PJ Morton Talks Burnout, Faith, and His Bold New Double Album
When Grammy-winning artist PJ Morton stopped by Jekalyn Carr’s Family Affair, he opened up about something many creatives quietly battle: burnout. After nearly a decade of nonstop grinding, Morton made a bold choice to step back and refuel.
“After like a whirlwind of maybe eight or nine years, I was just kind of burnt out a little bit,” he admitted. “It was time for me to kind of replenish creatively.”
That season of rest turned into a season of reinvention. Morton leaned into producer-writer collaborations, including a gospel project, Heart of Mine, with Darrell Walls that went on to win Best Gospel Album at the Grammys. The break didn’t slow him down. It made him stronger.
“I want to be coming as my 100% self,” he shared. “And yeah, it came back strong.”
That renewed energy fuels his new double album, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. Morton walked Carr through the heart behind several tracks. On “Listen to You,” he reflected on years of rejection and bad advice. “If I would have listened to you… I wouldn’t be right here as happy and as at peace as I am,” he said, encouraging fellow creatives to keep pushing. “Just because they don’t get it doesn’t mean it’s not great.”
He described “Can We Try Love Again” as a response to a divided world, while “Protect My Heart” explores vulnerability from a man’s perspective. The Sunday morning half leans fully into worship. “Mercy” celebrates unmerited favor, “Always on Time” carries that bluesy, quartet feel he grew up loving, and “Close Enough” reimagines the woman with the issue of blood.
Morton’s words land like both testimony and encouragement, the kind of real talk our community holds close.
He closed with a powerful Morning Motivation: celebrate the gift that makes you, you. “Lean into that thing that makes you unique, because that is your longevity,” he said. “We need you to be you, because this person’s taken already.”
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning is available now everywhere you stream and download music. Catch PJ Morton on tour beginning July 19th in St. Louis, and follow him @PJMorton and at pjmorton.com.
