – is like “wow!!” ‘PORCELAIN’ is also such a mood and ‘LOSING MYSELF’ feels like a song you wanna let go and dive into on the dance floor. I like to know – as a (genreless?) artist, what sort of music and artist/bands inspire you?
morgxn: I appreciate the term genreless especially in an industry so obsessed with genre. but when you are speaking to the fans and lovers of music – they just love what they love without needing to classify. i love a lot of music right now. i’m really into this band EGOISM out of Australia. and kennyhoopla in the US. I love people making music with something to say. A cool song doesn’t do it for me. It has to be about the message.
AL365: Speaking of inspiring, I saw that you went sky-diving recently. It looks like fun! I’ve always wanted to try sky-diving. That sense of freedom and all! How was it?
morgxn: I feel like I could write a novel about the Zen of Skydiving. Kind of like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. There is a feeling of freedom in the sky unlike anything I’ve ever done before. And I’m still processing it. To be weightless or just so in your body but not ashamed of it – is something I’m still learning to do. In real life I’m so aware of how the media has an ideal body and how that feels like an impossible standard. When you are falling from the sky – there is no shame. There is no regret. There is just you in the present moment and the wind on every part of your body. Gliding. Gliding. Freefall.
AL365: Besides sky-diving, what is one thing that you’re most willing to try one day?
morgxn: I’d probably try anything once.
AL365: What’s next for morgxn?
morgxn: It’s gonna be the best year of my/our lives. The roaring 20s are here. Can’t wait to play shows. And connect virtually/in person soon.
AL365: Thanks again morgxn! We hope to connect with you virtually/in person soon too! Just gonna stream your EP again right now!
Listen to more of morgxn below.
Cover photo: Emma Mead
