Owen Morton Interview With Colby

Owen Morton stopped by for a chat!

Hello, Owen! Your music blends folk and country with a classic Scouse charm—how do you think your Liverpool roots influence your sound?

Funnily, in terms of the music itself, not a lot! There is no sort of country scene here as of right now. However, Liverpool is known to be a welcoming city with friendly people, and I like to bring ‘the Liverpool’ out between songs using my normal speaking voice, to remind people where I’m from and to interact with the crowd with the classic ‘scouse wit’ that Liverpool is synonymous with!

‘Cowboy Dreams’ explores the idea of feeling like an outsider to country music—how has your journey shaped your connection to the genre?

I grew up and, still, live in a city that is foreign to country music and the struggles that it talks about. I’m not a farmer, I never grew up breaking horses, driving pickup trucks or hunting (anything considered to be ‘real country’) – but there has always been an innate love and yearning for that lifestyle and a particular strong attachment to the music. Cowboy Dreams is an testament to the fact that being a cowboy ain’t about being born in a specific place, it’s something that is cultivated within.

You’ve had an incredible first year, with over 400,000 Spotify streams—what’s been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

The biggest highlight has had to be going to Texas in 2024 to meet and perform at an event hosted by John, my friend and co-author on “Mine” and a lot of the songs in my discography. I’ve come to learn satisfaction in this game doesn’t come from numbers (which are fleeting) – it comes from the people you meet and the memories you make along the way.

Your upcoming single ‘Mine’ is rich in autumnal imagery—how do you approach storytelling in your songwriting?

Before every song I contemplate deeply what I want to actually write about. What themes, imagery, sensations do I want to conjure up in the song? What do I want to say? When I have a good basis, I’ll open up a blank sheet and just start – guitar in hand and let the rest happen naturally.

With big collaborations and new releases ahead, what can fans expect from you in 2025?

I’m so excited to announce that Valentines Day this year, I’ll be releasing a wholesome duet with the one and only Georgia Nevada for a cover of the song “Never Wanna Be Without You” by Ray Scott! It’s a special song to me that I just had to breath new life into as a relatively new artist to the scene.