Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I was born and raised in Houston, Tx that southern influence and culture is so deeply instilled in me, it’s the first thing people usually point out when I travel out of the south. Personally for me, music has always been such a huge part of my life. It created my sense of duality within my life. As a kid, I could be around the types of people who are deeply music inclined and hear jazz, gospel, and r&b. Then in the same day, I could be around people who were listening to hardcore hip hop from the south to other regions as well. Vividly, I remember learning and reciting DMX’s what these b****** want as a 3 year old kid. Word for word but not even knowing the context of that song lol
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: as of late I’m listening to lots of classic southern rap music like Outkast, Goodie Mob, UGK, Pimp C. I’ve really drawn a lot of inspiration from these artists in the recent months and I mix that with the newest music I’m constantly making. I’m always listening to Marvin Gaye and Sly Stone, and The Doors are always my favorite in Rock. I’m all over the place but it’s great music all around
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: my very first musical influences were not even from musical acts that you would consider celebrities or A-list musicians. They were the people around me actually making the music in front of me. The older peers and cousins I had that were already so heavily invested in music is where I got my strongest influence from. They showed me how to musically be me before I could get introduced to the music in the world. Having that was very pivotal for me because it taught me what was real and what was not.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘Sincerely, Star’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Sincerely, Star is a piece of my life in art form. I went through tons of experiences to create what it ended up turning into. That record was recorded all over the US. I was traveling and writing down how I felt at particular moments. It formed together like a letter toward the end of the process, this is why the title is what it is. Like this is what I’ve seen and went through in this time span of my life, take it and understand it for what it is, until we meet again. That’s what Sincerely, Star is as a whole. Star is because we shine,I’m just saying everybody could be a star in their own right but we all shine different.
Q: What is the message of your music?
A: My music is honesty first, I want to give you exactly who I am and what’s going on with me to make it easy to differentiate from any other artist. When you tell your truth from you perspective, there can never be a duplicate. It’s too authentic. I remember starting out, I wanted to rap the dopest shit and come up with the craziest rhyme schemes and flows. Just wanted to showcase being the best, now as I’m older I want to showcase being the best version of me. Because If I continue to strive for that no one could ever compete with that sense of individuality. Being the best, in music, to me is so opinionated and it makes strive for personal growth within myself. That’s what I teach in my music.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: My sound is really soulful I’d say. Over the years I’ve learn to find this unique balance of mixing a sound from the past with a familiar sound of this day and age to make the best of both worlds. With this formula, I’m able to catch the attention of longtime hip hop fans who love that classic feel. While also catching the newer youth who have grown to like that fast paced bounce rhythm more so than a steady paced hip hop poem. Corey Morris is the bridge between the gap, I think that’s the best way to describe my sound. The bridge between the gap of everything else.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Yes, I always love the public reception I get from the world knowing how deeply people feel about these records that came out of my head. I get love from people all over the world and across the country. People tuned in way in Belgium just the thought of that is insane. The biggest fulfillment for me is when a fan reaches out to me telling me how a record I made is something that keeps them pushing in this life we live. Something I said in a song is helping them get through their life situations. Those types of things are worth more than money it’s just priceless when you truly think about it.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: My Creative process varies depending on how I feel. I have days where I start with simply just writing lyrics based on a situation that just happened to me. I’m quick to write down my experiences for a time I may need to use them musically. Most days start out with production first I’m usually making beats to start the entire feel of the song and I do that repetitively until that engine just kicks in for a song to be made. My creative process is really whatever I make it out to be at the time. I’m blessed to really have that control over my process, I’m able to draw that inspiration out any any given moment. I’ve honestly never really experienced a writers block or creativity block.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: As social media has evolved within the music industry, all musicians have somewhat been forced to become influencers or content creators of some extent. This has been a new challenge as I constantly have to remind myself to keep up with my social engagement and make sure my audience sees that.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I’ve been able to reach and work with some prominent figures in this industry based off of my work and creativity that I’ve independently showcased. Knowing that I’ve done these things off of the strength of just my music says a lot about where I can really take things pushing forward.
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow Corey Morris:
Spotify – YouTube – SoundCloud – Twitter – Instagram – Website