Morgan Harper Nichols

Harper was born in Los Angeles, California, on February 4, 1990, as Morgan Novelate Harper, the daughter of a preacher, Bishop James Henry Harper, and his wife, Pastor Mona Nanette Harper ({{nee|Tellis}}). The family moved in 1993 to Georgia, where her parents started Kingdom City Church in Stone Mountain.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/kingdomcityhq|title=Kingdom City Church|website=Facebook|access-date=April 26, 2019}}{{Primary source inline|date=April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/georgia/stonemountain/christian-singer-s-home-church-on-rockbridge-road-rob7e8bc0efc0|title=Christian Singer's Home Church on Rockbridge Road Robbed, Vandalized|last=Johnson|first=Leslie|date=December 15, 2011|website=Patch|access-date=April 26, 2019}}{{cite journal|url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/morgan-harper-nichols-the-voice-of-a-storyteller/|title=Morgan Harper Nichols: The voice of a storyteller|last=Walker|first=Jamie|date=August 1, 2015|pages=18–22|access-date=April 26, 2019|journal=CCM Magazine}} Morgan and her younger sister, Jamie Grace, were homeschooled while growing up.{{cite web|url=http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2015/05/new_christian_artist_is_follow.html|title=New Christian artist is following in the footsteps of her little sister, Jamie Grace|last=McPhail|first=Carol|date=May 23, 2015|website=Al.com|access-date=June 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/teens-creativity-starts-home/BlWiJlmxVfsR8tX4UhMpSM/|title=Teens' creativity starts at home|last=Dodd|first=D. Aileen|date=December 10, 2009|website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=April 26, 2019}}

At the age of 16, Nichols began attending Point University and singing her songs at local coffee shops. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English, and later pursued her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing.{{cite web|first=Tony|last=Cummings |title=Morgan Harper Nichols: The soulful singer / songwriter with the heart of a storyteller |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Morgan_Harper_Nichols_The_soulful_singer__songwriter_with_the_heart_of_a_storyteller/56954/p1/ |publisher=Cross Rhythms |access-date=March 12, 2016 |date=October 16, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://morganharpernichols.weebly.com/about.html|title=About|author=Nichols|first=Morgan Harper|year=2012|website=Morgan Harper Nichols|publisher=Weebly|access-date=May 20, 2015}} After graduating, she worked as a college admissions counselor for a few years.

Nichols began writing songs at the age 15, before she started singing or playing guitar.

In 2007, a song she wrote and performed, "Doesn't Take Stars to Shine", was included in Bratz: The Movie as part of the talent show in the film. This opened opportunities for her, allowing Nichols to open for acts such as jazz violinist Ken Ford. The same year, she started on her first national tour, "Singing for College", where she raised money for her college tuition in various American cities such as Atlanta, St. Louis, Dallas, and Los Angeles.{{cite web |title=Morgan Harper Nichols: The soulful singer / songwriter with the heart of a storyteller |url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Morgan_Harper_Nichols_The_soulful_singer__songwriter_with_the_heart_of_a_storyteller/56954/p1/ |website=Cross Rhythms |access-date=17 March 2021}}

In 2014, Nichols and her sister, Jamie Grace, appeared together on a Gotee Records Christmas EP: Family Christmas. Nichols also co-wrote five tracks on her sister's second album, Ready to Fly, released the same year.

Her debut studio album, Morgan Harper Nichols, was released by Gotee Records on May 19, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.365daysofinspiringmedia.com/reviews/morgan-harper-nichols-morgan-harper-nichols/|title=Morgan Harper Nichols – Morgan Harper Nichols|last=Andre|first=Joshua|date=May 22, 2015|website=365 Days of Inspiring Media|access-date=June 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://soul-audio.com/2015/05/review-morgan-harper-nichols-morgan-harper-nichols/|title=Review: Morgan Harper Nichols – Morgan Harper Nichols|last=Greenhalgh|first=Andrew|date=May 21, 2015|website=Soul-Audio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423140211/http://soul-audio.com/2015/05/review-morgan-harper-nichols-morgan-harper-nichols/|archive-date=April 23, 2017|url-status=|access-date=June 4, 2015}} The album's first song, "Storyteller", featured her sister Jamie Grace.

In 2017, Nichols started a project writing personalized letters for strangers as part of a goal to write a million poems to strangers in her lifetime.{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2017/11/29/morgan-harper-nichols-poetry/|title=A woman is writing poignant poems to strangers based on their Twitter DMs|last=Thompson|first=Rachel|date=November 20, 2017|website=Mashable|access-date=April 26, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://yellowco.co/blog/2018/08/06/morgan-harper-nichols-instagram-poet-artist-build-social-media/|title=Your Favorite Instagram Artist/Poet on Building a Social Media Presence with Meaning: Q&A with Morgan Harper Nichols|last=Loon|first=Melanie|date=August 6, 2018|website=Yellow Co.|access-date=April 26, 2019}} People are invited to submit stories to her on her website, and she writes a brief letter of encouragement to them, paired with visual art. This is sent to them for free and shared anonymously on social media as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/morganharpernichols/|title=Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganharpernichols)|website=Instagram|access-date=April 26, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/morganhnichols|title=Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganhnichols)|website=Twitter|access-date=April 26, 2019}}{{Primary source inline|date=April 2019}} Nichols says she does this as a daily practice of generosity and to "connect with people on a heart-level." Her words and art are created entirely on an iPad Pro.{{cite web |title=Morgan Harper Nichols Is Carving Space For A New Kind Of Professional Artist |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/briannawiest/2019/05/07/morgan-harper-nichols-is-carving-space-for-a-new-kind-of-professional-artist/?sh=672f04c07161 |work=Forbes |access-date=17 March 2021}}

