On The Row: MŌRIAH Infuses Her Roots Into Music City

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MŌRIAH. Photo: Raul Esparza

Singer, songwriter and actress MŌRIAH has had her boots on the ground in Music City since she was 17 years old. She recently stopped by MusicRow to share some new tunes and give a glimpse into what’s coming next in her career.

When MŌRIAH moved to Nashville, she came with no family, no friends and no plan. She had a scholarship secured to attend a university in California after high school, but the haunting vision of a future without music or creativity compelled her to take a bold leap—moving across the country before her 18th birthday.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Liza Anderson & LB Cantrell, MŌRIAH, MusicRow’s Madison Hahnen, Sherod Robertson & John Nix Arledge.

“The Nashville community has been so generous,” MŌRIAH says. “People have taught me how to produce music, sent me tutorial videos, taught me how to edit music videos and spent time writing songs with me. I feel like I’m a bit of a sponge, [soaking bits up] from all of the talented people in this town.”

Over the past 10 years, MŌRIAH has honed her sound and refined her artistry, ultimately discovering what feels most natural and authentic to her. For the first time, she is releasing music that is more vulnerable than ever, because it has to do with her family and where she comes from. She started off the afternoon of singing with the dreamy “Hasta Mañana,” showing off her developed sound.

The singer-songwriter has recently been creatively moved by her great grandmother’s ranch in El Paso, Texas. The one acre of dirt is equipped with a double wide trailer with no electricity or running water, but that has not stopped her family from spending time there. The ranch inspired the next tune she played, “Nice Life,” which was accompanied by her great grandmother’s own accordion.

“I’ve been an artist for so long but I did it in a really backwards way,” she explains. “I went on my first tour when I was 17; I was opening arena shows with a ukulele. I didn’t earn those rooms, therefore I didn’t catch the magic of live performance until much later. 

Pictured (L-R): Fletcher Foster, MŌRIAH and MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson.

“The magic of music has really been healed in rooms like this,” she continues. “There’s just something about being this close with each of you.” MŌRIAH then went into the first song she wrote for her upcoming project, “Whiskey Is His Wife.”

MŌRIAH released her latest EP, Curtain Call, in 2022 and is currently collaborating with producer Paul Mabury on her upcoming album. The project, two years in the making, showcases her love for country music while incorporating Spanish lyrics—a heartfelt nod to her family and heritage. When she started playing it for people this summer, she found her team forming and listeners perking up, especially for the tune “Sombrero,” which she ended the afternoon with.

On the big screen, MŌRIAH has held the lead role in Because of Gracia and currently plays a role in the series Bathsheba. She also acted alongside Dennis Quaid in the Ronald Reagan biopic Reagan. She also has hosted the BECOMING:us podcast with her husband Joel Smallbone. The two also co-produced the 2024 film Unsung Hero.

Madison Hahnen
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