Morgan Evans (singer)
Morgan John Evans (born 24 April 1985) is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Evans also had a crossover hit with "Kiss Somebody" in 2017. In 2019, he won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album for his second studio album, Things That We Drink To.
Morgan Evans
Morgan John Evans
24 April 1985
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Country, Indie Rock (early)
Singer-songwriter
- Vocals
- guitar
2002–present
Life and career[edit]
1985–2010: Early life and career[edit]
Evans was born on 24 April 1985 in Newcastle, New South Wales.[1] He has a younger sister, Jane, and a younger brother, Tom, who is also a musician playing bass guitar.[2] At the age of 13, Evans performed his first gig.[3] While attending Warners Bay High School he was in a local rock trio, Extortion, which won a state high school band competition, Youthrock, in 2002.[2] Extortion were later renamed Solver.[2] As of 2006, Evans provided lead vocals and guitar in the group, his brother Tom was on bass guitar and a friend, Nicholas Cook, was the drummer.[2] The band won Artist of the Year and Best Rock Act at the MusicOZ Awards of 2006.[3]
In 2007, Evans won the Road to Tamworth competition and for his prize he flew to Nashville to record a single.[3] He was signed to Sony BMG and released his debut single "Big Skies", in September 2007.[4] The title track received airplay on Australian country music radio stations.[3]
Evans toured with Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan, Shannon Noll, Adam Harvey and was personally selected by Taylor Swift to open for her first Australian tour.[3]
2012–2016: Debut studio album[edit]
In January 2012, Evans released his debut EP, Live Each Day, through Warner Music Australasia. This was followed in August that year by a second EP, While We're Young. He was named the New Oz Artist of the Year at the 2013 CMC Music Awards.[5]
Evans released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[6] At the 2014 CMC Music Awards he won the Oz Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Australian Video of the Year.[7] His track, "Like a Tornado", was short-listed for the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition of 2014.[8]
He hosted the CMC Music Awards for three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017.[9] He is the 2016 Country Music Association Global Artist of the Year and has won five fan voted Country Music Channel Awards, including Male Artist of the Year.
2017–2020: Things That We Drink To[edit]
Following his relocation to Nashville, Evans signed with Warner Music Nashville in May 2017, which led to the release of his debut US single, "Kiss Somebody".[10]
Evans released a single, "I Do", on 8 December 2017. He explained via Instagram that it was written "about his girlfriend, recorded it about my fiancée, releasing it about my wife" Kelsea Ballerini, whom he married on 2 December 2017 in Mexico.[11] In August, Evans released his third EP titled, Morgan Evans EP. Evan's second studio album, Things That We Drink To, was released in October 2018.[12]
On 8 November 2019, Evans released the single "Diamonds" which he said is a love song written for Ballerini.[13] At the global APRA Awards in March 2020, Evans won Outstanding International Achievement Award.[14]
2021–present: The Country and the Coast and Life Upside Down[edit]
In September 2021, Evans announced the release of the EP The Country and the Coast (Side A)
In September 2022, Evans performed a new song titled "Over for You" at the CMC Rocks QLD Festival. The song was written in response to Evans' divorce from then-wife, Kelsea Ballerini, and the heartbreak he experienced.[15][16] Evans later shared on his Instagram that the song had been written only three weeks earlier and the show performance was only the second time he had played the song.[17] A studio version of "Over for You" was released on 17 October 2022.[18][19]
In April 2023, Evans released his Life Upside Down EP.[20] The EP features five tracks that showcase Evans' path to finding a light in the dark.[21] A new collection of songs completely authentic to the timing of recent events in his life, Evans describes the release as a "journey through unexpected heartbreak, self-rediscovery, new beginnings and a newfound gratitude for the present moment."[22]
In April 2024, Evans released his first live album, titled Live at the Sydney Opera House.[23]
Morgan Evans discography
2
1
9
5
20
Awards[edit]
ARIA Music Awards[edit]
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. Evens has won a trophy from two nominations.[66][67]