Making Music with Morgan Chambers
Morgan Chambers '25 on the cover of her new EP "Growing Pains." Photo Courtesy: Morgan Chambers ‘25
Marist College student and musician Morgan Chambers ‘25 has something to sing about, with her new EP “Growing Pains” releasing on April 16 on almost all major music streaming platforms. Chambers was fortunate enough to record her EP at Dirt Floor Recording Studio in the woods not too far from her home in upstate Connecticut, where she received help using premium sound equipment.
From a young age, Chambers found herself creating and arranging sound into harmonious symphonies, but as she grew older, she drew inspiration from all her experiences, good and bad, to grow in both her music skills and personal development. The indie folk style of her EP is relatable, since everyone experiences these “growing pains” in one way or another.
When writing music, Chambers makes sure to be as genuine as possible, and she doesn’t force her creativity. For instance, she recalls taking piano lessons as a child and hating the structure of it all, so she quit the lessons and taught herself both piano and guitar to herself and used her skills for what she believes music is for — an outlet for uncontained spontaneity.
“Inspiration sparks at the most random times, and it's important to take note of it and be in the moment,” Chambers said. “My phone once died while I was out with some friends, so I asked a bartender for a napkin and pen to write down a lyric idea that had popped into my head.”
Chambers knows she is outside the box and is completely unapologetic about it because her craft is all constructed by herself. She draws inspiration from artists like Noah Kahan, whose lyrics follow a similar theme to hers, whereby he takes old-school blues themes about heartbreak or the struggles of life and adds to them a soulful folk-rock flavor.
While Chambers admits that Kahan is one of her favorite artists, she sees herself as more similar to Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrahms and Lizzy McAlpine. “Growing Pains” reflects her fondness of these artists and her emotional connection to such themes.
But a question lingers: with a talent like hers, how come Chambers didn’t find herself at a music school? For her, the answer lies in the flexibility of Marist’s liberal arts education.
Chambers felt music school would have given her a similar sensation to those piano lessons that left her boxed in. Instead, she chose to study English at Marist, which has increased her desire to keep making music. She also minors in various areas, which include music and writing.
In addition, Chambers participates in a few different music groups on campus, such as Marist Singers, a choral group designed to give singers at Marist a chance to showcase their voices for an audience and the all-female identifying a capella ensemble, The Sirens. Additionally, Chambers found direction from the professionals in her life, like Marist adjunct music lecturer Christopher Wynkoop. He assisted her in performing the closing track of her EP “Where Do I Go Now?” at the Marist Singers benefit concert “Love in the Afternoon” in March.
To top it all off, Chambers has often found herself at prestigious workshops and studios to perfect her craft. She attended an intensive songwriting workshop at New York University and was even invited to the Catskills to do a workshop with one of her favorite bands, a group of masterful individuals named The Milk Carton Kids.
Though there are many people in her corner, she says her biggest supporters are her parents, whom she adores and who back her in all of her career decisions. She doesn’t know what role she will play in music production in the future, whether it be center stage or behind it – but she knows she loves music, all aspects of it, and will do what it takes to make a career out of it.
“There are so many different ways to interpret and appreciate music, and I think that a lot of people could relate to the things I write about, and hopefully, I can make others feel understood through the music I write,” said Chambers.