morgan taylor of ladue horton watkins high school

Many of us have used our recent time at home to stretch our creative muscles, and that is certainly true for Morgan Taylor. The Ladue Horton Watkins High School senior recently launched her first single, “Lullabye,” with a music video featuring scenes filmed at the school. Previously, the singer appeared on local stages like The Fabulous Fox Theatre and even opened for major recording artists like J. Moss and Brian McKnight. Now, she is preparing her second single, “Keep it 100.” To learn more, find her on social media @highonmorgan.

When did your interest in music start?
When I was young, I would listen to music with my mom and grandmother. I also would sing around the house constantly; I must have driven my parents crazy. My grandmother probably was the first one who supported me and thought I could be a singer. One of my favorite memories was the first time I sang in church when I was 9. I performed “Thank You Lord” and received a standing ovation. It was a pretty awesome experience.

Tell me about your first single.
“Lullabye” was written by local songwriter Ja Noelle, who is amazingly talented. Before I went to record it in the studio, I broke down the song line by line and wrote down how the lyrics related to me and my life. I really wanted to understand it. For me, “Lullabye” is all about self-confidence as a young woman, teaching others how to treat you and self love.

How was filming the music video?
It was a cool experience. I had so much fun and was able to spend some time with my friends who appeared in the video. I was really grateful that the school supported me and allowed me to film on the football field.

What do you want to do with music in the future?
I want to be able to make a living as an artist and vocalist, but first, I need to go to school and learn how to do it! I’m going to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall. I enjoy writing songs in my free time and want to pursue that more, so I plan on minoring in songwriting.

How have you adjusted to school during the pandemic?
The pandemic has been an interesting experience. On the positive side, I’ve gotten to spend a lot more time with my family, and we’ve gotten closer than ever. Adjusting things for school has gone OK. After winter break, we returned to in-person classes for the first time since last spring. When we were attending virtually, I would wake up around 9 a.m., but now, I have to get up around 5 a.m. That has been a bit of a problem!

What do you like to do in your free time?
Lately, I’ve been watching Game of Thrones, and we just got a new puppy named Kash. Hanging out with him has been a lot of fun.