Her debut book, Storyteller, was released in December 2017.{{Cite book|title=Storyteller: 100 Poem Letters: Morgan Harper Nichols|isbn=978-1979990523|last1=Nichols|first1=Morgan Harper|date=December 5, 2017|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform }} The book contains one hundred poems written as letters. Her new book, How Far You Have Gone, which is a collection of poetry and essays accompanied by visuals, is available for pre-order and releases April 27, 2021.{{cite web |title=How Far You Have Come |url=https://morganharpernichols.com/howfaryouhavecome |website=Morgan Harper Nichols |access-date=17 March 2021 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204160644/https://morganharpernichols.com/howfaryouhavecome |url-status=dead }} She is scheduled to release another book in October 2021 through the Zondervan Book division.

In the spring of 2019, she launched her blog, Garden24, in efforts to share her artwork in a more permanent fashion versus through Instagram. The blog is referred to as "a garden - of community, gathering, and of art. It lives now as a reminder that when we plant together, we bloom."{{cite web |title=About |url=https://garden24.co/pages/about |website=Garden24 |access-date=17 March 2021}}

In September 2019, Nichols began her podcast, The Morgan Harper Nichols Show, where she "interviews storytellers on finding meaning and peace in life and work". She has interviewed and recorded conversations with over 35 guests, and currently releases an episode every morning Monday through Friday.{{cite web |title=The Morgan Harper Nichols Show |url=https://open.spotify.com/show/7pLfQ77qC81fNofJcdFOol |website=Spotify }}

Nichols launched her app, Storyteller by MHN, in October 2019 under New Luminary Pty Ltd.{{cite web |title=Storyteller by MHN |url=https://www.appbrain.com/app/storyteller-by-mhn/com.app.storyteller |website=AppBrain |date=October 27, 2019 |access-date=17 March 2021}} The app shares her words and art in various forms as inspiration and motivation for users to "keep telling your story". Some features include daily wallpaper art, messages, encouraging notifications, and more.{{cite web |title=Storyteller by MHN |url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1436937935 |website=App Store |publisher=Apple Inc. |access-date=17 March 2021}}

In 2019, Nichols launched her own store, Garden24, named after the idea that you are growing 24 hours a day. The store sells a collection of items, including her calendar, prints of her artwork, stickers, and two books.{{cite web |title=Garden24 |url=https://garden24.co/ |website=Garden24 |access-date=17 March 2021}}

She is married to tour manager{{cite web |title=New Christian artist is following in the footsteps of her little sister, Jamie Grace |url=https://www.al.com/living/2015/05/new_christian_artist_is_follow.html |website=AL.com |date=May 23, 2015 |access-date=17 March 2021}} Patrick Kekoa Nichols, and together they now reside in Orange County, California. The couple were married on October 17, 2010. They welcomed their first child, a boy, Jacob Henry Kekoa Nichols, on May 30, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://georgia.thejoyfm.com/jerry/blog/2019/06/04/morgan%E2%80%99s-baby/|title=Morgan's Baby|website=The Joy FM|access-date=June 15, 2019}} They currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona, where her studio and shop, Garden24, is located.{{cite web |title=About |url=https://morganharpernichols.com/about |website=Morgan Harper Nichols |access-date=17 March 2021 |archive-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426152006/https://morganharpernichols.com/about |url-status=dead }} She was diagnosed with autism at age 31.{{cite web |title=Musician and Poet Morgan Harper Nichols Reveals She's Been Diagnosed with Autism at 31 |url=https://people.com/music/morgan-harper-nichols-diagnosed-with-autism/ |website=People |access-date=17 March 2021}}

Nichols is also on the board of directors of the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms.{{Cite web|url=https://twloha.com/board/|title=Board of Directors|website=TWLOHA|access-date=April 26, 2019}}

;Studio albums

• Morgan Harper Nichols (May 19, 2015, Gotee){{cite web|url=http://christianmusicreview.org/morgan-harper-nichols-self-titled/|title=Morgan Harper Nichols 'Self-Titled'|last=Chambers|first=Laura|date=May 18, 2015|publisher=Christian Music Review|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150531025854/http://christianmusicreview.org/morgan-harper-nichols-self-titled/|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUBn4jqp8JU The Overflow Interview]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Morgan}}

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century African-American women singers

Category:21st-century American women singers

Category:African-American songwriters

Category:African-American Christians

Category:Musicians from Atlanta

Category:Musicians from Los Angeles

Category:Songwriters from California

Category:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Autistic musicians

Category:Autistic writers

Category:American musicians with disabilities

Category:American writers with disabilities

Category:Singers with disabilities