PJ Morton: a living testimony of what authenticity can achieve
Multi–Grammy-Award-Winning RnB artist PJ Morton dubs his upcoming visit to South Africa as a personal one.
The accomplished multi talented muso will be staging two Live shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town early next month, which will be accompanied by a Live band and a partnership with local percussionists and horn players.
But the visit, his first on Mzansi soil, is more than just a musical voyage for the 43-year-old. This month-long travel also presents with it the opportunity to connect with Mzansi on a cultural side, since he feels a certain bond being from New Orleans as a black American.
“The music that we created, jazz music, most people say it is the influence from Africa. I just think there is a connection there. I feel it but I just haven’t been physically there. So this will be my first time connecting with it physically,” he said.
Over a candid call between the two time-zones, Morton has an easy aura about him. Almost as if speaking to him is music already – calming to say the least. And from the get-go, he dives deep into subject matters that touch many people’s lives. One of which is about authenticity and how that is what got him to where he is now. To being an important artist of our time within the soul-music genre.
When the multi-talented singer, real name Paul Morton Jr., decided to walk the solo music path – it was during a time when he longed to be heard for who he is. And needing that outlet, through music so badly, he decided to move back home to New Orleans with his eyes set on making “one more record” on which he decided to not listen to anybody else’s opinions nor think about any radio platform popular requirements. He was going to do him.
That move marked the making of his breakout full length album Gumbo, which became a pivotal moment in his career. The album represented him authentically, something beautiful that cemented him among the greats of our time.
“Gumbo exposed me to a lot, showing me of the amount of influence that I possessed and that ‘yes I was right in being myself’. When I decided to be myself and not listen to people, that is when I connected the most. Even though that is the scariest and the most vulnerable place to be at, it also lets me know that it’s okay to fully be myself because look at the response,” he said.
But prior to Gumbo, the artist had already been dancing with music for a while, seeing him work with accomplished international superstars such as being part of the Maroon 5 as the band’s keyboard player. Something he holds really dear to his heart till this day.
His solo career gave him six albums in total since his breakout album in 2017, with this critically-acclaimed streak landed him his first-ever NAACP Image Award and Soul Train nominations, BET Award nominations, sold-out shows at the historic Apollo Theater and far beyond, in addition to four Grammy wins and 19 career-total nominations.
His colourful career is preceded by a lifetime of music involvement, from a very young age. PJ Morton is the son of musicians and lives in a city where music is a way of life. This dance with music has, over the years, morphed into different meanings at the different stages of his life. From it being a cool chick-magnet tool to actually forming part of his identity.
“Music is like breathing for me,” he immediately shares.
So when the time came to get personal with music, going back home made sense. A place where it all started for him.
“That was a point where I wanted to prove myself and get my voice out there to say who I was and communicate the message that I wanted to get out. And I think the more I got into it, I really realised my purpose in music and how I wanted it to touch people. And of course, writing gospel music as a kid I always understood that about music, its depth, but as an artist, I started to figure out my purpose and how I wanted to leave something on the earth. True real art,” he said.
And that became the main ingredient to his musical journey, just being himself.
“If I have one thing that I want to leave here (on earth) is what I always share with other artists and creatives. My main goal is always to make sure they keep that confidence in their instinct. (sic) What made them an artists in the first place. To not let external voices and these people who are there for multiple reasons take the artist out of you and make you question your instinct.
“I wish I had somebody who was there to tell me those things. Yes, once I got older and got closer to people that I admired like Stevie Wonder, is when I learnt the lesson. But I wish somebody was there earlier to remind me that who I am is just fine and I don’t need to change that for anyone,” he added.
Finding his voice has created an artist that is to be reckoned with. His music has traveled far and wide, with many expressing their excitement with upcoming trip.
And keeping with authenticity, PJ Morton not only comes to Mzansi to perform but also to make music. And to do so, he comes to our shores as just a blank canvas and is excited to see what Mzansi (and Africa at large) paints on him. This will also see him work with local artists as well, picking and choosing as he goes along.
“The way my process goes is that I create the music first before I start to think of artists. There is a list of artists I am already compiling and producers, but I also want to explore sounds that I like, meet new artists and then build from there. Right now I’m just learning about the new artists in Africa and then I want to tap into collaborating with some. Maybe get some of them to write songs with me, or feature on some of the music I have already cooked up.
“So I am coming as an open book, which is what I am most excited about. That I don’t quite know what is out there but what I do know is that my new album will involve local African artists and producers. And I can’t wait to connect and I think it’s going to be really exciting,” he said.
The Live Show Killer promises to bring a lot of energy to the two day-performances, promising to leave no stones unturned with his music that will take attendees on a journey.
“The thing about music is that it has to mean something to you (me) first before it does someone else. And that is why I am so sold-out to my own music, because it touched me first and that is how I knew it was right to release. I spoke of me and to me, and that is why it wasn’t that hard to ‘sell’. But that is what authenticity does. It precedes you, it sets you apart and it works,” he said with a huge smile on his face.
