One of the stand-out stars during the Black Communion events at Morphine Raum earlier this year, Savanna Morgan’s angelic, soulful voice is influenced by classic R‘n’B.
- Genre: Soul, Hip-Hop
- For fans of: Jill Scott, Angie Stone
- Stand-out tracks: ‘Outlaw’, ‘Call Me Text’
Where are you from, and what brought you to Berlin?
I’m from Dallas, Texas. I also have family roots in Savannah, Georgia and Monroe, Louisiana. I came to Berlin for my Masters of Arts in Performance Practice from arthaus.berlin in 2020.
Describe your sound in one sentence.
An eclectic mix of neo-soul, electronic, and folk music influences, with the smooth lyricism of Who Is Jill Scott? [album by Jill Scott], the ambient harmonies of ‘When I Get Home’ by Solange and the raspy blues vocals of Koko Taylor.
As a Black woman, I have to fight twice as hard to be seen and rewarded for my work.
What topics do you deal with in your music?
My music deals with the aches of love, in all of its forms – divine, familial, romantic, etc – identity and belonging. When people listen to my music, I want them to feel a sense of gathering as we work through our grief.
What’s your favourite track you’ve created?
I would say ‘Outlaw’, as it was written after I had gotten out of a bad relationship and wanted to declare my inherent human value and worth as something that’s unmoving and impenetrable. ‘Outlaw’, like many of the songs to be released, deals with how I assert my autonomy and independence as a black woman in a world where people really do be trying it.
What are some of your favourite venues to play in Berlin?
I love playing at 90mil. I get a lot of autonomy in decision-making when working with the event producers there and they’re also enthusiastic to help make an artist’s vision come true. It’s really important for the communities that I play in and that support me that donation-based entry is an option. I also really enjoy playing small, intimate spaces like Das Gift and Schokoladen.
How would you describe Berlin’s music scene?
Let’s get the negative out of the way first. It can be really homogeneous. Oftentimes, I am put on a line-up with no other person of colour. As a Black woman, I have to fight twice as hard to be seen and rewarded for my work, while white mediocrity can be regarded with high praises and zero accountability.
On the more positive side, music organising and music itself here is very DIY and , which makes it easier to finesse your own opportunities and create resources even when you are given none. I’ve met talented musicians from all across the world, of all shades of black and brown, and fell in love with the uniqueness and diversity of soundscapes across Berlin.
If Berlin was a song, it would be…
TGIF, the one by GloRilla and the one by Katy Perry.
Are there any Berlin artists you’d like to collaborate with?
Dumama, Marbelite, Mandhla, Otis Mensah, Moses Yoofee, Ghostpoet and Sera Kalo.
What’s a song you wish you’d written?
‘How to Meet Yourself’ from the new Hiatus Kaiyote album
You can pick a support slot for any artist, dead or alive. Who is it and why?
Jill Scott. Without her debut album Who is Jill Scott? I’m not sure my sound would even exist. I also love how theatrical she was earlier in her career, how she expressed her femininity and sexuality through performance.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on my first EP with my band, Savanna Morgan and The Lovers. We started arranging this project together last summer with just sax, viola, and bass, and the recording will be live and open to the public. Please join us on September 2nd at Morphine Raum.
