Nessa Morgan

Morgan is a Māori singer-songwriter and was born in Wellington, New Zealand.{{cite news | work = Herald Sun| date = 11 February 2005 | title = Hard roads suit Nessa | first = Paul | last = Stewart }} Her family moved to Sydney when she was 3-years-old. She was brought up in a musical family, her father was a singer in a funk band. She has three siblings and the family relocated to Newcastle, where she attended school.{{cite web | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070920063827/http://amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=3725 | url = http://amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=3725 | title = Artists :: Nessa Morgan | work = Australian Music Online | publisher = Australia Council for the Arts | archivedate = 20 September 2007 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 | url-status = dead}} From the age of 15 she worked with her parents in a trio, Arkestra.

At 24, in 2002, Morgan started writing her own music. She was signed to Gotham/BMG and her debut album, Sex & Poverty, appeared in May 2004.{{cite news | work = The Age | date = 6 August 2004 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/05/1091557985611.html | title = Soul with Conviction | first = Dewi | last = Cooke | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}{{cite news | work = Herald Sun| date = 27 May 2004 | title = Nessa Morgan Sex & Poverty (BMG) }} The album was recorded at the House of Blues in Los Angeles,{{cite news | work = Planet Urban | url = http://www.planeturban.com.au/album_reviews/album_nessa_morgan_neska | title = Album: Nessa Morgan – Neska | last = Konsoulas | first = Marcie | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207071528/http://www.planeturban.com.au/album_reviews/album_nessa_morgan_neska | archivedate = 7 December 2008 | date = 10 November 2008 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }} it was produced by Don Was,{{cite news | work = The Courier-Mail | date = 7 August 2004 | title = Looking through life's window | first = Sarah | last = Nicholson }} which peaked at No. 98 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 10 on their Hitseekers Albums Chart.{{cite journal | date = 19 July 2004 | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040806140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20040807-0000/issue751.pdf | title = Week Commencing ~ 19th July 2004 ~ Issue #751 | last = Thomas | first = Tara | journal = The ARIA Report| publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | issue = 751 | pages = 2, 6, 17 | url = http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/issue751.pdf | archivedate = 6 August 2004 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Its lead single, "Simple Kinda Woman", appeared in October, which peaked at No. 11 on the ARIA Hitseekers Singles Chart.{{cite journal | date = 29 November 2004 | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20041219130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20041220-0000/issue770.pdf | title = Week Commencing ~ 29th November 2004 ~ Issue #770 | last = Thomas | first = Tara | journal = The ARIA Report| publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | issue = 770 | pages = 8, 18 | url = http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/issue770.pdf | archivedate = 19 December 2004 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Morgan supported Alicia Keys at a concert at the Enmore Theatre, in October.{{cite web | url = https://www.last.fm/event/3198419+Alicia+Keys | title = Alicia Keys at Enmore Theatre (Enmore) | date = 25 October 2004 | website = Last.fm | accessdate = 15 February 2018 }}

In March 2005 she appeared on SBS TV's music variety quiz show, RocKwiz{{'}} episode 8, and besides being a celebrity contest she performed her song, "Simple Kinda Woman", and a duet with Ross Wilson on a cover version of "Take Me to the River".{{cite web | url = http://www.tv.com/shows/rockwiz/episode-8-1175821/ | title = RocKwiz – Season 1, Episode 8: Episode 8 | publisher = TV.com | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }} The latter was released on CD for a Various Artists' compilation album, RocKwiz Duets, in August 2006,{{cite web | url = https://musicbrainz.org/release/d055b876-246d-4acb-8b01-12dbc1ce70a9 | title = Releases RocKwiz Duets by Various Artists | publisher = MusicBrainz | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }} and an associated DVD, RocKwiz Duets: Two for the Show.{{citation | title = RocKwiz Duets: Two for the Show | publication-date = 2006 | publisher = Renegade Films/SBS Independent | url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/34848929 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}

Morgan relocated to the United States where she established an independent label, ProBono Records, in Atlanta in 2005. She re-imaged herself as Neska and released a self-titled second album in November 2008. Marcie Konsoulas of Planet Urban reviewed the album, "What happened to the simple kind of woman who wants a simple kind of man? Her raw proud Aussie demeanor has been overcast by a bad-girl sex kitten image that not only doesn’t do her justice but is also far from believable. Her sound is no longer unique and would get lost amongst all the standard U.S. R&B singers."

Its first single, "Like It Like That" (July 2007), was nominated for best R&B single at the Urban Music Awards.{{cite news | work = Illawarra Mercury | date = 23 October 2008 | title = Morgan pushes it good | first = Kilmeny | last = Adie }} "Like It Like That", also reached No. 11 on the Hitseekers Singles Chart.{{cite journal | date = 6 August 2007 | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20070819140100/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20070820-0001/issue909.pdf | title = Week Commencing ~ 6th August 2007 ~ Issue #909 | last = Wallace | first = Ian | journal = The ARIA Report| publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | issue = 909 | pages = 11, 19 | url = http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/issue909.pdf | archivedate = 19 August 2007 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Konsoulas further observed, "The sultriness that appeared on the first album has been replaced with tackiness with lyrics like 'spank my ass and pull my hair' and that's just on the first single." By March 2010 the singer had returned to Sydney and reverted to performing as Nessa Morgan.{{cite web | url = https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/nessa-morgan | title = Nessa Morgan | work = Unearthed | publisher = Triple J | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}

• Sex & Poverty (May 2004) – Gotham Records / BMG Australia (GOTH04012){{citation | author1 = Morgan, Nessa | title = Sex & Poverty | publication-date = 2004 | publisher = Gotham Records : Distributed by BMG Australia | url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8045076 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }} AUS: No. 98{{cite Ryan|page=193}} / The ARIA Report, Issue 752
• Neska (November 2008) – Probono Records (PROBONO010){{citation | author1 = Morgan, Nessa | title = Neska | publication-date = 2008 | publisher = Probono Records | url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/38703338 | accessdate = 14 February 2018 }}

• "Simple Kinda Woman" (October 2004) – Gotham Records / BMG Australia (GOTH04052) AUS Hitseekers: No. 11
• "Like It Like That" (July 2007) – Probono Records (PROBONO010) AUS Hitseekers: No. 11
• "Helpless" (2010) – Morgan Entertainment Group

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• Planet Urban [http://www.planeturban.com.au/interviews/neska Interview]

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Category:Living people

Category:Australian contemporary R&B singers

Category:21st-century Australian women singers

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)