Singer-songwriter Dia Morgan talks inspiration, songwriting sessions, and mental health

Dia Morgan is a pop singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. She's originally from Chicago, Illinois. I’ve wanted to have her on my podcast for quite sometime, and we finally made it happen. She’s worked with Judy Stakee, who was a previous guest on the show, and a number of other rising artists and songwriters in the Los Angeles pop music scene.
Dia and I talk about a myriad of topics, including the songwriting process, ADD and mental health, and what makes a good song. It’s not too often that I become incredibly inspired, and I find it hard to maintain that inspiration. Songwriters like Dia have a special gift that allows them to turn that inspiration and story into a song, which is so amazing to me. She breaks down that process and how she maintains her inspiration through life moments and stories. 
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Links to things mentioned: 
“Rain in Malibu”: https://open.spotify.com/track/4PVRTZmgWS2B8WqOiAftFJ?si=zWQfXc6ERUGQmbpaYdmTrw
Judy Stakee’s episode: https://whenlifehandsyoulennons.simplecast.com/episodes/024-judy-stakee
Judy Stakee: https://judystakee.com/
Your song needs a story, not just a title: https://www.lennoncihak.com/music-needs-a-story/
And the Writer Is…: http://www.andthewriteris.com/
Full Sail University: https://www.fullsail.edu/
Sheryl Crow: https://sherylcrow.com/
Gavin Degraw: http://gavindegrawtour.rtouring.com/
SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/
DISCO: https://www.disco.ac/
Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/
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Quick links: 
3:16 - About Dia Morgan
4:16 - How Dia got into singing and songwriting
4:46 - What opportunities did you have in school that solidified you wanted to be a singer-songwriter? Did you know you wanted to be a singer-songwriter in school? 
6:32 - What about producing don’t you like? What about songwriting do you like?
9:56 - Dia’s life after graduating Full Sail University
11:12 - Did you know you wanted to move to Los Angeles? What about New York or Nashville? 
12:26 - What are some things you learned while working for Judy Stakee?
15:05 - What makes a great song?
16:10 - How long does it take you to write a song on average? 
17:20 - When you’re in a songwriting session, do you set a goal for the session? 
20:31 - Where are you drawing inspiration from when you’re in a songwriting session?
22:22 - Songwriting is such an interesting art form because people can relate to the song.
22:57 - What else makes a good song?
24:45 - The story behind Dia’s “Rain in Malibu” - and why it’s important to have a story with your music
27:40 - Why did you choose “Rain in Malibu”? 
29:22 - When you have the names for the songs, when do you start writing the song? Are you writing the songs as you’re coming up with the names? 
30:53 - How do you determine when to keep going with a song or when to move onto something else? 
33:31 - You don’t ever force a song because you like the story behind it, do you?
34:52 - The awards Dia’s won for her songwriting! 
36:18 - Breaking down Dia’s brand and why it’s unique to her as a songwriter/artist
39:37 - How do you portray your brand and image on social media/online? 
49:16 - What’s a day in the life of Dia Morgan like? 
54:09 - How you can keep up with Dia Morgan
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Follow me: 
Website: https://www.lennoncihak.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lennoncihak
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/dlYpxT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5eX_uxAUIwBC0gyKwCbqtw
Guest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2
Follow Dia Morgan: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warningitsdia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/warningitsdia
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/warningitsdia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warningitsdia/
Website: https://diamorgan.com