Morgan Golde
A lifelong music lover who started writing and singing at just ten years old, Morgan Gold has spent years shaping her voice and artistic identity. Now, she lends her voice to Crimes, a new alt-pop acoustic single from 1P4E Music Collective, exploring heartbreak, emotional exhaustion, and the complicated road to forgiveness.
I caught up with Morgan to talk about the story behind Crimes, finding the balance between beauty and pain, toxic relationships, and why sometimes we need to ask ourselves what — or who — is stealing our energy.
“Crimes” is now available everywhere.
Morgan, thank you for joining us! Before we dive into “Crimes,” tell us a little bit about yourself. How would you introduce yourself as an artist to someone discovering you for the first time?
Thanks for having me! I'd introduce myself to somebody discovering my art for the first time with something along the lines of: "What took you so damn long?".
I'm a music lover. I've been writing and singing since I was ten. A lot of my writing began with a guitar, pen and paper. During college and my early twenties in Chicago, I expanded my palette, learned from a great collective of artists in the scene, and began taking music seriously as a career. There's been joy and hardship, but it's only strengthened my relationship with music.
You’re the voice behind “Crimes,” the new alt-pop acoustic single from 1P4E Music Collective. What immediately drew you to this song and made you want to be part of it?
There was already mutual trust and respect between me and 14PE, so I already knew it would turn out well. The foundational demo they laid down already contained much of the song's ultimate direction regarding melody and lyrics. I loved where the idea was going, and felt compelled to see it through.
“Crimes” explores heartbreak, longing, and the painful process of forgiveness — particularly when you’re waiting for someone to change their behavior so that love can continue. What did the story of this song mean to you when you first heard it?
I thought the lyrics were quirky and campy (I'm a sucker for camp) enough to paint a specific image of robbery, but the melody was perfect for a wide range of listeners to follow. I felt challenged to ensure my contributions thoughtfully served the song. Being drained by a toxic relationship is familiar to many, which made it easy to strengthen the metaphor.
The lyrics describe the feeling of being “emotionally bankrupt” after being robbed of positive feelings. That’s a powerful image. How did you approach conveying that emotional exhaustion through your performance?
You have to scan every emotion that leads to ultimate exhaustion in a relationship. There's actually so much hope in the chorus, which is what I find the most heartbreaking. The lyric "as I wait til you make things right" implies that there still is hope that their partner will "return what they've taken". The verses, contrarily, sound more tired. You can hear the true exhaustion in those sections, but they sound more meek.
You mentioned that the vividness of the story creates a special layer to the performance. Was there a particular moment in the song that was especially emotional or challenging for you to sing?
The chorus is very challenging to sing because it requires balancing the heavy emotions and higher tones of the notes.
There’s an interesting contrast between charm and heartbreak in “Crimes.” How did you find the balance between the beauty of the song and the pain underneath its story?
See "Moulin Rouge" for examples of this balance.
What kind of stories do you feel most connected to as an artist, and what do you hope your voice brings to them?
I feel most connected to stories that feel larger than the song itself. I'm big on dichotomy, and one example of that is when a song is unique to its own context, yet relatable to a multitude of people. I feel like those are the records that stay in your life because they complement multiple perspectives during our evolutionary outlook.
Do you think forgiveness always requires someone else to change, or can forgiveness sometimes be about letting go of the expectation that they will?
It really depends on the context and the behaviors the person in displaying. I also think everything requires balance. True love only works with a fair compromise.
Finally, “Crimes” is arriving on September 18th. What do you hope listeners take away from the song — especially those who may recognize themselves in its story?
I hope listeners, especially those that see themselves in the story, are able to step back and realize that they deserve love in a way that makes them feel safe. A healthy challenge is good for everybody. Keyword: healthy! I hope this can serve as a reminder to examine what's robbing you of your energy in your life, and whether it's necessary to keep that thing or person around.
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