We’ve been fans of Henry Morris, but we’ve been stanning him a little extra hard with the release of his new album, Kiss Me Extra Hard! It’s a cinematic exploration of intense love, the devastating loss that follows, and how those feelings can continue to haunt us as we process it all. The moody production and thoughtful lyrics will instantly transport you to an abandoned Americana-esque setting with the faint scent of cigarette smoke, rusted jukeboxes wasting away in the moonlight, and maybe some lingering memories with that one ex you still can’t get off your mind. It’s giving Lana Del Rey’s emo son writing raw, honest poems in the quiet of his room after midnight when the flashbacks and back-and-forth get to be too much. If you tend to feel too much and miss everything you shouldn’t, you’ll be head over heels for this project.
And if you don’t trust us, take it from the man himself, who told us: “Anyone who hears this album will become a Henry Morris fan for life, I’m convinced.”
We caught up with Henry between the release of his single ‘Crawling Back To You,’ the Kiss Me Extra Hard album rollout, and legs of his tour with Artemas for an exclusive interview about everything he’s been up to lately! Press play on Kiss Me Extra Hard on your fave streaming platform, then keep reading for our special Q&A.
Hi Henry, congratulations on the release of Kiss Me Extra Hard! What has it been like for you to release the album and see how fans are reacting?
Releasing this album has been the most intense thing I’ve done since taking the college entry exams. Thank God the fans like it, ‘cause if not I would be absolutely f*cked. I never know how they’re going to react but things seem to be growing faster and faster!
There are so many beautifully relatable lyrics on your recent single ‘Crawling Back To You,’ with one of our favorites being “Got what I wanted, not what I need, guess my heart does stupid things.” Is there a certain line you’re especially proud of?
“You say I’m the reason that you feel alone, I guess my love ain’t enough.” This really encapsulates feeling like a total loser and wishing someone saw you as enough.
You captioned a recent Instagram photo dump dedicated to ‘Crawling Back To You’ with “this one hurted,” and we could imagine it gets painful to revisit raw emotions like the ones present on ‘CBTY.’ Is it hard for you to be so vulnerable in your music, or do those feelings come out naturally?
It’s so easy for me to spill my guts on the mic because it can’t talk back to me and tell me I’m wrong or crazy!! It’s harder to talk about stuff like this in real life which is why I don’t. I know that’s a problem, but I’ll fix it when I’m older.
What was the writing process behind ‘Crawling Back To You’ like?
It all came about in one day sitting in Kevin [White, producer]’s studio with Ames (brilliant writer). We wrote another song on the album, ‘Dove On A Wire,’ the same day. So depressing! But beautiful. Felt like stream of consciousness. Sometimes you just get lucky.
The ‘Crawling Back To You’ music video has such cool imagery that brings the unhealthy aspects of the relationship in the song to life, like a bed covered in nails and a shot of you and your co-star together at the bottom of a pool. What was the creative process behind the video like, and what was it like on set?
Tbh, the nails were supposed to be used for the ‘One Night Stand’ music video, but it didn’t feel right in there. So we decided to make a music video for ‘Crawling Back To You’ last minute. We needed way more footage, so we filmed the car scene during the ‘High All The Time’ (feat. G-Eazy) music video shoot and then filmed the pool part in my videographer’s sister’s pool lol. Sometimes the rushed accidents turn out to be the best. We had to finish it before the Artemas tour [started in September], so we were scrambling.
You’ve been touring with Artemas through North America and Europe this fall! What’s been the biggest thing you’ve learned from working and performing with him?
Do NOT miss bus call. Everyone will be so mad. I’ve learned that I’m the luckiest person in the world to be able to travel with my best friends for a job. It makes me want to work harder. Artemas trusts his instinct and has unbelievable confidence in himself and his work. It helped me realize I also have worth and interesting things to say.
Fans who have seen you with Artemas got to hear ‘Crawling Back To You’ live before its release. Is there a certain song you’ve especially loved playing this time around? What goes into picking the perfect setlist?
You need to make sure the set has ENERGY or people will literally not care. So I make sure to put all my heart into every song and lyric while I’m singing it. The audience is looking at the performer to inform their energy and reaction. You need to feed THEM, not the other way around. You need to command the stage like a boxing ring. My first run with Artemas in March, my set was so bad lol, now I’ve learned. And also play all your biggest songs! Don’t be too cool for school.
And between legs of touring, you released your Kiss Me Extra Hard album in October! Which song are you most excited for fans to hear when it drops?
‘Rather Fight’ and ‘I Can Be Your Daddy.’ Anyone who hears this album will become a Henry Morris fan for life, I’m convinced.
What would you say is the biggest overarching theme or storyline on Kiss Me Extra Hard?
All the dr*gs, sex, and money in the world don’t compare to a moment alone with the woman I loved in complete silence. The album is the story of how I found that out.
We’re loving the Americana aesthetic you’ve been leaning into this era! What have been the biggest inspirations for your visuals lately?
Old Movies like Buffalo ‘66; Paris, Texas; Ethel Cain; Lana Del Rey; 2014 Tumblr; my childhood visiting Iowa and being super depressed over there. And my longing to be seen by people. It results in very lonely but beautiful visuals.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans in the Sun Cult that the questions didn’t touch on?
Sun Cult, read this closely: a love eternal is what I seek in this life. My songs are like a message in a bottle waiting to be found by someone who cares to hold them closely. If you are reading this, we will talk soon. Many secrets to share before everything changes.
Thank you so much to Henry Morris for answering all our questions, and for blessing our playlists with Kiss Me Extra Hard! Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you. What’s your favorite track on Kiss Me Extra Hard? Will you be seeing Henry live on tour with Artemas this year? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You can also buzz on over to our Reddit community to chat with us.
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