James Morrison: 'The Awakening' Singer Shares How a Birth, Death and 'Reality Check' Changed His Music Forever (EXCLUSIVE IN HOUSE Q&A)

Chatting with James Morrison is like having a conversation with an old friend -- even if you've only known the guy for just five minutes! The British singer is as personable and welcoming as the soulful songs on his past two albums. We had the opportunity to sit down with James during his recent trip to New York City this month, and got the in-depth story behind his deeply personal new record, 'The Awakening.' Throughout the course of our time together, Morrison told the story of multiple life altering events that inspired his CD and why the recording process changed him to the core. "I didn't want to be another guy churning out albums about love songs," James shared with us.

Whether you're a fan of James, or are just being introduced to this talented artist, read on for a true tale of soul searching and survival.

Your newest album is entitled 'The Awaking.' What does that phrase mean to you in your life right now?

For me it was the whole thing of waking up to life again. I felt like I was in a box or a bubble for four to five years. I haven't stopped from writing, getting signed, to developing my songs, getting my album first album out, touring it for eighteen months ... I had two weeks, three weeks off before the second album. I was straight back in studio writing again and then I went on tour again. It felt like I wasn't in check with reality. I needed to do normal things again. Catch up with my friends. During that time, I had a kid. I had my little girl, she was born and then I went on tour. I lost my dad. I just felt like a lot of personal stuff in my life happened that made me really want to write stuff that made me feel like I was writing it because I needed to again, and not because I had to. It was a nicer place to be. I felt like I had woken up to myself as an artist and what I wanted to achieve and do. I was more comfortable with who I was as an artist and wasn't embarrassed to be James Morrison.

Speaking of your daughter, how has being a father influenced your new music?

It just made me want to write stuff that if I died and she listened to my songs, she'd get what I was trying to be as a person. Say something that means something rather than, "Oh I love you baby." I just wanted to write something that meant something to me and that if she heard it when she's older, I'd be proud of it. It's easier to talk about [your music] when it's natural, when it means something to you. I've been through that process twice. I knew how to get the best out of myself this time around.

You've experienced some amazing success in the past -- but how do you move forward from that to create something new and fresh?

I don't know ... I really don't know. I just try to do stuff that I feel good about, that I feel is the right thing to do at the time. Even if it ends up being the wrong thing, I rather live with that if it was the right thing to do at the time. The second album for me was really tough because there were a lot of expectations of sales and me being successful, following up the soulful pop thing. I felt like I was in a box and I couldn't get out at the time. I wasn't confident enough to step away from it either. It's taken me to get to this album to feel confident enough as an artist and as a person, to just do what I wanted to do. I just try to not let expectations from other people dictate what I do. I rather fail doing it my way than fail doing it someone else's way.


Your duet 'Up' with pop artist Jessie J was really unexpected! How did that collaboration come about?

I met her years ago backstage at a gig. She was warming up in the corridor. I've never heard a girl sing the way she did before. I went, 'Who the hell is that?' She came in and introduced herself and was very boisterous. I was still quite shy at that time. She was like, "Hi, I'm Jessie J and we're going to be singing together one day." And I was like, "Oh, how's that?" And we did! I just think she's got such a good voice when she uses it in the right way. She's got such a good technique. Where we come musically is totally different ...I kinda like that. Adele is an amazing singer. It would have been easy trying to do something with her. But she was so busy. It wasn't for that reason. For me, I just wanted to do something that would make people go, "Oh, didn't expect that." I kind of get a kick out of doing that to people.

We're in the thick of award season right now, so we've got to ask, what's been your strangest experience at an awards show?

I remember when I won a Brit Award five or six years ago, Amy Winehouse was there and I just wanted to come up to her and tell her how great I thought she was. She was kind of staring blankly ahead. I said, "Hi. I'm James Morrison. I just wanted to say that your album's amazing. You're doing great." And she just didn't say anything. She was just like (silence) and I thought, 'Alright. That went well!' I'm still quite amazed that I'm mixing with these people. It's all quite surreal. I take it with a pinch of salt and a lot of the times I find it quite funny. I think it's the best way to be. I just get so nervous.

As a child, you contracted a case of whooping cough that almost killed you -- but as an adult you've attributed your unique voice to that nearly-tragic situation. Can you think of another time in your life when a seemingly negative thing has turned into a positive for you?

A lot of my childhood was really negative. I had some really nice times, too. We used to go on great camping trips. My family ... some of them are quite over-emotional, but we're good at being out in the open and honest. That was always a good part about my family, even if we weren't always seeing eye-to-eye and there'd always been a bit of friction, but we could always talk about it and be honest about it. I suppose that's the positive thing about my childhood. We didn't have a lot of and we had to really on each other. My brother and my sister were kind of my best mates growing up. I don't know. All the important stuff that you need for life, is what I got from my childhood. All that negative stuff, I kind of learned what not to do to screw your life up. It's a backwards way of learning, but I learned a lot more quickly how to be in life and how to get through it. You have to work hard and not take anything for granted. All that stuff is everything that I am really.

During your teenage years, you took to the streets to play your music for the masses - what were some of your most memorable moments as a street performer?

I started busking when I was 14. It was in my family. Everyone used to make me get the guitar out. It was just my way of making myself confident. My fear was playing for strangers and what they would think. Once I forced myself to get over being scared to play, I found it really enjoyable. Generally, I had really good experiences busking. I used to get really good crowds building up with young and old people. I used to make some good money busking as well. The only kind of bad experience I remember is that there was another busker woman who used to bring an amp and a mike. I must have been playing in her spot because she set up right in front of me and turned around. I said, "You can see I'm here." And she said, "This is my spot." I kind of figured out then that there's a whole busking society law that you have to live by. The funniest thing that happened to me busking, was this mad Scottish guy just loved what I was doing. He sat down. He was singing along. He was embarrassingly telling everyone to pay me some money and stuff. I was like, "Alright, man!" And then a traffic warden came. I little short guy with a little short guy complex. He was like, "Have you got a license to play?" while I was still singing. I was like, "Can you wait while I finish." He was like putting his hand on my guitar. And the guy who was singing along grabbed the guy's hat off and was like "Look at me!" giving him s--- and this undercover police woman kind of grabbed the guy and police turned up and there was a big crowd gathering. I was like, what the hell is going on?

You performed a couple of your songs at the memorial concert for Princess Diana -- did you get caught up in the hoopla surrounding the royal wedding this past year?

Weirdly I wasn't bothered by it a bit until I watched it on TV. I just felt really sorry for the boys, you know? Their mum wasn't there to see that day. I got really emotional for them. Those lads are the best kind of thing about the royal family to me. The rest of them? I'm not bothered about in any way. The lads are kind of, they're in touch with reality a lot more than the rest of the royal family. I kind of felt proud. And Pippa? What was her name? She has a nice bum? Is that what most people remember about the day, like "Check out her sister's a---!" Yeah. But no. I didn't expect it to get to me like that. I felt like wow, he found a nice girl. She's not even from the royal family. She's from a poor background which tells a lot about his character. It was a cool day in the end.