Morgan John Evans (born 24 April 1985) is an Australian

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

singer and songwriter, known for his heartfelt lyrics and dynamic performances. He first gained recognition with his "Self-titles" debut album in 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. International success followed with his 2017 hit " Kiss Somebody" and his 2018 album " Things That We Drink To", which won the

ARIA Award for Best Country Album In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompaniment, normally part of a larger ...

in 2019. Evans' music, featuring chart-topping singles and emotionally raw songwriting, has resonated with fans globally, amassing over 800 million streams. His 2022 "Life Upside Down" EP, written during a period of personal upheaval, highlighted his vulnerability, with tracks like " Over for You" going viral. His global tours and sold-out shows, including two performances at the iconic Sydney Opera House in 2023, have cemented his status as one of Australia’s top country artists. He is currently working on his next album, set for release in 2025, which reflects his journey of resilience and optimism.

Life and career

1985–2010: Early life and career

Evans was born on 24 April 1985 in

Newcastle, New South Wales Newcastle, also commonly referred to as Greater Newcastle ( ; ), is a large Metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the second-most-populous such area of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the cities of City of Newcastle, Newcastle and Ci ...

. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:' He has a younger sister, Jane, and a younger brother, Tom, who is also a musician playing bass guitar. At the age of 13, Evans performed his first gig. While attending Warners Bay High School he was in a local rock trio, Extortion, which won a state high school band competition, Youthrock, in 2002. Extortion were later renamed

Solver A solver is a piece of mathematical software, possibly in the form of a stand-alone computer program or as a Library (computing), software library, that 'solves' a mathematical problem. A solver takes problem descriptions in some sort of generic ...

. As of 2006, Evans provided lead vocals and guitar in the group, his brother Tom was on bass guitar and a friend, Nicholas Cook, was the drummer. The band won Artist of the Year and Best Rock Act at the MusicOZ Awards of 2006. In 2007, Evans won the Road to Tamworth competition and for his prize he flew to

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

to record a single. He was signed to

Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...

and released his debut single " Big Skies", in September 2007. The title track received airplay on Australian country music radio stations. Evans toured with Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan, Shannon Noll, Adam Harvey and was personally selected by Taylor Swift to open for her first Australian tour.

2012–2016: Debut studio album

In January 2012, Evans released his debut EP, ''Live Each Day'', through

Warner Music Australasia Warner Music Group (WMG) owns, has a joint share, or is associated with the record labels listed here. Flagship labels *Atlantic Records *Elektra Records *Parlophone Records *Warner Records Atlantic Music Group * 1st & 15th Entertainment * ...

. This was followed in August that year by a second EP, ''While We're Young''. He was named the New Oz Artist of the Year at the 2013 CMC Music Awards. Evans released a

self-titled An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the

ARIA Albums Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

. At the 2014 CMC Music Awards he won the Oz Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Australian Video of the Year. His track, "Like a Tornado", was short-listed for the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition of 2014. He hosted the CMC Music Awards for three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017. He is the 2016

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the f ...

Global Artist of the Year and has won five fan voted Country Music Channel Awards, including Male Artist of the Year.

2017–2020: ''Things That We Drink To''

Following his relocation to Nashville, Evans signed with

Warner Music Nashville Warner Music Group (WMG) owns, has a joint share, or is associated with the record labels listed here. Flagship labels *Atlantic Records *Elektra Records *Parlophone Records *Warner Records Atlantic Music Group * 1st & 15th Entertainment * A ...

in May 2017, which led to the release of his debut US single, " Kiss Somebody". Evans released a single, "

I Do I Do may refer to: * "I do", a phrase used in some marriage vows; used by brides and grooms in response to questions posed by either the officiant or the other marriage partner Film and TV Film * ''I Do'' (1921 film), a silent comedic short fi ...

", on 8 December 2017. He explained via

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

that he had "written it about my girlfriend, recorded it about my fiancée, releasing it about my wife"

Kelsea Ballerini Kelsea Nicole Ballerini (born September 12, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. A five-time Grammy Award nominee, she began having success in the 2010s, being honored with the Academy of Country Music Awards#Special awards, Ge ...

, whom he married on 2 December 2017 in Mexico. In August, Evans released his third EP titled, ''

Morgan Evans EP ''Morgan Evans EP'' is the third extended play by Australian country music singer Morgan Evans. The EP was produced by Chris DeStefano, and was released on 10 August 2018. Track listing Personnel *Chris DeStefano - banjo, bass guitar, drums, ...

''. Evan's second studio album, '' Things That We Drink To'', was released in October 2018. On 8 November 2019, Evans released the single "

Diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of electricity, and insol ...

" which he said is a love song written for Ballerini. At the global APRA Awards in March 2020, Evans won Outstanding International Achievement Award.

