Listening to the heady melodic aura of Patrina Morris is like succumbing oneself to a double scooping of caramel velvet cake, except without the calories. It was perhaps a random listening to her pop samba rhythms that had me beguiled and searching within myself for my own sense of loss, heartbreak, contemplation and bitter sweet feelings. That’s when I went on my search to discover who this chanteuse was and why I had become convinced that she is one of the most up and coming talents to date and why I had to feature writes scallywagandvagabond.com

A former fashion model turned pop hybrid, Ms Morris with her exotic downbeat and quixotic sensibilities decided one day to dive into the ambit of being a self taught musician and where perhaps most would have floundered this woman found a captive audience within myspace early in her career to have come out and already release 2 ep’s (Stories I never told you, Lies Fall away) to international acclaim and a decent living and now a third lp due in February.

To date she has already parlayed with luminaries including Paul Oakenfold, Talvin Singh, Andre Hale(Sade), Jon Klein (Siouxsie and the Banshees), Paulo Machado, Ze Francisco Vieria, and current band members Joao Francisco de Jesus, Joao Pedro Guerreiro as well as Vieira.

That said I decided via telephone to spend a melancholic afternoon with the vivacious Ms Morris as she related her metamorphesis from exotic fashion model to that of an exotic pop/bosanova singer caught in her own desires for self expression, freedom and catharsis and the kittens she keeps in her off the radar country house by the seaside of Portugal where this English lass has taken umbrage.

SCV: You spent a number of years working as a high profile fashion model, how did it happen that you decided to pursue a career as a musician?

PM: Modeling was an accident really, I was discovered while working in a restaurant trying to save money for Art School, so it was like a dream come true and something that I never thought I would or could do ….and a wonderful experience…..because you have grow up so fast!

I have always loved music, but it was really only a dream growing up …or so I thought…..

I think modelling, and seeing the world gave me the confidence to give it a go…..

SCV: Do you write your own music or do you have others do it? And what are the themes you keep finding yourself returning to and why?

PM: Initially, I write everything as simple guitar and voice and then bring in people to play and work with me on the music.

The themes are mainly, feelings, thoughts, experiences, conversations, things I see and hear ” love and life” …all the usual themes,.. but we’re all so different, so perhaps that makes each person’s voice unique ….

Romance, love, relationships of every kind are around us everyday on TV, the net and everyday life, there is no avoiding it, life can sometimes be bittersweet!

I mean , I am a true romantic…and I just write what’s inside!

SCV: You have exiled yourself these last few years in the country side of Portugal. How did this come about and how has this affected your music?

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Patrina Morris: The heady rise of a Romantic.
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PM: I wouldn’t say “exiled”, I just chose to try something different, which I have truly come to love … to be at one with nature and breathe the fresh air everyday, it’s simple but it’s never boring!

I was quite tired of city life and thought “If you never try…. you’ll never know” ….and I’ve never looked back.

Musically, it has been an inspiration, I learnt to play and have the freedom to write in peace and quiet amongst all that I love …. there is nothing like sitting outside on a summers or winters day amongst the olives and lemons with guitar, glass of wine and a wandering mind!

SCV: You recently released an EP that has gotten airplay in Japan and the States. How did that do and why have the Japanese being insistent about you singing pop and glamorizing your image?

PM: I’ve released 2 EP’s in the USA (digital only), and slowly but surely the fan base is growing , but it hasn’t been easy… there’s no promotion…… just my myspace!

The Japanese (EMI) helped me to make my first album which is basically the two EP’s but with an extra bonus track, and it’s been going well there so far, I have had a lot of radio play and a couple of the songs have been used on,Jazz, Brazillian , Singer/songwriter compilations ,so I am thankful to be included with great artist’s and people who I respect and admire musically.

Japan is a very specialized market and it is very difficult to break a new artist these days, with little or no budget ….and they had the right to use the photos they felt were most appropriate for the Japanese market as part of the deal , and they also asked me to record a’cover’ of an old pop song……which at first I wasn’t too keen on doing , but I was able to do it in my own style and I think it fits well on the album. As a new artist,being flexible with their terms it has put me on the map in Japan, so I think EMI did a great job.

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Patrina Morris: The heady rise of a Romantic.
Scallywag November 29, 2011 0

PM: I wouldn’t say “exiled”, I just chose to try something different, which I have truly come to love … to be at one with nature and breathe the fresh air everyday, it’s simple but it’s never boring!

I was quite tired of city life and thought “If you never try…. you’ll never know” ….and I’ve never looked back.

Musically, it has been an inspiration, I learnt to play and have the freedom to write in peace and quiet amongst all that I love …. there is nothing like sitting outside on a summers or winters day amongst the olives and lemons with guitar, glass of wine and a wandering mind!

SCV: You recently released an EP that has gotten airplay in Japan and the States. How did that do and why have the Japanese being insistent about you singing pop and glamorizing your image?

PM: I’ve released 2 EP’s in the USA (digital only), and slowly but surely the fan base is growing , but it hasn’t been easy… there’s no promotion…… just my myspace!

The Japanese (EMI) helped me to make my first album which is basically the two EP’s but with an extra bonus track, and it’s been going well there so far, I have had a lot of radio play and a couple of the songs have been used on,Jazz, Brazillian , Singer/songwriter compilations ,so I am thankful to be included with great artist’s and people who I respect and admire musically.

Japan is a very specialized market and it is very difficult to break a new artist these days, with little or no budget ….and they had the right to use the photos they felt were most appropriate for the Japanese market as part of the deal , and they also asked me to record a’cover’ of an old pop song……which at first I wasn’t too keen on doing , but I was able to do it in my own style and I think it fits well on the album. As a new artist,being flexible with their terms it has put me on the map in Japan, so I think EMI did a great job.

