Rae Morris
Rachel Anne "Rae" Morris (born 2 September 1992) is a British singer and songwriter.[1] She released her debut album, Unguarded, in 2015. Her second album, Someone Out There, was released in January 2018.
Rae Morris | |
---|---|
![]() Rae Morris performing at the Night and Day Cafe, Manchester, on Thursday the 1st of March 2012.
Date 2 March 2012 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Rachel Anne Morris |
Also known as | Rae Morris |
Born | Blackpool, Lancashire, England | 2 September 1992
Genres | Art pop music |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, piano |
Years active | 2011–present |
Labels | Atlantic, Warner |
Associated acts | Bombay Bicycle Club |
Website | www |
Early life
Morris was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England,[2] and started playing the piano when she was four years old.[3][4] She attended St. George's School and then studied A-levels in music and drama at Cardinal Newman College in Preston, Lancashire.[5][6] She worked as a waitress at the grounds of Blackpool F.C..[1] Morris is married to her collaborator Fryars.[7][8] Her brother William is married to Lucy Rose.[9]
Career
2011: Early live appearances
![](../I/Rae_Morris%252C_Manchester%252C_18th_of_January_2011.jpg.webp)
Morris gigged in Blackpool and around the North-West England during her college studies. She attracted the attention of BBC Radio Lancashire presenter Sean McGinty, who put her forward to perform on the BBC Introducing stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in August 2011.[1][10][11][12] She was signed to Universal Music Publishing Group the same month and to Atlantic Records in September 2011.[6] Morris had received attention from other labels but chose Atlantic because they "would take it slow" and "didn't blow any smoke up my arse".[13]
During this period she was mentored by fellow Blackpool singer-songwriter Karima Francis, who helped develop her songwriting skills.[14] She was also in a two-year relationship with Francis, which she said inspired the songs on her debut album "about going through that, exploring that sexuality and those feelings for the first time. Then coming out the other side of that as well, so that's the album".[13]
2012–14: EP releases
Morris released her debut single in March 2012, "Don't Go", following its use in the final episode of the sixth series of the television drama series Skins.[15] She recorded an EP, For You, which she sold exclusively at her live performances in mid 2012, and in November released a second EP, Grow.[4][16] Another EP, From Above, followed in 2013.[17] Alongside her solo gigs during 2012 and 2013, Morris was a support act for artists including Bombay Bicycle Club, Lianne La Havas, Noah and the Whale, and Tom Odell.[18][19] She contributed guest vocals to three tracks on Bombay Bicycle Club's 2014 album So Long, See You Tomorrow, including the single "Luna".[14] Also in 2014, Morris co-wrote and featured on the Clean Bandit song "Up Again" (from their debut album New Eyes). Rae Morris was recently the MarkMeets featured artist of the month December 2014 [20] Rae also opened for George Ezra on his European tour, as well as embarking on her own headlining UK tour.[21]
2014–15: Unguarded
During 2014, Morris released the singles "Do You Even Know?", "Cold" (featuring Fryars), and "Closer"—each with accompanying EPs—to promote her debut album, Unguarded, which she recorded primarily in Los Angeles with producer Ariel Rechtshaid.[22] Morris was longlisted in the BBC Sound of 2015 poll, and Unguarded was released in January 2015 alongside the single "Under the Shadows", with another headlining tour following in February.[23][24][25] Unguarded, which also features production from Jim Eliot and Fryars, debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart.[26]
Later in 2015, Morris appeared in a television advertisement for fashion retailer Boohoo that featured the album's fifth single, "Love Again". She featured on Sivu's single "The Nile" and performed at festivals including Bestival, Glastonbury, Lytham Festival, T in the Park, and Truck Festival.[27][28] The sixth single from Unguarded, "Don't Go", was released in association with breast cancer awareness charity Coppafeel!.[29]
2018–19: Someone Out There
Morris began work on the follow up to Unguarded in late 2015. Working prominently with Fryars, Morris opted for a more electronic-oriented sound for her second album. Between July 2017 and October 2018, Morris released seven singles to promote the album - "Reborn",[30] "Do It",[31] "Atletico (The Only One)",[32] "Push Me to My Limit",[33] "Lower the Tone",[34] "Someone Out There" and "Dancing With Character"[35] - as well as various remixes. The album, titled Someone Out There, was released on 2 February 2018.[36]
In July 2018, the song "Reborn" from Someone Out There was featured in the BBC's closing montage from the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
In October 2018, Morris said she was "going away for a few months to write the next era."[37]
On 19 November 2018, Spice Girl Melanie C released "High Heels" feat. Sink the Pink, which was co-written with Morris.
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
UK [38] | ||
Unguarded |
|
9 |
Someone Out There |
|
20 |
Extended plays
Title | Details |
---|---|
For You |
|
Grow |
|
From Above |
|
Do You Even Know? |
|
Cold |
|
Closer |
|
Someone Out There, At The Piano |
|
Singles
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [38] | |||||||||||||||||||
2012 | "Don't Go"[42] | — | Unguarded | ||||||||||||||||
"Grow"[43] | — | ||||||||||||||||||
2013 | "From Above"[40] | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | "Do You Even Know?"[44] | — | Unguarded | ||||||||||||||||
"Cold" (featuring Fryars)[45] | — | ||||||||||||||||||
"Closer"[41] | — | ||||||||||||||||||
2015 | "Under the Shadows"[46] | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
"Love Again"[47] | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||
2017 | "Reborn"[48] | — | Someone Out There | ||||||||||||||||
"Do It" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
"Atletico (The Only One)" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
2018 | "Push Me To My Limit" | — | |||||||||||||||||
"Lower The Tone" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
"Someone Out There[49] | — | ||||||||||||||||||
"Dancing With Character" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. |
Music videos
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
"Don't Go" (live version) | 2012 | The Blind Club[50] |
"Grow" | Bouha Kazmi[51] | |
"Way Back When" | 2013 | The Blind Club[52] |
"From Above" | James Slater[53] | |
"Wait a While" | The Blind Club[54] | |
"Skin" | 2014 | Nadia Marquard Otzen[55] |
"Do You Even Know?" | Nadia Marquard Otzen[56] | |
"Cold" (featuring Fryars) | Nadia Marquard Otzen[57] | |
"Closer" | Zac Ella[58] | |
"Under the Shadows" | 2015 | Alex Southam[59] |
"Love Again" | Charlie Robins[60] | |
"Don't Go" | Louis Bhose[29] | |
"Reborn" | 2017 | Noel Paul[61] |
"Do It" | Noel Paul[62] | |
"Atletico (The Only One)" | Noel Paul[63] | |
"Someone Out There" | 2018 | Noel Paul[64] |
"Dancing With Character" | Noel Paul[65] |
References
- Savage, Mark (29 January 2015). "Rae Morris: The pop star who wanted to be a waitress". BBC News: Entertainment & Arts.
