Q&A: Francesca Morris on her Songwriting Journey and New Single “Bad Neighbour”
“PRETTY PRODUCTION WITH PAINFULLY HONEST LYRICS” — London-based singer-songwriter Francesca Morris writes lyrics about the struggles of navigating her twenties, wrapping it all up in beautiful melodies and her smooth, angelic vocals.
“As much as I love collaborating and it is a major part of what I do, I think writing alone is something I have carried with me and really enjoy doing!” she shared. Morris talked with me about her ongoing and ever growing love for songwriting, which she’s been nurturing since she was 12 years old.
Inspired by artists such as Lizzy McAlpine, Adrianne Lenker, and Holly Humberstone, Morris continues to craft and solidify her personal sound with every release. She dropped her first solo single, “Never Will,” in 2023, and is now preparing to release her first EP in early 2025.
In her newly released single “Bad Neighbour,” Francesca releases her frustration about an unhealthy and one sided relationship. “All the times it would be you before me, it’s a little rich calling it intimacy,” she sings in the catchy, heartbreaking, and slightly sassy pre-chorus. In it, Morris describes the feeling of giving more than you’re getting in a relationship, as well as the growing need to leave that person behind for good.
Her lyrics paint a vivid picture. At first listen you might wanna dance along to the strummy guitars of “Bad Neighbour,” but the painfully relatable lyrics have a way of grabbing your attention and pulling you right into Morris’ world.
Luna caught up with Morris to talk about the process behind creating “Bad Neighbour,” get her tips on navigating the hardships of your twenties, and hear about the importance of community in her life and work. Read the interview below.
LUNA: Hi Francesca, thank you for chatting with Luna! For readers who might not know you yet, how would you describe your music in just one sentence?
MORRIS: I think I would say “pretty production with painfully honest lyrics”!
LUNA: Congrats on releasing your new single, “Bad Neighbour”! Instrumentally, the track has such a dancey, upbeat vibe, but the lyrics tell a different story. What was the writing process like for this one? Do you remember which lyric or part of the song came to you first?
MORRIS: I remember it all flowing out very quickly when I sat down at the piano one day. I had a lyric idea on my phone which was “Like a bad neighbor throwing things over the fence” and I ran with that. But even writing it on a piano I could hear how I imagined the production sounding in my head. I could hear it being quite an upbeat one with drums and lots of guitars, so I made a rough demo and took it to my producer Paul Stanborough, and we had a lot of fun producing it … over a few days. It was one of those songs that just came together really well.
LUNA: I really enjoy the vulnerability and vivid storytelling in your lyrics. Is there a lyric in “Bad Neighbour” that you’re especially proud of?
MORRIS: I think I like the first line of the song, “Said I’d carry the load ’til it broke my collarbone” and “All the times it would be you before me, it’s a little rich calling it intimacy” because they just summed up exactly how I was feeling at the time.
LUNA: “Bad Neighbour” deals with themes such as frustration and the struggle of being in a toxic relationship (whether romantic or platonic). How do you channel these emotions into your music, and what do you hope listeners take away from the song?
MORRIS: I think writing music is a good outlet for me to make sense of things I’m feeling and also turn them into pieces of work that I can be proud of, so I enjoy the process of channeling my emotions into songwriting and putting them on paper. I hope if people are going through similar things they can relate to the music and find comfort in it, in the same way that I do as a listener when I hear a song I connect with!
LUNA: You’ve been making music since you were only 12, so I’m sure a lot has evolved in how you create and write. Is there any part of your creative process that has stayed the same throughout the years?
MORRIS: I feel like so much has changed in that time, and although my creative process is almost entirely different (and the songs I write are a lot better!) I still will go to the piano or the guitar and try and put my feelings down into music, in the same way I did then. As much as I love collaborating and it is a major part of what I do, I think writing alone is something I have carried with me and really enjoy doing!
LUNA: You often explore things like change and heartbreak in your twenties through your music. As a fellow twenty-something girl, I'm curious, what are some other ways you handle the ups and downs, besides writing songs?
MORRIS: I think spending time with friends — they bring so much fun and value to my life and I love being with them. That and trying to do as much self-care as possible.
LUNA: I know you frequently collab with your friends who also make music. In what ways is having this sense of community and a close network of creatives important for you?
MORRIS: It is the most important thing, I think. I get so inspired by the people I work with, whether that is writing with them or watching them play a gig, and it is what spurs me on to keep making good music… And not only that, it can be a tough industry so it’s great having a group who are in the same boat and can take it in turns lifting each other up and offering support where needed.
LUNA: Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our readers?
MORRIS: My next single is coming out on Sept. 27, so look out for that!
LUNA: Exciting! Last but not least, I’d like to ask you about any other plans for the rest of your year in terms of music?
MORRIS: I have two more releases planned for this year, and an EP in early 2025!
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