Born and raised in Pensacola Florida, Sarah Morrison is an experimental-folk songwriter who has been booking and playing shows around Florida. Morrison is a recent Florida State University graduate, who majored in Creative Writing. Sarah currently has two albums out, Good Sport and Janus, and she is currently working on her third. Her Campus was able to sit down with Sarah and ask her about inspirations, her process, and about any advice she has for fellow singers and songwriters.
HC (Her Campus): First off, what made you want to become a singer?
SM (Sarah Morrison): It was just something I’ve always enjoyed and was passionate about.
HC: Who are some artists that have inspired you as a singer/songwriter?
SM: I really love Joanna Newsom’s work. I like how elaborate and graceful all her stuff is, and it is something I try to emulate. I also like her unique technical style; all her songs are orchestral and complicated. But sometimes, when I look to be more concise and straightforward, I turn to artists like Leonard Cohen.
HC: Being a Creative Writing major, I am sure that has had some influence in your writing style. What was your process when writing your latest album, Janus?
SM: I wrote Janus during a transitional year in my life. I wrote all the songs in about a year, and there are twelve songs on the album, each kind of signifying a different month in the year. The name Janus actually comes from a two-headed Roman god that looks both into the past and the future, so with that, I tried to hypothesize where I would be in a couple of years as an older version of myself.
Courtesy: Sarah Morrison
HC: What made you want to perform and do shows in Tallahassee?
SM: I thought that it was time for me to share my work, and I wanted to try it out in a public setting. I’m very lucky that Tallahassee has a very open music community with people who aren’t afraid and are willing to try out and listen to a variety of different stuff.
HC: Have you found that you have had to face different obstacles as a female artist?
SM: Personally, I think it is kind of a challenge for women to write about personal relationships, especially romantic ones, because there is less of a space for an open dialogue about the negative sides of certain relationships. For women, it is more difficult to see your story represented, which can sometimes be a struggle because I believe in being honest and authentic.
HC: Finally, what would you say to aspiring artists, especially in Tallahassee, who might be nervous or afraid to put themselves out there?
SM: I would say that just know that Tallahassee is really welcoming to new artists. So, if you have been working on material that you’ve been afraid to share with anyone, then I think this is a great community for you to express yourself and to get the feedback you desire. Don’t be afraid to do weird s***!
To find out more about Sarah Morrison and to listen to her music, check her out on here!