December 17th, 2015
This series of features highlights the 2015 NewSong Music finalists. Each artist is invited to Lincoln Center on January 7th for the opportunity to win the #NSM Grand Prize. We sat down with each finalist to learn more about their music and background. Hope you enjoy!
BIO
Singer-songwriter Sarah Morris has a way of captivating her audiences with songs about the highs and lows of love. With a voice both cozy and commanding, Sarah allows us to feel every note. Her lyrics resonate with a combination of unflinching honesty and tenderness: portraits of love, loss, gratitude and regret.
Morris’ love for music grew from her parents record collection, with David Bowie, The Beatles, and Frank Sinatra songs helping to shape her musical DNA. She laid the groundwork for her career at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, followed by a post-graduation move to Nashville, TN. Now firmly planted in the Twin Cities music scene, Morris has been building a solid reputation with authentic songwriting and powerful performances. In recent years, Morris has settled into life as a wife and mother, both of which give a unique voice to her craft.
In September of 2015, Sarah released her 3rd album, “Ordinary Things” – a collection of songs that looks at little things that surround all of us; the daily ups and downs, love and loss, joy and anger, the desire for more, and the beauty that can be found in the smallest moments. Recorded at RiverRock Studios in Minneapolis with her band, “Ordinary Things” has received critical acclaim, with Chris Riemenschneider of the Star Tribune saying, ““Rootsy singer Sarah Morris offers a Norah Jones-like approach to Americana/alt-country, smoothing over its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style.”.
https://soundcloud.com/sarahmorrismusic/you-still-have-me
Q:What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?
A: I was thrilled – I AM thrilled! I love that NewSong aims to create a community of performing songwriters. It is such an honor to be included among such talented artists!
Well, one of my primary goals for 2016 is to get my music ‘out there’ more – as in, physically get myself out of my home state and play for new people, and meet new artists to collaborate with. So being selected as a NewSong finalist allows me to start my new year off in the best way – by keeping my promise to myself! Also, it means so much to me to know that someone listened to my songs and was moved by them in some way. I can’t wait to meet the other finalists, and see their performances. I am ready to be inspired!
Q: How did you hear about New Song Music?
A: I’ve been lucky enough to share two shows with Rachael Kilgour in the last year – in following her social media I saw her mentions of the LEAF Festival, and it brought me to the NewSong Music website.
Q: What is currently happening with your music?
A: I released my new album, “Ordinary Things”, in September 2015. I am sending it out to the Americana Music Association reporting stations in late January, and will be releasing a music video for my song, “Sway Me”. Goals for 2016 include two small tours, participating in 2 online weekly songwriting challenges, continuing my local performances, and working towards my next album (always!).
Q: What is your songwriting process?
A: I am a stay at home mother of two little ones. It’s taken me a while to figure out how to get the writing done while all-day parenting…because my kids are absolutely NOT interested in playing by themselves while I sit down with my guitar and a blank notebook 😉 I do most of my writing while on walks with the kids and my dog – I’ll get an idea, usually lyrics and melody together, and I just work through it on the walk. As soon as I get home I record anything I like on my phone. I begin every day by writing ‘morning pages’ (3 pages of free-form journaling before anyone else is up and sharing their thoughts with me!), and I process through my song ideas there. I usually don’t sit down with my guitar until the song is just about completed. Then, as soon as I have a completed song, I record a video of me performing the song in it’s super-raw state and I share it on facebook. I started this routine as part of an online weekly songwriting challenge, where we receive a writing prompt and have a week to compose a song around that prompt, and I’ve kept it up on my own – after I’ve lived with a song for a while it’s always fun to go back and see how it started out.
