Morgan Pushes It Good

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday October 23, 2008

KILMENY ADIE

NESSA MORGAN supporting SALT-N-PEPA

November 1:

Waves, Towradgi

Tickets: $55 + bf

Ph: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) or Waves

In her youth, Nessa Morgan would listen to Salt-n-Pepa encouraging their fans to "push it good" or "shoop". Now the Sydney-based performer is sharing the same bill as her American idols when they come to Australia for a six-date tour.

"I'm speechless. When they told me Salt-n-Pepa were coming I knew I've got to shake my thing with them," Morgan says.

"I don't get very star struck unless it was someone like Aretha Franklin or Al Green. Then you watch what you say. Usually people in hip hop and R&B are pretty cool."

Fortunately, for Morgan, the tour also coincides with the release of her second album, Neska, which follows up her successful 2004 debut Sex & Poverty.

For Neska, Morgan has relaunched herself with a new name, which is connected to her desire to have fun and embrace a lighthearted approach to life.

Morgan says she will continue to write and record as both Nessa and Neska, depending on the direction of the music she is creating. She plans to release another Nessa album in 2009.

"Neska is about having fun and that's what I wanted this album to do," she says. "With Sex & Poverty it's a hard (album) and for me when I listen to it there's no upbeat songs, but the Neska album is me having fun. (It's me) being a single woman, being bossy, having attitude and going out in the clubs and being naughty. It's about having fun, enjoying life and enjoying everything."

The first single off Neska, I Like it Like That was released last year and Morgan says she was impressed by the positive reception it received as well as its nomination for best R&B single at the Urban Music Awards.

"It's a naughty beat. It's sexy," she says of the song.

Morgan says she was inspired to write I Like it Like That while she was learning to pole dance.

She says its lyrics are reminiscent of some of those sung by 1980s sensation Salt-n-Pepa. One of their biggest hits was the song Let's Talk About Sex.

"My tracks are all women stuff too," she says.

"It's very exciting. I got (the album) in my hand this week. For me, it's like a baby only it took three years to deliver. I had a lot of labour pains but it's finally happened.

"It's not easy doing it ... it was an expensive process but for me it was a goal and thank God I did it."

Ticket giveaway

Beat has five double passes to give away (LTPM07/20425). For a chance to win one, put your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and send this clipping to The Beat Salt-n-Pepa competition, PO Box 1743, Wollongong, 2500. The contest closes on Tuesday. Winners will be notified.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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