Fallin’ upwards with Morgan Joanel
Perth singer/songwriter and performer Morgan Joanel has been performing and releasing her eclectic brand of music and sharing her art with the world for the past few decades. After a stint living in Sydney and touring internationally, she’s now back in Perth and gearing up to debut her new single, Fallin’, and fresh live band—all kicking off next week as she supports The Superjesus on their WA tour. ANTHONY JACKSON had a chat with Morgan about the new track, the new band, and what lies on the horizon.
Hey Morgan! Thanks for having a chat with us today! Congratulations on your release of your latest single, Fallin’. How does it feel to have this new track out in the world?
Thanks, it feels like freedom! The sound of this track is something I’ve wanted to capture for years. Bringing all the layers of the whole band together is so satisfying when you get that final mix, so to release it into the world and take it on tour is just like a whole lotta good times! Definitely kicking off a brand new chapter of music for me.
It’s a really driving track with a nostalgic retro feel juxtaposed with shiny modern production and a hi-fi sound. Can you tell us a bit about how you wrote the song? What is the underlying theme explored in the track?
I guess the theme of Fallin’ is about hope in those first moments of love blooming and feeling like it could either explode or lull you into a lullaby, and that’s the rollercoaster we captured in the sonic journey of the whole song. I wrote the song with my ex-partner and guitarist Laurie Luke. He was jamming some riffs, and I started singing, and it just organically came to life.
We wanted to start a band, but life threw a curveball a few weeks later when I was put in a wheelchair after a hit-and-run car crash and he ended up having brain surgery. We went separate ways, but the song stuck it out, so when I went into recording the new batch of songs, we agreed I could have it. It was an easy custody battle. So now, the song gets to live, and the whole experience can be released. That’s what music is about, isn’t it?
It sure is! I’m always intrigued by the creation of new music. Where did you record, mix, and master the track? Who did you get to play on the track besides yourself?
I recorded with the greatest producer I’ve ever worked with, Dave Parkin at Blackbird, who also mixed it. Then mastered by King Willy in Tasmania. We’ve been working on my independent music releases for years, and Dave brought some killer bass to life in this track. I also had Jason Ayres play some guitars and Ric Eastman on drums. It was incredible to bring new players in with a producer who has historically only worked with me and to feel so much trust and excitement in the whole process, which is very far from my experiences of working under a major label record deal.
Locally you’ve been known as a solo performer, but I hear that you have put an all-star band together here in Perth and that you are the only Aussie national? How did that come about?
In Perth, yes, I’ve mostly played solo with looping pedals and haven’t had a band since I lived in Sydney, so this is going to be great to just let go and rock out as the singer with no guitar restrictions! My band came together as all good bands do—by chance and serendipitous meetings in Perth. I’d just come back from touring the UK, and it couldn’t feel more right that I’ve found Minco de Bruin on drums (from Belgium), Oskar Malleus on guitar (from Estonia), and Stefano Bonfanti on bass (from Italy). I actually feel right at home, and they are ridiculously talented musicians.
Also, congrats on scoring the WA support slot for The Superjesus shows on July 3 and 4! Will this be the first time the band will perform for the public? What can we expect at these shows?
I wasn’t expecting it! But it also felt so right because I had all these songs that needed a band show, and The Superjesus’ support is a great way to kick it all off! We’re bringing some grungy rock and blues vibes, and I’ll still be throwing in some live-looping magic too, which is always interesting with a full live band.
In 2024 you re-released your 2011 track Devil’s in the Detail. Will you be collating these and any new tracks into an upcoming album?
Good question! I’ve already got the next three singles finished, and we hit the studio again in a few months, so I can’t see why I wouldn’t piece an album or EP together for release in 2026 ahead of more overseas touring. You’ll be the first to know if I get it together!
Fantastic! Do you have plans for more Perth shows in the coming months or Australian tours before you head off overseas?
Some of the guys in the band are heading back to Europe to tour for their summer, so we’ll be back playing Australian shows over our summer, heading to the east coast and looking at taking the band over to Europe next year.