MORGXN

It’s always interesting when artists are intent on staying away from politics in their music, since politics are ingrained in our lives and our identities. Being the end of 2018 in the United States, it’s clear what state our politics are in and how it all affects our lives. It may be true that because of this, divisions among people are even greater than ever before. But it’s also true that it is easy to find other people who are similar to ourselves, and from there we can build positive communities to uplift us. This idea of community building—our finding “home” in these spaces—is integral in Nashville-bred artist morgxn’s music: our interconnectivity allows us to build homes where we might not have before. We find ourselves in people we’ve never met, and it really only works to better our own lives.

One of the most important things about morgxn is his willingness to vocalize his thoughts, ideas, and identity. He speaks unabashedly about every aspect of life, and he does so concisely and knowledgeably. He takes time to give credit where credit is due, taking into account everything that has happened to him and giving it its own space to lead him to where he has come from there. “I had friends who had families in the industry, but my family [was] just a hardworking family who supported me being creative,” he tells Suburban Rose. From a young age, morgxn was interested in music, singing around the house so often that his parents decided to take initiative so that he could express his musicality outside of the home. They supported his every endeavor in every way they were able—such as through gospel choir—and it built a strong foundation for the type of person and artist morgxn is today. Now, from collaborations with bands like Walk the Moon to having his songs feature as the soundtrack to events like the MLB Postseason, it’s clear that morgxn has found his footing in the music world, and he’s thankful for the journey.

There is something incredibly satisfying about getting somewhere through the work you yourself put into what you care about. Born and raised in Nashville, morgxn later found himself in New York, then Chicago, then later still Los Angeles. “I didn’t know anyone in the industry, so to get to come [back] home and play my music and actually get it heard on the radio is more than full circle—it’s a dream. […] It took me leaving home to find my roots,” he says. “Coming home now [is] that much sweeter because I know who I am, and I don’t have to apologize for it. I can be proud of where I’m from and who I am.” Morgxn is unapologetic about who he is and what he values; this shines through clearly in his music, but he doesn’t go into it with a specific intention. “I’m trying to have a feeling about something and then put it to melody and let the words find themselves.”

“In this day and age, joy is a political thing. Having joy in a state of despair is a revolution itself. Having hope.”

Politics and identity are not mutually exclusive. Everything surrounds us and belongs to us, which makes politics difficult to separate from ourselves. When morgxn writes, he doesn’t write with the conscious notion that he’s about to make a statement. He cites something David Bowie once said in an interview as inspiration: “‘I don’t even know what I’m writing about when I write about it,’ he said. I love that because if I knew what I was talking about, I wouldn’t write about it—that would be preaching, and all I’m really doing is trying to explore.” And the exploring morgxn does is absolute; his observations are both visceral and intellectual. He sings unpretentiously and presents his words in a way that uplifts and relates to everyday matters. “I’ve [gotten] a lot of messages from people who find home not just in my music but in music in general—that’s the only reason to do it. If you’re in it for the money, you’re not in it for the right reasons.”

What initially got me into morgxn’s music was the message, and it’s the way he reiterates this message that drew my full support. I remember, for instance, the day the “home” music video came out. Seeing in it a protagonist who was so out of his element in his own home then leave this home and find another in a club among drag queens and other LGBT+ people was so important to me for so many reasons. The video was presented so naturally, too: There was no unnecessary attention drawn, no fanfare or pat on the back for its achievement. The video was put out as any other might be because the idea is natural and necessary.

And so the concept of “home” is a major theme in morgxn’s overall message. He says, “Home is something you choose. It’s something that’s not handed to you. It’s something that you create, and there’s a lot of people out there who don’t have a home—especially in the queer community—who find home outside of their nuclear family. Home is something that you create for yourself, and it defies gender, norm, anything that you’re taught about [what] home [is]; it’s something that you create.” As for the positive reactions his music garners, morgxn is grateful for all of it. He welcomes personal stories with open arms, allowing anyone to share with him their own personal journeys and the ways by which his music has made an impact. “If my music can help connect the dots in your personal life, it’s really an incredible honor. You know, some days that’s all I think i’m doing is trying to connect the dots. […] It’s not rocket science—it’s rock and roll. I don’t think that music can solve everything, but I think music can heal anything.“ He goes on to cite a lyric from “carry the weight,” one of the tracks off vital that was first released as a single about a month ahead of the record. It was written after he attended the Women’s March; the lyric “let them hear the break in your voice” morgxn says came from a woman who riled the crowd up, screaming at the top of her lungs for hours and hours. “Her voice was so hoarse, but she never stopped. She had all the passion in the world.” He continues: “[To] carry the weight in this day and age is a Herculean task. For any person who has ever been alienated or who has felt other than to wake up every day and put on clothes and go out into the world knowing that they’re literally trying to attack you—we carry the weight. Otherwise you’re just going to go down, shut up, and be silent, and that’s not what the world needs.”

