PJ Morton is living his best life.
As the keyboardist for Maroon 5, he has played sold-out shows in arenas around the world, as well as a rare concert in May, in front of the Pyramids at Giza in Egypt.
In April, Morton, as a songwriter and producer, received a Grammy Award for his contribution to We Are by Jon Batiste, which won Album of the Year.
The same month, he also released his best album to date as a solo artist, the critically acclaimed Watch the Sun, featuring collaborations with soul singer Stevie Wonder and hip-hop star Nas.
Listening to this list of achievements, which all occurred within six months, Morton, 41, allows himself to feel that little bit of satisfaction.
“You can say that I am firing on all cylinders,” he tells The National. "It is pretty amazing and these victories are all the more sweet because I took the long route to get to where I am.
“And that journey includes a lot of people saying 'no' and disappointments. So right now I just feel grateful because I remember a time when my career was not like it is now.”
The son of a preacher man
His level-headedness and humility stems from him growing up in a spiritual household.
Morton was born in New Orleans. His father was a gospel singer, so Morton's first interactions with music occurred while performing piano as a child during church services.
He entered the music industry as an artist for hire, and he did well for himself. He contributed to India Arie's Grammy-winning 2002 album Voyage to India and collaborated with RnB singers Faith Evans and Musiq Soulchild.
In 2010, he joined Maroon 5, initially as a fill-in for former member Jesse Carmichael, before becoming full time two years later.
Despite the commercial pop sounds explored by the group to great success, it is luscious song arrangements and the reflective lyricism of gospel music that Morton draws from when working on his solo albums, of which there are now 10. Watch the Sun lovingly captures both.
It is a stirring and uplifting work composed during a time of deep uncertainty.
With Covid-19 shutting down live events for nearly two years, Morton found himself at home with nothing to do.
His resulting anxiety was heightened when a computer hardware crash wiped out an early batch of songs he had written for Watch the Sun.
"It was devastating and it was really then that it hit me that a lot of us, because of the pandemic, will not be doing anything for a while," he says.
"I realised I had to sit back and really think about things and process what was happening. It was really from that point that I eventually began writing songs that became the album."
Watch the Sun is Morton's most ruminative work. It jettisons some of the experimentation of his 2017 album Gumbo.
Where Gumbo relished in its fusion of hip-hop, gospel and soul, the new album is streamlined and even-paced.
The approach complements Watch the Sun's introspective themes, a lot of which are captured in song titles such as the neo-soul number My Peace and the funky Be Like Water, the latter featuring the aforementioned guest slots by Stevie Wonder and Nas.
Morton describes these tracks, Watch the Sun's fifth and sixth, as forming the thematic heart of the album.
"They speak of the need to find balance during the pandemic where there is a lot of uncertainty," he says. "I remember just struggling to find that balance during the lockdown and it really came down to a combination of holding on to my peace of mind — which inspired the song My Peace — and at the same time being like water. Meaning you have to pivot and be open to change."
Maintaining that balance remains ongoing for Morton.
Not only does it allow him to keep working on an established solo career as a songwriter and producer alongside being a member of one of the world’s biggest pop bands, but it keeps the self-confessed “church kid” steady in the tumultuous world of music.
“I am a walking dichotomy and I think that a lot of us are like that.
"What I have learned is that everything is necessary. You can't have art without entertainment, or be so serious all the time and not have fun. All of it is important and necessary.”
Taking his show on the road
Morton says his Maroon 5 commitments won't clash with promotional plans for Watch the Sun.
He plans to combine both by performing intimate evening solo concerts in some of the cities the band visits.
"I can see myself doubling up on certain things and doing piano pop-up shows in places that have good venues and piano bars," he says.
"I love it because it gives me more experiences. I remember back in May I played a solo show in New Orleans, then days later I was playing in front of thousands of people at the Pyramids in Egypt and then in Abu Dhabi.
“This is an amazing life and something that not a lot of people have experienced. So I am just grateful for what I have been blessed with."
Scroll through the gallery below to see Maroon 5 performing at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
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The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
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Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
