Track By Track: MORGAN - 'Emotional Gangster'

MORGAN's back with a bang. After four years, the genre-blending artist returns with her sophomore EP, 'Emotional Gangster', a fiery showcase of her evolution as an artist and a force in the UK dance and pop scenes. 

Known for her collaborations with giants like Rudimental, Preditah, and Purple Disco Machine, MORGAN first turned heads with her 2020 debut, 'Alien', and the viral single 'ADCT', which dominated TikTok’s Trending Sounds and the UK Top 50. Now, she's signed to Red Bull Records, bringing a fresh, fierce perspective to her music.

With 'Emotional Gangster', Morgan lays her soul bare across six tracks, diving into themes of resilience and raw emotion across a mix of dancehall, dancefloor pop, and R&B. MORGAN embraces change and reinvention, proving her versatility and fearless approach to sound. 

"I actually wrote this song in Korea on a writing camp at 4am with one of my closest collaborators, Bhav. Not going to lie, we had had a bit to drink. I pretty much knew from when we started the vibe that it was going to be my intro track to 'Emotional Gangster'. The song gives a little insight into the journey I have had in the music industry and the challenges I have faced. I hope it inspires other emerging artists to keep going with their craft and to trust their gut and artistry"

"This is one for the girls! 'Bam Bam' by Sister Nancy is such an iconic track - it's transcended generations and genres. When I was creating Bum Bum I wanted to capture something timeless and something universally loved. Sampling the original was the perfect way to homage to my Jamaican culture and to the roots of reggae"

"I wrote this track originally with my brothers Slim Typical and best friend Taneisha Jaxxon (who also wrote Bum Bum with me). When I walked into the session I asked the guys to play me some beats they had been creating for me (they know what I love). The beat to Wheel Up was the first one they played and I was instantly hooked. We ended up writing the track in a couple hours - it just came so easily. I wanted to pay tribute to the impact Jamaican rave culture has had on the world. I knew Byron Messia would absolutely smash a verse on this. When we sent it to his team, he genuinely loved the track. He is such a sick artist and songwriter. We spoke on the phone a couple times before he went into the studio discussing the song and what we wanted to achieve. It was just so organic. He brought this song to life!"

"I wrote Mercy with Bhav and another incredible writer and artist Shakka. I have been really inspired by Chris Brown's 11:11 album - Sensational is probably my most played song of 2024. Mercy is another ode to my Jamaican background. 'Lord Have Mercy' is typically a very Jamaican saying, and the song gives a nod to just that."

"'Reverse' is probably the pettiest song I have ever written. I actually wrote this song at a writing camp with Roland Kiss and Simon Jonasson, with the intention of giving it to someone else - but I loved it so much I decided I wanted to keep it for myself! I love the cinematic, gritty vibe to it. I'd love for it to get synced in a movie - I'm manifesting that right now."

"When I write about personal experiences - I can't do it straightaway. I have to sit with my feelings and emotions for a while to get some clarity. I wrote 'Lost Myself' on the piano a while after a break up. It was a very transitional stage of my life and probably one of the first times I've truly focused on evolving as an individual. Writing this song was such a cathartic process for me. Hopefully everyone can relate to the sentiment behind this song."

Catch MORGAN on her headline UK tour. Tickets here.

'Emotional Gangster' is out now via Red Bull Records Inc.

Submit music to DMY here.

Read next: 10 Best Ghetto Tech Tracks according to HiTech