SCV: How much do an artist’s looks/presentation affect the way he/she is received? That said why has someone who is exotically beautiful as you chosen to downplay herself- or is that more to do more with the type of music you sing?

PM: I think that presentation is always important in music, because you see someone before you hear them start to sing. If people are interested in the way you look you’ve captured their attention to listen.

Perhaps ……personally …I believe… “a little less is maybe a little more” …. because in the scheme of things today, there seems to be so much emphasis on women being glamorous and ‘ hot’ but maybe it’s just the fashion?

I personally like classic simple style rather than fashion , or “THE LATEST “fashion’ ……….. I mean I try to be real, I don’t think I downplay myself, it’s just how I am.

SCV: How did the band begin and what can we expect going forward?

PM: The band started with Ze Francisco (guitar) and Paulo Machado (Bass and keys) who helped me make my first demos and eventually the album, I met Ze (a music veteran) at guitar school and he introduced me to everyone else. After I joined myspace I was asked by several people to play “live” which was something we had planned to do anyway, it just happened sooner than we thought so we then brought in Janaca aka “Jesus” (drums and percussion) and Joao (Rhodes and piano) ,we rehearsed and played at some hotels and bars here for about a year and finally we went on to play in Rome and Germany!

At the moment I don’t have a promoter and basically since the last album I just started writing again for the new EP which has taken a lot of time . I have been recording in London this time so there was alot of coming and going ,waiting for studio time , having to learn protools, etc etc… so that I could work from home with my friend Ze along with my friends in London.

So I am hoping for some gigs in the future and then plan to put an appropriate band together, with a mixture of the old and new … I love to play live, because I enjoy the freedom you have with the songs and I feel that the audience can get to feel the true spirit of my music and me ……

SCV: You were in part discovered on my space. How did this come about and what has happened since you first posted there? Can one still be discovered on my space or is it just an issue of being too overcrowded?

PM: I was TOTALLY discovered on Myspace and will always be grateful for the Love and support everyone has shown me there from day one… it’s been unbelievable!

In 2007 I finally got a computer here in the hills and a friend of mine from London ( Mr Leo T who plays bass on the new record) came to visit and help me set it up, while he was here teaching me how to use it we talked about music and I played him a few of my demos that I had recorded here, it was then that he said ‘Oh MIss P in London everyone has a myspace…lol!” So he helped me to set up a page and it just seemed to “roll” …….everything I have done since then has spiralled from Myspace…… EMI licensing deal, digital USA deal, an advisor ..gigs etc.

I’m not sure if one can still be discovered there as since they made the changes to the site last year a lot of people have left and don’t use it anymore. Now other sites such as Facebook and Twitter seem to be far more popular..

SCV: You were in NYC this year procuring production deals. Tell me about that?

PM: NYC is my old home….. I lived there on and off for 3 years while modeling and I have always loved it ….so it was a pleasure to be able to go back again.

The trip was really to finally meet some of the people who have been helping me with my career, it’s strange to speak to someone on the internet every week for 2 years and put your faith and trust in them without ever meeting them face to face… I had a wonderful time and even managed to venture upstate which I thought was beautiful!!!

SCV: How did the song ‘complicated’ that we see you on your video come about? How about the video? I understand it was all shot in Myanmar? How did that all come about?

PM: “Complicated” was one of the first songs I wrote here and is loosely based on myself …. I put it on my myspace page and was surprised by the compliments and comments I started receiving so I put it on to my first EP “Stories I never told You”

I was told that I needed to try and make a video to help move things along, but I didn’t really know how I was going to do it …

So , my friend Alan Beukers, the photographer who took all the pictures for my myspace, cd’s, website,etc said why didn’t I join him on a trip to Myanmar he was planning to work on an existing project. As he had already made a few trips to the country he thought he knew the perfect spot….and had a feeling that ‘Complicated’ would be the perfect song!

So, off we went just the two of us with his little video camera…..making it up as we went along… but I had a wonderful time discovering the country and making the video… it’s a wonderfully spectacular and timeless, place …and the people were so kind …

I think he did a really beautiful job and most people seem to think that his images of me, perfectly compliment my music. …. so it’s really “Thanks” to him for his patience and belief that a video was finally made!

SCV: Finish this sentence; If Lady Gaga approached you and said she wanted you to join her for a duet for a world wide release you would respond how to her?

PM: “Fantasticooooo, let’s go girl!!!!”

SCV: What is it about kittens and lost souls that appeal to you?

PM: Kittens…..Puppies…….People……..we’re all the same really … I guess it’s in the heart, I love and feel too much sometimes……can’t help it… , they don’t have a choice and I feel happy knowing I have changed their “lives” or “moments in their lives” forever,…… same with people…. they give to me as much as I give to them.

SCV: Your lyrics betray bitter sweet and longing. Is this you talking from experience and are you the one who breaks hearts or has had their heart broken?

PM: Probably , all of the above but predominantly, that I have been “heartbroken” and understand and know what that feels like …. we all have dreams and aspirations while growing up … but.life seldom turns out how you think , especially romantically!

SCV: Who are some of your biggest influencers and inspirations?:

PM: Gandhi !

Musically ……..too many to mention but high on the list “The Carpenters”, Gil scott Heron, America, Ellis Regina…..

SCV: Many artists have a very public image whilst a very different private sensibility. How would you go about describing the way you portray yourself in your music and in public as opposed to you gallivanting in your country house in Portugal?

PM: I’m not so sure I would call it ‘ gallivanting’ …..but perhaps musically, one imagines something a little more glamorous than it is . To be honest I spend most of my day here in an apron and wellington boots with my “furries” and the household chores ….but , that’s only natural…..it’s a farmhouse , not a ” countryhouse’,

I exist as anyone would……only, I have my songs and my dreams…..