Magic takes many forms.
In the case of Kailee Morgue, it happened in the span of one unbelievable year. Not only did the critically acclaimed Phoenix-based gothic pop siren manifest a spellbinding signature style in 2018, but she also underwent a lifetime of transformation in that time. Musically, she released her breakout hits, “Medusa,” “Siren,” “Do You Feel This Way” feat. Whethan and “F**k U.” The artist earned acclaim from The New York Times, MTV, The FADER, NYLON, Highsnobiety, Pigeons & Planes, PAPER, Vice’s i-D, and Teen Vogue who proclaimed her among the “Musicians You Need to Be Listening to In 2019.” Not to mention, she embarked on her very first national tour.
Personally, she turned 20, came out to her family, embraced her bipolar disorder, tattooed her face and even cut her multicolored locks.
All of these experiences informed, impacted and influenced her music in 2019 and beyond, as Kailee emerged from “night to day.”
“More than ever this year, even in the past six months, I’ve gone through a process of beginning to finally understand myself,” she admits. “A lot of people say they love and understand themselves, but there’s a turning point where I completely did. The hesitation turned into confidence. There was a personal side of having relationships in the past year and coming out. Also, it’s going through the process of coming to terms with my bipolar disorder. I really shifted into knowing myself. I feel it really shows in the songs. I’m excited for everyone to hear them, because they truly tell my story for the first time.”
In order to tell her story, she dove into her most formative influences. In the studio, Kailee made a conscious decision to “make music that sounded like what I listened to,” as she claims. The songstress turned to inspirations ranging from Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Prince and Blondie and incorporated eighties-esque drums, live guitar and rich instrumentation.
Working alongside frequent collaborator CJ Baran [Panic! at the Disco, Carly Rae Jepsen, Melanie Martinez], she succinctly refined her sound. “I feel like I figured out exactly who I wanted to be as an artist,” she goes on. “I really progressed.”
Such progression powers her new single “Headcase” [feat. Hayley Kiyoko]. Written and recorded in a five-hour fit of inspiration alongside Baran, it builds from an airy sample of The Pixies’ classic “Where Is My Mind?” over glitchy electronics into a chantable chorus. Dueting with Hayley, she bravely declares, “I’m a headcase, but you love me, I’m a mistake, I warned you.”
“I love ‘Where Is My Mind?’, and we took the energy of the song to represent the feelings of love and fear in a relationship,” she explains. “I have bipolar disorder, and I’m always trying to find ways to communicate the struggle through music. I know there are others struggling with it. ‘Headcase’ is the embodiment of the push-and-pull. I knew I should be writing about it, since it’s a release for me and listeners. I wanted to say it, so it would be empowering to deal with this sort of mental issue. I’m not going to hide it or anything.”
Instead, she’s more honest than ever on her forthcoming project. With tracks bleeding into each other by way of sonic segues and a cohesive vision, she opens up her world like never before.
“I want you to feel like you’re stepping into a whole other world,” Kailee leaves off. “We’re going through the same experiences and emotions together as one. Maybe you’ll relate to it. Maybe you’ll feel less alone. It’s vulnerable, but it’s also upbeat. I’ve finally found a comfortable place in the music between sad and happy that I tend to accidentally live in. Join me in my universe for 30 minutes.”
Welcome to her universe. Magic most definitely lives there...
