Indie-pop artist morgxn reimagines his hit, “Wonder,” on new EP collection

morgxn // photo credit Emma Mead

This Wednesday, February 16, indie-pop artist morgxn plays the recordBar, which also happens to be the same day as a special extended edition drop of MERIDIAN: vol 1 and vol 2. morgxn, aka Morgan Isaac Karr, released both EPs in the midst of the pandemic, and while both collections saw the musician branching out and exploring just what it means to be himself, the extended edition features re-imaginings of the 2020 hit, “Wonder.”

We reached out to morgxn via email to discuss MERIDIAN‘s extended edition and his return to the stage.

The Pitch: You’ve worked with Walk the Moon, the Naked and Famous, Meg Myers, and Sara Bareilles. That’s one hell of a swathe of pop. What does collaboration offer you as an artist?

morgxn: I read somewhere recently about the beauty of collaboration. I think that collaboration unlocks little mysteries—for all parties. When you list all those artists, be it friend or idol, I am really honored just to connect with them through music. It really is my language, and I think collaboration is like air to me.

Given that both MERIDIAN EPs are responding to different subject matter–including leaving your previous label and dealing with the pandemic–how does combining them work to create a new whole?

The journey of this year has been how things fell apart and how I attempted meaning in the wreckage. The journey is in these songs and in the way they carried me through the last couple years. Combining them gives me a chance to reflect the journey back to myself and hopefully be a part of soundtracking someone else’s journey.

You mentioned in an interview last year that your friend Joel called MERIDIAN Vol. 1 “your most festival-ready shit ever.” How does it feel to be getting up on stage and seeing the response to these pandemic tracks?

There’s this feeling of anticipation before I start every shows well as a flash of April 2020 when I stumbled to get more “online” than I had ever been. I enjoyed some moments of the connection, but what I pictured was more of what it would be like in person. And I’m telling you–there is no preparation for the catharsis that happens in person. For both me and the audience, I can see these collective sighs of release. It’s been a very scary and uncertain time. Being together is like a fish returning to water after a long time on land.

There are two reimaginings of “Wonder” on MERIDIAN [extended edition]. Why did you choose Jagwar Twin and Little Kruta for these re-interpretations of such a big hit?

I wanted to wrap MERIDIAN in the song that started this all—“Wonder.” I believed in this song so deeply it hurt, and I’m so honored with every iteration that it gets. I would have included every version of the song, but I went with one that was not a standalone single as well as an orchestral reimagining, because I have always loved bringing new genre influences to pop music.

morgxn plays the RecordBar on Wednesday, February 16, with Patrick Droney. Details on that show here.