Moody pop singer-songwriter, Morgan Saint, has blessed us with a new EP called HELP with lead single “HELP” out now. This is her third EP, following 17 HERO, which was released in 2017, and ALIEN, which came out the year after. With six songs, this is Morgan at her best from the edgy “DON’T BE SCARED” to the dreamy “I DREAMT THAT I KNEW YOU.”
Originally from Long Island, Morgan taught herself how to play piano and guitar when she was younger. Her love for music led her to attend Parsons New School for Design in New York City to hone her craft even more. With two EPs under her belt, Morgan hit the road and played shows like Lollapalooza and Life is Beautiful, as well as toured with LÉON, Dennis Lloyd, BANKS, and lovelytheband.
We chatted with Morgan about her journey into her career, songwriting, and her new EP!
What inspired you to start learning instruments at a young age?
My family is very musical, and so I grew up surrounded by singers and musicians. Being around people who found such joy in music is what really sparked my initial love!
What did you study at Parsons, and what was that experience like?
My major was Illustration, but Parsons really allows you the space to explore any avenues of creativity that you want to outside of your major. I spent a lot of my time there learning about video, graphic design, photography, and fashion. I did not grow up in a super diverse environment, so it was really refreshing to be able to embrace my weirdness in a space that was so inclusive and forward-thinking.
Your EP ALIEN was based on how you felt like an outsider in your hometown. Can you tell us a bit more about that?
I’ve definitely felt like a bit of an outsider for most of my life. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was writing specifically about my hometown, but some of the stories in that EP did take place where I grew up! Since I can remember really, most of who I am has gone against societal “norms.” When I was younger, I did a lot to suppress those parts of myself in order to fit in. Over time though, I’ve evolved to really embrace and find pride and power in my uniqueness. It’s been a journey to find that self-love in certain facets of myself, but it’s been a relief to be able to write my way through it all.
It’s interesting that you write all your songs on your own. Was this a conscious decision from the start, or have you not yet met someone who you’ve wanted to write with?
I actually do write with other people on occasions! I didn’t write the lyric portion of my music with anyone else for my first two EP’s. When I reflect on that time in my life, I can’t really pinpoint why I made the deliberate decision to work that way. I feel like there was some sort of internal force that pushed me towards the opportunity to really sit and work through my feelings on my own. I guess I really needed that time to reflect inward! For my new EP, though, I wrote a handful of the songs with my girlfriend. She feels like an extension of my soul, so it felt very natural to open that intimate space to her.
Tell us about your new EP, HELP.
I’m really excited to have this project out! I’ve gone through so many significant highs and lows over the past few years in both my personal and professional life, so it’s a relief to start a new chapter. Making this EP without anyone’s opinion in my way has been such an inspiring and empowering experience. I think that these songs and visuals allow people to experience parts of my personality and soul that I haven’t really shared yet, which feels really exciting and special to me. I had fun pushing through creative boundaries that I had built around myself, and I hope that people can hear that in the music.
Compared to your other two EPs, how do you think you’ve evolved as an artist for this third one?
I think I’ve become a better writer and producer, my vision is more clear, and my spirit feels way less timid.