LISTEN: HERE
Photo by Cedric Tang
On the heels of winning his fifth career GRAMMY® Award recently on his seventh consecutive year of GRAMMY® nominations, PJ Morton’s launch of his career-spanning memoir Saturday Night, Sunday Morning further forecasts what is about to be the award-winning artist’s most prolific and tireless chapter to date. Last February 23rd, he released “Please Be Good,”the first single from a forthcoming album that he made entirely in Africa last fall. Fully written and recorded during a life-changing 30 days he spent traveling the continent, the record features collaborations with dozens of local musicians across South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt. Morton describes his time in Africa as “the best trip I’ve ever taken,” which turned into so much more than just about music. He immersed himself in the different cultures and genres that have shaped him, and formed deep connections with the land and people. It became a spiritual journey of self-discovery.
“Please Be Good” is a collaboration between PJ Morton and Nigerian producer P.Priime, an influential and international force of Afrobeats and hip-hop, whose credits include songs with Burna Boy, CKay, Davido, Fireboy DML, Wizkid and more. The track signals one of the new sonic directions PJ Morton is embracing and exploring on the upcoming LP.
PJ Morton has also written, arranged and produced original music for Disney's upcoming Disneyland and Disney World attraction, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, opening this summer. As the first Black composer to write an original song for a Disney attraction, the project is another historic milestone for the New Orleans native and father of three, featuring new songs and fresh arrangements of Disney favorites.
He will also soon return to the road for tour dates in Asia(including Manila at The Wanderland Music and Arts Festival on March 10), New Zealand and Australia, plus US performances at the Kennedy Center, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and Roots Picnic alongside Lil Wayne, The Roots and Trombone Shorty, as well as the next leg of Maroon 5’s Las Vegas residency, and more.
As the son of two pastors and gospel artists, PJ Morton grew up grounded by the sound of the Church, but soon found himself drawn to R&B, pop and soul, writing songs that the industry, his family, and community struggled to understand. In the face of mounting pressure, rejection and constant miscategorization, he committed himself to a steadfast path of independence: making music on his own terms, launching his own record label, joining one of the biggest bands in the world while staying true to his New Orleans roots. The risks he took paid off, and through his trailblazing transformation from preacher’s kid to one of the busiest men in showbiz – performing everywhere from his local congregation to the Super Bowl with Maroon 5, collaborating with everyone from his father to Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jon Batiste and Lil Wayne – PJ Morton hopes to inspire peopleto overcome obstacles as they seek their dreams.
PLEASE BE GOOD is out now on all digital streaming platforms.
###
PJ Morton Tour Dates
3/10 - Manila, PH - Wanderland Music & Arts Festival
3/12 - Beijing, CN - Blue Note
3/13 - Beijing, CN - Blue Note
3/15 - Seoul, KR - Musinsa Garage
3/17 - Tokyo, JP - The Garden Hall (Ebisu)
3/22 - Wellington, NZ - San Fran
3/23 - Auckland, NZ - The Tuning Fork
3/27 - Melbourne, VIC - 170 Russell
3/28 - Sydney, AUS - The Metro Theatre
3/30-4/1 - Byron Bay, AUS - Byron Bay BluesFest
5/4 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
5/12 - Washington, DC - The Kennedy Center
6/2 - Philadelphia, PA - Roots Picnic
6/15 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
Follow PJ Morton:
Source: Empire