- "Blackpool singer-songwriter Rae Morris is tipped for the top". Lancashire Life. Lancashire Life. 19 January 2015.
- "Instagram". Instagram.
- "Interview – Introducing… Rae Morris". For Folk's Sake.
- "Rae keeping her feet on the ground". blackpoolgazette.co.uk.
- "School run scribe on path to glory". lep.co.uk.
- David Smyth (2 February 2018). "Rae Morris talks love stories and latex catsuits". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- "Morris, dancing: Rae Morris". diymag.com. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- Craig McLean (30 January 2015). "Musician Rae Morris interview: 'I don't label my sexuality 'cause I don't actually know myself'". The Independent. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- "Rae Morris". Cardinal Newman College.
- "ITB Artist Bio". International Talent Booking. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- "Reading+Leeds Artist Page". BBC. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- "Musician Rae Morris interview: 'I don't label my sexuality 'cause I don't actually know myself'". The Independent.
- George O'Brien (28 May 2014). "Introducing: Rae Morris [Interview] – The Line Of Best Fit". The Line of Best Fit.
- "Universal Music Publishing Group – UK". umusicpub.co.uk.
- "Rae Morris reveals new EP & video for 'Grow'". Clean Slate Music. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015.
- "Interview // Rae Morris". goldflakepaint.co.uk.
- "OTW #495: Rae Morris". Clash Magazine.
- "Rae Morris – Interview – Louder Than War". Louder Than War.
- "Rae Morris Feature: 'She's a refreshinging artist who we love" – Mark Boardman'". MarkMeets Entertainment.
- Jenny Simpson. "'I still struggle with confidence': An interview with Rae Morris (11/09/14)". The Edge.
- "Rae Morris in the studio interview: "This is me, this is who I am" – DIY". DIY.
- "BBC – BBC Music Sound Of, 2015 – Rae Morris". BBC.
- "Rae Morris debuts new single 'Under The Shadows'". DIY.
- "Singer Rae will be the one to watch in 2015". blackpoolgazette.co.uk.
- "Meghan Trainor's Title debuts at top of Official Albums Chart". officialcharts.com.
- "Singing star Rae's the face of clothing range". blackpoolgazette.co.uk.
- "Sivu shares video for 'The Nile' featuring Rae Morris". DIY.
- Rebecca Cope (2 September 2015). "Rae Morris releases charity single for CoppaFeel". Harper's BAZAAR.
- "Watch: Rae Morris Is 'Reborn'". clashmusic.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "RAE MORRIS IS A RISK-TAKER IN THE VIDEO FOR 'DO IT'". diymag.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Rae Morris has a wild time in New Orleans in her "Atletico" video". thefader.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Rae Morris offers up epic new track "Push Me To My Limit"". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Rae Morris' latest track "Lower The Tone" scales euphoric heights". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Rae Morris hits the ballroom in 'Dancing With Character' video". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Rae Morris announces second album Someone Out There". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- "RAE MORRIS HITS THE BALLROOM IN 'DANCING WITH CHARACTER' VIDEO". Diymag.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
- For all except where noted: "Official Charts > Artist > Rae Morris". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- For "Love Again": "Chart Log UK – New Entries Update: 16 May 2015". zobbel.de. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- "Rae Morris announces new album Someone Out There". DIY. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- "From Above EP by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Closer – EP by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Don't Go by Rae Morris". Amazon. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Grow – Single by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Do You Even Know? by Rae Morris". Amazon. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Cold (feat. Fryars) by Rae Morris". Amazon. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Under the Shadows Remixes – EP by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Love Again (Remixes) – EP by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Reborn – Single by Rae Morris". iTunes. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
- "BBC Radio 1 Playlist". Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- "Rae Morris – 'Don't Go'". Vimeo.
- "RAE MORRIS – Grow". Vimeo.
- "Rae Morris – Way Back When". Vimeo.
- "Rae Morris – From Above ( Behind the Scenes )". Vimeo.
- "Rae Morris – Wait A While – The Blind Club". theblindclub.com.
- "Rae Morris 'Skin' by Nadia". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Do You Even Know' by Nadia". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris ft Fryars 'Cold' by Nadia". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Closer' by Zac Ella". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Under The Shadows' by Alex Southam". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Love Again' by Charlie Robins". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Reborn' by Noel Paul". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris 'Do It' by Noel Paul". Promo News.
- "Rae Morris has a wild time in New Orleans in her "Atletico" video". Fader.
- "VIDEO: Watch resort star Rae Morris's video for Someone Out There - filmed in Blackpool". The Gazette.
- "Rae Morris hits the ballroom in 'Dancing With Character' video". DIY Magazine.