For about a month this past autumn, morgxn toured the States with DREAMERS and Weathers. At his merch table he had a journal that he carried around the country, and in it were countless messages from so many different people. These messages ranged from the importance of music to personal goals (one message read, “I’m gonna be the first Mexican-American president”) to anecdotes about people’s lives. Morgxn describes the journal as an “artifact,” as it’s the only physical record he has of what the past year—pre-vital to vital and into the present—has been for him. “It connects me to you all in a way that I think is hard to do when everything is online.” It’s important to note this sentiment particularly because he is hugely active on social media—much more-so than many other artists. He always reposts fanart on his Instagram story and quote tweets fans who have anything to say. He responds to private messages and shares with his audience heartfelt stories about the positive ways by which we interact with his music. For morgxn, everyone and everything matters, and he puts the time in to thank anyone who has anything to say. Still, nothing beats face-to-face interactions. “It’s hard to find that connection [online], but we’re a lot more connected than we think. Society would like us to think that we’re all angry and divided, but if you’ve ever been to one of my or any of your favorite artists’ shows, no one in that room feels like they’re divided—black, white, gay, straight, fat, skinny, whatever, we’re all one in that room. There’s nothing more beautiful than that.”

“Society would like us to think that we’re all angry and divided, but if you’ve ever been to one of my or any of your favorite artists’ shows, no one in that room feels like they’re divided.”

Possibly the most fascinating thing about morgxn is his insistence on allowing that fate do its own work. He knows what he wants, but he doesn’t push it, and he instead takes everything as it comes before him. Years and years ago, he had a vision board in an apartment. On it was written “Walk the Moon”; this was long before he met Nick Petricca and therefore long before the two of them reinvented “home” together, so when the collaboration did ultimately happen, it was a dream. When something like this passes without meddling, it all feels more fulfilling, somehow. On vital, he has two collaborations: the first is on the title track with BASE- CAMP, a Nashville-based production collective. The second, “alone/forever,” is with The Naked and Famous, and the story behind that is so very the-stars-have-aligned that it needs to be told in its entirety, always. He says, firstly, that he knew he wanted to work with the band. The track they collaborated on had already been written, but it was important to morgxn that the collaboration came naturally. When he finally met Alisa at a session, the two became fast friends, and at a bar later that day was when everything slotted into place:

“[Alisa] was lamenting to me. She said, ‘Morgan, I feel like I’m just gonna be alone forever,’ and I was like, ‘Uh, what?’ ‘Yeah,’ she said, ‘I just feel like I’m gonna be alone forever.’ I didn’t say anything then because I was kind of shocked that she said those two words in tandem. The night kept going, we had a few more drinks, and she said again later, ‘You know me, just alone forever!’ and I was like, ‘Okay, Alisa, I know we just met, but you’ve literally said this phrase three times tonight. I have a song called ‘alone/forever’ and I literally want you to sing on it with me.’”

Fast forward through production, and morgxn’s “alone/forever” featuring The Naked and Famous came into existence. But there’s a last part of the story that shows how hard fate works. “Months later, Alisa and I are now friends, we have this song that’s [done but] not out yet, and we’re hanging out. I go to her apartment—I had never been there before—and I pull up and the guy I had written the song about lived in the same building. It was crazy, but I was also like, ‘Okay, universe, I’m in the right place.’”

Morgxn is an incredible storyteller, and vital is an incredible debut record that serves as a testament to this storytelling as well as morgxn’s craft and general diligence. Vital is concise and meaningful, flowing beautifully without feeling like the tracks are repeating themselves. And though the record was released just this year, morgxn is taking no breaks. He’s coming on Robert DeLong’s tour in February, he’s playing Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores in May (when he tells us this, he excitedly adds, “Music on the beach!”), and there is music on the horizon (“I’ve never been more excited”). Lastly, he tells us, “There’s [also] gonna be a very special project in January which I’m not gonna say too much about, but we will see that.” It’s a cryptic teaser, but it’s one that will no doubt be worth it. Morgxn is in the right place, and it’s only just the start.

shot by bethany camp

interviewed by sandra garcia