Carla Morrison

Carla Patricia Morrison Flores (Tecate, Baja California, July 19, 1986), better known as Carla Morrison, is a Mexican indie-pop singer and composer. She has won two Latin Grammys for her album, Déjenme Llorar, which has also been certified Gold in Mexico.

Early life

Carla Morrison was born in Tecate, Baja California, to Mexican parents, Porfiria Flores and Hilario Morrison. Her father, previously surnamed Viera, obtained his last name when he was adopted by William Guy Morrison, born in California to an English migrant named Laura Morrison.

Morrison lived in Tecate during her early years. Since childhood, she was taught in the art of drawing, dancing and singing, expressing a special inclination for the latter. Encouraged by her conviction to dedicate herself to music, she decided to move to Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 17. In this city, she began her musical studies in the Mesa Community College, but she soon dropped out of school because her approach to music was more spiritual, emotional and self taught, than academic.

Inspired by her teacher David Barrios, Mexican lyric baritone, she started to play her first musical compositions by the name of Babaluca. This project was consolidated as a band with the addition of Nick Kizer and Nichole Petta and soon positioned itself as one of the most important projects of the local music scene.

During this stage of her artistic life, the singer collaborated with Mark Erickson –a multi- instrumentalist musician and member of Colorstone, a band from Phoenix, Arizona–, producer of Babaluca’s first album, which never came out. Morrison and Mark Erickson also worked together to perform the song “Tragos de Amargo Licor” by Ramón Ayala at a country music festival. This song was later included in her first EP, Aprendiendo a Aprender. Furthermore, Marck Erickson invited her to record vocals for the album Go Away Closer that he produced for Lonna Kelley.

Following a short, but productive career with Babaluca, Morrison decided to abandon the project and return to Mexico to pursue her solo career.

Trajectory

In 2009, Morrison released her first EP, entitled Aprendiendo a Aprender, produced independently in the home studio of Jordan Beriault (http://sdarrstudios.com) in Tempe, Arizona. Soon after, this album caught the attention of the public and media, positioning Morrison among the most interesting projects of the new Mexican scene and taking her to perform in most of the country. The record contains 6 songs composed and produced by herself, plus an additional theme in which she covered Ramón Ayala’s song “Tragos de Amargo Licor”. The singles “Esta Soledad” and “Lágrimas” were used in the television show “Soy tu Fan”. Later, the mexican singer and composer, Natalia Lafourcade offered to produce Morrison’s new EP and invited her to be the opening act on the presentation of her album Hu Hu Hu at Teatro Fru Fru. This was Morrison’s first official performance in Mexico City and it helped her to conquer the public of this city.

By 2010, Morrison released her second EP, entitled Mientras Tú Dormías, produced by Natalia Lafourcade. This album led the singer to continue harvesting more success, performing in major cities of the Mexican Republic and conquering some scenarios in the United States and Colombia. It is worth noting that this record was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award; at the same time, due to this EP, most of her performances, including those at Teatro Metropolitan and Lunario of the Auditorio Nacional, were sold out.

In 2011, Morrison began working on her first full-length studio album entitled Déjenme Llorar, in conjunction with Juan Manuel Torreblanca –frontman of the band Torreblanca– and Andrés Landon –Sonido Landon-soloist–, in the record’s production, and Alejandro Jiménez – Jandro-soloist–, in the coproduction of demos, arrangements and recording engineering.

Déjenme Llorar was released on March 24, 2012, within the Vive Latino Festival. It was nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards in five categories and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Latin, Rock, Urban or Alternative Album. The album won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Best Alternative Album and its title track was a winner of the same award in the category of Best Alternative Song. In addition, the album was certified Gold in Mexico.

At once, Morrison carried out the “Déjenme Llorar and Huéspedes del Orbe” tour along with the Mexican alternative rock band Enjambre, visiting almost all of the Mexican Republic. Most of the concerts were sold out. Both projects closed this tour appearing at Palacio de los Deportes on August 31, 2013, before 20 thousand people. The opening act was led by Banda de Turistas. This presentation was also completely sold out.

After concluding this tour, Morrison started the international tour, “Sin Despedir”, visiting the United States –Austin, New York, San Francisco and Phoenix–, South America –Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and El Salvador– and Europe – Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Bilbao and London. Most of these concerts were sold out days before the show, which leads to the conclusion that the public of the visited countries was conquered by the artist before her presentations.

Morrison has performed at major music festivals in America and Europe. Among them, the Vive Latino Festival is noteworthy for having taken part in it for three consecutive years. Her debut at this festival was in 2011 at Carpa Intolerante, breaking the attendance record by getting 9 thousand people to gather in a tent that was designed to rally up to 5 thousand people. In 2012, Morrison sang at Carpa Danup in front of 30 thousand people, on that occasion, her presentation was broadcast in the displays of the Festival for the great interest she had aroused among the audience. In the Vive Latino Festival 2013, Morrison performed her songs on the main stage in front of 65 thousand people just before the presentation of two international bands, Tame Impala and Blur.

Morrison has also participated in the Viva La Canción Festival 2012 (Europe), the Centro Festival 2012 (Colombia), the Pal Norte Fest 2012 (Monterrey), the Lollapalooza Festival 2013 (Chile), the Estéreo Picnic Festival 2013 (Colombia), the Pachanga Latino Music Fest (Austin, Texas), the Latin Alternative Music Conference 2012-2013 (New York) and the Neon Desert Festival 2013 (El Paso, Texas). In 2013 she recorded a track; "Qué Bello", with La Unica Internacional Sonora Santanera for their CD, Grandes Exitos De Sonora (Sony).

Side projects

In early 2013, Morrison created Pan Dulce Productions, an executive producer that supports independent music projects. The purpose of the singer through this production is to help and guide independent musicians who are just entering the music scene. This support takes place through promotion, tips on how to “Do It Yourself”, and in some cases through monetary support. Currently, the projects supported by this producer are Jandro, Ramona and Mariel Mariel.

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

Discography

Albums

• Aprendiendo a Aprender EP (2009) Recorded and Mixed by Jordan Beriault (sdarrstudios.com)
• Aprendiendo a Aprender [Deluxe Edition] 2010
• Mientras Tú Dormías... (2010) produced by Mexican solo artist Natalia Lafourcade
• Déjenme Llorar (2012) produced by Juan Manuel Torreblanca and Andres Landon
• Jugando en Serio EP (2013) produced by Alejandro Jiménez
• Amor Supremo (2015)

Singles

• "Esta Soledad" (2009)
• "Lágrimas" (2009)
• "Compartir" (2010)
• "Yo sigo Aquí" (2010)
• "Una Salida" (2011)
• "Déjenme Llorar" (2012)
• "Hasta la Piel" (2012)
• "Eres Tú" (2012)
• "Disfruto" (2013)

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