Photo Credit: Mark Gonzales

Morgan Reese is excited to share the new single “not cool anymore,” out today via EMPIRE. The 19-year old bay area native invites listeners into a world where they’re the keen (and only) observers of their life. Written and produced solely by Reese herself, “not cool anymore,” is an audacious anthem for anyone who has had a one-sided relationship where they like the individual more than that person likes them.

“At the time of writing this song,” explains Reese, “I felt as if I was losing sight of myself and identity by only focusing on this person. I was not cool anymore because I cared so much about someone who didn’t reciprocate. This song comes from a place of painful nostalgia, where looking back at the happy memories only reminds you of the failed relationship and what could have been.”

Reese wrote “not cool anymore,” in the same way she has written most of her recent songs, alone in her dorm room, putting down her observations, words, and music in her journal. “I feel like they give a unique first hand perspective on things people my age may be feeling or going through,” says Reese. Reese weaves her experiences into vignettes of a sonic fabric, recounting fleeting crushes, missed glances, and self reflection, all working in harmony to establish Reese as an exciting, emerging artist with a refreshing take on the recognizable.

What’s your story as an artist? 

I’ve been playing instruments since I was four years old, and started singing when I was 11. But I didn’t start writing my own songs until I was about 14. I’ve been in several bands and music groups but never really did anything by myself because I was kind of a shy kid. During the quarantine of 2020, I was insanely bored, and decided to teach myself how to produce and started releasing my own music. I wrote a song called ‘cabin fever’, about the struggles of romance during a pandemic, and released it under the name Morgan Reese. 4 months later I released ‘october snow’ and ‘pretty boy!’ and started promoting them on tik tok. They gained some traction from that, and started increasing in streams. A few months after that, my current A&R reached out to me after hearing ‘pretty boy!’ on Spotify, and the rest is history. 

What inspired this EP?

I’ve always felt invisible, and I made this EP during a period in my life where I was really feeling hitting me. I had a lot of emotions and expressed them through these seven songs. I always write about things I’ve experienced or that I want to someday experience, so my songs are very personal to me. Since I wrote and produced these songs mostly by myself alone in my dorm room, this EP comes straight from the heart,and feels like a collection of letters. I’m also a sucker for a play on words so I had to sneak in an easter egg of the song ‘letter,’ that closes the project. 

(lol)^

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

I listened to a lot of singer-songwriters growing up, so artists like Alanis Morrisette, India Arie, Nora Jones and so many others inspired me with the way they use clever, sometimes comedic, lyrics while simultaneously clearly conveying the message of the song.

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing the album?

A fun fact is that two of my favorite tracks from the EP, ‘dating montage,’ and ‘not cool anymore,’ were both written while I was concussed. While writing for this project I was in a car accident (I’m fine!!), and got a pretty bad concussion from it, and because of this, all I could do for several days was lay in bed in the dark. The melody for the chorus of ‘not cool anymore,’ was stuck in my head and was all I could think about. I needed to get it out so I got out my songbook and the lyrics just flew out of me. I feel like somehow the concussion helped me access another part of my brain. The next day, I wrote ‘dating montage,’ all in one sitting as well, which is not part of my usual routine.

Tell us about the music video for Invisible Girl! and the idea behind it ?

My amazing director Kimber-Lee Alston wrote the treatment for Invisible Girl!, and I instantly fell in love with the concept and y2k aesthetic. The plot of the video is basically that the Invisible Girl is trapped inside of a video game universe, and in order to escape into the real world and be seen, she needs to complete four 90s video game inspired challenges! We shot it all in one day and it was definitely one of the most fun days of my life. Everyone on the crew was so nice and they made me feel comfortable and welcomed in an unfamiliar setting. 

What’s a record that shaped your creativity?

The entirety of Blonde by Frank Ocean. Each time I listen to it I notice a new production element or distinct melody that I didn’t notice before, and it always inspires me to create. 

Who is an artist or band you look up to today?

Arlo Parks! I think she’s an amazing writer and musician, and I’m constantly impressed and amazed by everything she puts out. 

Any future projects?

I’m actually working on my debut album right now.. *eyes emoji*

Top 3 dream collaborations?

Phoebe Bridgers, Janelle Monae and Anderson Paak. 

What does music mean to you?

Not to sound cheesy, but music honestly means everything to me. I can’t imagine my life without it for a single day. 

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

I would probably describe my sound as a mix of indie/bedroom pop and alternative R&B