Marina Morgan – Paralyzed

By starrymag | April 14, 2017

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I would describe my sound as intense and soaring vocals. Powerful pop with an inspirational edge.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Some of my musical influences are Demi Lovato, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Adam Lambert.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Paralyzed.”

 

A) I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2016 after almost a year of misdiagnosis. The illness started taking over my life effecting my walking, esophagus spasm, extreme fatigue and loss of vision in my right eye, which thankfully has come back after months of treatment through a PICC Line IV. It was extremely difficult and I was treated differently because Lyme disease isn’t always something you can physically see. So, to hopefully help someone that may be going through the same thing, I decided to write Paralyzed in hopes of more people understanding this debilitating illness but as well as spread some light upon it. The idea for this song was always somewhere in the back of my mind. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve been struck down by an illness. When I was just thirteen years old, I was diagnosed with an illness called Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM), which left me in a wheelchair and caused me to have difficulty moving my arms. I had to reside in a children’s hospital for months to relearn how to walk. Because it was so long ago and such a scary part of my childhood, I basically tried to block that experience from my memory. It wasn’t until I was dealing with the Lyme Disease symptoms that the memories and emotions from that period came flooding back that I was able to write “Paralyzed.” My hope is that through this song, no matter what obstacle someone in their life may be going through, (not necessarily Lyme Disease) that they can have hope and know to never give up.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think everyone for the most part at some point in their lives are faced with an obstacle, some more severe than others. “Paralyzed” is a true “fight” song. It really is just about never letting that obstacle get the best of you. You have to fight and push through it. Whether its love, physical illness or an emotional challenge “Paralyzed” represents that no matter what’s going on never give up and I think that is the reason why it is so relatable to most people.

 

Q) How does the video play into the message of the song?

 

A) When creating the video for “Paralyzed” I wanted to make sure that it was powerful. I felt that the use of the wheel chair was very symbolic in that I was confined to that wheel chair during that earlier time in my life and how I fought to come back from that. The wheelchair symbolized being stuck in one place. The dancer that performed in the video symbolized my moving toward recovery and fighting my way back. And then walking away from the wheel chair at the end of video shows that I conquered.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) When I write a song I basically try to figure out exactly what the topic is I want to write about. I’ll have discussions with my team and will just talk for hours and tell stories about whichever scenario it may be. Then from there I start to write lyrics down. It’s easier to have an idea of chords and the sound that I want before writing lyrics. But it’s a touch and go sort of process. Play a few chords figure out the lyrics and then do it again.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I have a big hand in the production of my songs. I sit in on every production session and I’ll say what I’m thinking as far as sound whether I think something may need to be added or something that I may not like. So, for the most part, I try to be a part of the production process as much as possible.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Marina Morgan performance?

 

A) Fans can expect a high energy fun performance. I write music to help others feel good. I think that is what music is all about. I would like for people to come see me perform and feel great while they are there.

 

Q) Will there be an EP or full album coming in the near future?

 

A) I will be releasing a new single in the near future. I am working and finishing up an EP that I hope to have out within the year. I’m extremely excited to share that with my fans!

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I would love to collaborate with Demi Lovato. I’m just such a huge fan of her music and her voice is just amazing. I relate to a lot of her songs and I love everything she stands for. So, that would be a dream to be able to collaborate with her.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Everything today is surrounded by social media. It’s a great way to see what my fans are thinking about my music as well as how they feel. It’s great to have a platform where I can respond quickly and get feedback right away.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I just would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I had a dream of becoming a recording artist since I was a young girl and to see this dream actually starting to become a reality is just so surreal. So, all I can say is thank you and dreams can come true so never give up!