Last night marked a triumphant moment for PJ Morton, who clinched his fifth Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance with “Good Morning” featuring vocalist Susan Carol.  This award reaffirmed his status as an independent, self-produced artist. This accolade not only echoes his 2019 win for a distinctive rendition of “How Deep Is Your Love” but also signifies seven consecutive years of Grammy nominations.

Pj Morton photo by Cedric Tang

The road to “Good Morning” was a prolonged one, originating before Morton’s 2017 breakthrough, “Gumbo”. However, it wasn’t until 2023 that the artist responded to fan requests and released it as a single, featuring the exceptional Susan Carol. Unable to attend the ceremony due to touring commitments in Africa with Maroon 5,

Earlier this year PJ Morton spent time in Africa on a transformative month-long collaboration with local musicians across the continent. Described by Essence as “a spiritual return” this was an opportunity to deepen connections with the genres influencing his sound. Morton’s upcoming album, born from this African sojourn, unveils its first single, “Please Be Good,” on Friday, February 23.

Beyond the music, Morton is diversifying his creative palette with numerous film, television and literary projects that he will be able to officially announce very soon. Most recently Morton haas been working on a historic collaboration for Disney’s upcoming attractions, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure”, where he is the first Black composer to craft an original song for a Disney ride. The project, a dream come true for Morton, features new compositions and inventive arrangements of favorites from the Disney film “The Princess and the Frog”.

As the year unfolds, Morton anticipates significant announcements throughout 2024. He is currently wrapping up a tour with headlining dates in Asia, New Zealand and Australia before returning to the United States for the next leg of Maroon 5’s Las Vegas residency this spring.

PJ Morton