Award-winning alternative music singer and songwriter Carla Morrison has been nominated for two categories at the 17th annual Latin Grammys, the same award categories she that she won for previous works at the 2012 awards show.
Morrison's album Amor Supremo was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album. Her album Déjenme Llorar won that award in 2012. Her song "Vez Primera," which she wrote, is nominated for Best Alternative Song. Her song "Déjenme Llorar" won in the same category in 2012. The awards show is broadcast Thursday night.
Morrison said she writes music that "touches the soul, that changes minds that activates love and compassion," in her listeners.
"Music that, every time you listen to it, gives you something new to feel and experience and just feel completely identified and taken care of at the same time," said Morrison, who is Mexican-American.
Morrison, was born and raised in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico in a family made up of music lovers with a wide ranging tastes. Morrison’s father, whose name was originally Hilario Viera, moved to the United States from Mexico at a young age to work. He was adopted by an American family, changing his last name to Morrison. He later moved back to Mexico to marry and raise a family.
"My family always made me feel like I could do anything and to just to make music right and for myself, and to be happy because that is the ultimate goal in life: to be happy," Morrison told NBC Latino in a phone interview. "That's what I want people to feel when they listen to my music or go to my shows."
Alongside creating music, Morrison founded Pan Dulce Productions, a bilingual agency geared to helping independent musicians such as Vanessa Zamora.
Morrison began writing music when she started to learn piano as a child, and since then she has picked up the ukulele, bass, drums and guitar. She said she learned each instrument by ear and "by heart."
"Everything I play I feel, and that's how I create music for now," Morrison said.
