Nathan Morris has never been afraid to blur the boundaries between genre and discipline. A pop singer-songwriter with an entrepreneurial background, he has blazed one of the most unique career paths in modern-day music. It’s a path that includes hit podcasts, acclaimed piano ballads, and even a thriving chain of funeral homes, all tied together by a lifelong creator who proudly embraces the unconventional.

Following the release of “YET”, Morris has returned with his latest single today “Feel A Little Closer.” Swirling with crooning vocals and R&B influences, “Feel A Little Closer” offers a unique, vulnerable sound. Lyrically the single centers around staying connected to life and those around you. The video accompanying “Feel A Little Closer” features Morris and his backing band performing the single on stage at his sold out show back in August.

Produced by longtime collaborator Nathan Walters, Nathan Morris’ upcoming album arrives on the heels of Covers, Vol. 1, which found him saluting the pop singers and genre-benders who came before him. This time, he showcases not only his elastic voice but his songwriting chops, too. The album also highlights Morris’ time-management skills, with the musician recording his parts during breaks in his busy weekday schedule. “We have an incredible studio above one of our funeral homes,” he explains, “and I’d track my vocals whenever inspiration came.”

Morris didn’t have to look far for inspiration. The Covid-19 pandemic brought sweeping change to the entire world, but it hit his professional work in the funeral industry particularly hard. “It was a time where everyone was experiencing some kind of loss — the loss of a job, the loss of inspiration, maybe even the
loss of a loved one — and we were in the thick of that,” he remembers. “It was overwhelming to work at a funeral home, experiencing not only the sadness of the people we serve but also the relentlessness of the people I served alongside. It inspired the whole record.”

These are pop songs about gut-wrenching reality, stacked high with R&B textures, climactic vocal hooks, and the resilience of a man who’s never stopped pushing himself. He’s now a genuine TikTok star with more than 250,000 subscribers, as well as a successful podcast host whose weekly series, “You’ll Die Trying,” averages more than 10,000 downloads per episode. As the world changes, Nathan Morris continues to evolve alongside it, finding new ways to spread his music and message.

“I meld the worlds of funerals and music because they go hand-in-hand,” he explains. “That may seem odd, but how do we celebrate when we’re attending a visitation or memorial? We play songs. Songs are what solidify particular moments in our lives. Where were you when you heard this song? Who were you with when you heard that song? You remember those things forever, and music helps bind it all together. I’m exposed to that reality every day, and that’s where these songs come from.”

Photo Courtesy: Lauren Elizabeth