“The reward is when people feel what we’re trying to create.”

After her stellar performance (the first Charlotte visit in nine years) at Middle C Jazz last week, rBeatz talks to Morgan James behind the scenes about what is important to her and the depth of music she creates.

In an interview with rBeatz Terry Hudson, Morgan James shares the relentless push that has molded her path. From waitlist to top of the list at Juilliard, to the push to break through into an all-star cast on Broadway, to turning ‘no’ into a ‘yes’ on her first record deal, she shares her path of resilience and creativity.

In addition to her own music, she is known for her covers, like the August album release “Soul Remains the Same”, described as “Aretha Franklin went to the studio with ACDC”. One of the rare artists to receive an endorsement from Prince to cover his music, she is known to strip away the antics and production from 80s and 90s classics to showcase the amazing lyrics and melody that underlies that greatness.

She talks about the importance of her fanbase, her constant study of great musicianship, and the reality of the glamorous life of touring: hydration, sleep and vocal warm-ups. “Your body is your instrument. I have a responsibility to the people all around me, and to the audience.”