2021–2024: ''The Country and the Coast'' and ''Life Upside Down + Live at the Sydney Opera House''

In September 2021, Evans announced the release of the EP ''The Country and the Coast (Side A)''. In September 2022, Evans performed a new song titled " Over for You" at the CMC Rocks QLD Festival. The song was written in response to Evans' divorce from Ballerini, and the heartbreak he experienced. Evans later shared on his Instagram that the song had been written only three weeks earlier and the show performance was only the second time he had played the song. A studio version of "Over for You" was released on 17 October 2022. In April 2023, Evans released his ''Life Upside Down'' EP. The EP features five tracks that showcase Evans' path to finding a light in the dark. A new collection of songs completely authentic to the timing of recent events in his life, Evans describes the release as a "journey through unexpected heartbreak, self-rediscovery, new beginnings and a newfound gratitude for the present moment." Additionally, Evans reached another career milestone with a triumphant return to Australia for two sold-out performances at the iconic Sydney Opera House. In April 2024, Evans released his first live album, titled '' Live at the Sydney Opera House''. These shows captured the magic of the event, offering fans a chance to experience Evans’ electrifying live presence. The album includes standout tracks from ‘Life Upside Down,’ alongside collaborations with legendary Australian artist John Williamson. "The Opera House shows were really special," Evans says. "There was this feeling in the room, like we all knew it was going to be one of those nights you don’t forget—and it was! It felt like more than just a show; it was a real moment. One I’m grateful to have shared with my Aussie fans and to have captured on record to last forever." The Live at the Sydney Opera House has become a testament to Evans’ growth as an artist and performer. From the intimate moments of songs like "Over For You" to the high-energy crowd favourites like "Day Drunk," the live album showcases the full range of his musical and emotional depth.

Discography

Albums

Live albums

Extended plays

Singles

Notes

Other charted songs

Music videos

Awards

ARIA Music Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the

Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions o ...

industry. Evens has won a trophy from two nominations. , - , rowspan="2",

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

, '' Things That We Drink To'' ,

Best Country Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music ge ...

, , - , " Day Drunk" ,

Song of the Year A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usually ...

, , -

APRA Awards

Since 1982 the APRA Awards are run by Australian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. ! , - ,

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

, Country Work of the Year , "Kiss Somebody" , , , - , rowspan="2",

, rowspan="2", Country Work of the Year , "I Do" , , rowspan="2", , - , "Day Drunk" , , - ,

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, Most Performed Country Work , " Young Again" (Evans,

Chris DeStefano Christopher Michael DeStefano is a Grammy Award-winning American singer/songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist currently living in Nashville. As a songwriter, he has multiple #1 songs with artists Carrie Underwood ( “Good Girl ...

, Joshua Kear) , , , - ,

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

, , Most Performed Country Work , , "

" ( Evans, Evan Bogart, DeStefano) , , , , , - ,

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

, Most Performed Country Work , "Love Is Real" (Evans, Parker Nohe, Jordan Reynolds) , , , - ,

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

, rowspan="1", Most Performed Country Work , "Over for You" (Evans, Madison Love, Tim Sommers, Geoffrey Warburton) , , rowspan="1", , - ,

2025 So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...

, Most Performed Country Work , "Mayday" by Casey Barnes (Casey Barnes, Danielle Blakey, Morgan Evans) , , , -

Country Music Awards of Australia

The

Country Music Awards of Australia The Country Music Awards of Australia also known as the Golden Guitar Awards (originally named Australasian Country Music Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wale ...

(CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the

Tamworth Country Music Festival The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual Australian music festival held for 10 days from Friday to Sunday in mid to late January each year, sometimes including Australia Day, in Tamworth, New South Wales, Tamworth, New South Wales. The f ...

, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973. ! , - , 2018 , Kiss Somebody , Single of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3", 2019 , rowspan="2", "Day Drunk" , Single of the Year , , rowspan="3", , - , Song of the Year , , - , "Kiss Somebody" (Director: Jeff Venable) , Video of the Year , , - , rowspan="4", 2020 , rowspan="2", ''Things We Drink To'' , Contemporary Country Album of the Year , , rowspan="4", , - , Album of the Year , , , - , Morgan Evans for ''Things We Drink To'' , Male Artist of the Year , , - , "Young Again" , , Single of the Year , , , - , rowspan="1", 2021 , , "Diamonds" , , Video of the Year , , , , , - , 2022 , , , , , , , , , - , rowspan="2", 2023 , , "Sing Along Drink Along" , , Single of the Year , , , , rowspan=" 2", , - , Morgan Evans , , Male Artist of the Year , , , -

CMA (America) Awards

The

Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...

(America) are the premier country music awards show which is held in Nashville every year. Winners and nominees are chosen for by members of the

. , - , 2014, , Himself , , Global Country Artist Award , , , -

CMC Awards

The CMC Awards are awarded annually by

Country Music Channel Country Music Channel (CMC) was an Australian cable and satellite music television channel owned and operated by Foxtel Networks. It was the only country music video channel in Australia, created after the departure of MusicCountry from the Au ...

Australia. , - , 2013, , Himself , , New Oz Artist of the Year , , , - , 2014, , Himself , , Oz Artist of the Year , , , - , 2014, , Himself , , Male Artist of the Year , , , - , 2014, , "Carry On" , , Australian Video of the Year , , , - , 2015, , Himself , , Male Artist of the Year , , , - , 2018, , Himself , , Male Artist of the Year , , , - , 2018, , Himself , , Australian Artist of the Year , , , -

ASTRA Awards

The

Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) is the peak industry body representing the subscription media industry in Australia. ASTRA's main activities are to represent the industry with government, regulators and the ...

awarded 'Excellence in subscription television in production, programming and talent' from 2003–15. , - , 2015, , Himself , , Most Outstanding New Talent , , , -

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Morgan 1984 births Living people APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian country singer-songwriters Australian country guitarists Australian expatriates in the United States Musicians from Newcastle, New South Wales 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century Australian guitarists 21st-century Australian male singers Australian male guitarists Australian male singer-songwriters 21st-century Australian singer-songwriters