Morgan Finlay's New Album

My crowdfunding campaign is to pay for the production and the release of my new album. I was planning on writing and recording this new album in New York City this year, but because of the Corona quarantine, my plans have changed.

Interestingly, a host of themes that I had imagined writing about in NYC, including cooperation, loneliness, navigating the future and finding inspiration are themes that have arisen in the songs I have written in these Corona times. I feel that each of these subjects have become very present realities for all humans, regardless of where they live. I personally have felt all of these realities, from right here at home in Hamburg.

I began writing for my new album in March 2020 as the lockdown was put in place, and I will continue to write songs all the way up until the song vote in August. Fans who vote will get to choose their ten favourite songs from the group of demos, and I will personally choose three demos to make a final track list of thirteen songs.

The album will feature performances by some of the finest musicians I know, who will send me their tracks from Germany, England and Canada in September and October. The decision of who will co-produce the album, and where it will be mixed and mastered, will be finalised after the song vote.

Once the photos and graphics are completed, and the books are printed, I expect the new album to be officially released on February 1st, 2021.

The project goal is to record and produce my seventh full-length album. I have an exciting group of 22 demos already written, and by the time the album song vote comes in the end of August, I expect to have more than 30 songs.

My crowdfunding goal includes budget for the following:

- player performances on the album
- professional recording, mixing and mastering of the album
- photography for the album book and promotion
- graphic design of the album book and accompanying branding, and
- printing of the album book and download sticker.

I hope to reach everybody who has heard me play, come to my live shows, been to one of my Homebound Concert Series online shows, or even people who have just heard my songs and would like me to produce more.

Everyone who wants my new music to be heard, can be a part of it and help me to bring it to life!

I like to think that my songs, and the stories and thoughts that I share, help listeners connect more with themselves, have more empathy for their fellow humans, and generally feel more optimistic.

As a professional artist, I am completely independent, which allows me to control my creative direction, and do things like song votes, living room shows, charity actions and more. Naturally, being an independent artist without a record label or management contract also means that I must finance all of my actions myself.

I need your support, and I profoundly appreciate your faith in me. To honour your trust, I like to talk about the ‘contract’ that I have with you, listener of my music. It’s a one-line agreement, that I have committed myself to since the start of my career. It goes like this:

- I promise to write the best songs I can, produce and release them as professionally as possible, and perform them on as many stages as I can, with the kind of 150% performance that you, and these songs, deserve.

This is my commitment to you.

By contributing to my StartNext campaign, you are personally and directly helping me to make a new album. You and your fellow supporters will have your name printed in the album book, and your generosity will be forever attached to this album.

All money that is raised will go towards the creation of the album, and the creation and shipping of the perks. With this new album campaign, I am hoping to raise €12.000.

This amount of money will go towards the costs of:

- the musicians (€2.500)
- the studio recording (€2.500)
- the mixing of the album (€1.000)
- the mastering of the album (€500)
- travel, food and assorted player/studio expenses (€750)
- the graphic design of the album book and sticker (€1.000)
- the album photography (€500)
- the printing of the album book and sticker (€1.500)
- printing the t-shirts and hoodies (€1.000)
- postal and packaging costs (€750)

If I raise more than this amount, the extra funds raised will help pay for the creation and shipping of the perks, and the fees associated with my crowdfunding campaign.