The University of St. Thomas hosted a special performance by Morgan Joyce Hart, a Christian singer-songwriter whose music blends emotional healing and faith on March 13 at the Loft.
The event, part of the ongoing “Music at the Loft” series, gave students an intimate opportunity to connect with Hart’s music and personal journey.
Hart, whose musical experience began at a young age, shared how her love for singing was nurtured by her mother’s involvement in church choir.
“My mom would practice for the church choir,” Hart said. “I would just sing along with her while we were driving in the car, and that’s also how I learned to sing harmony.”
In seventh grade she received her first guitar from her uncle, which sparked her interest in songwriting.
Hart said that music helps her process her feelings.
“Music is a diary for me,” Hart said. “A lot of times I’m feeling a lot of really intense emotions.”
She also spoke about her past experiences with self-harm and how becoming a Chrisitian helped her channel her emotions through music.
Hart also highlighted the importance of using music as a tool to promote mental health and self-expression.
“I’m really passionate about just telling other people that spreading that message of hope, that music, art, and even things like exercise, gardening,” Hart said. “These are all ways that we can get out intense emotions in a healthy, positive way.”
Performing at the Loft was a special experience for Hart, who said she regularly performs at Christian schools through her booking agency, Degy.
“St. Thomas reached out to Degy and said, ‘We would like an artist that can sing at a coffee house performance and we’re a Chrisitan school,’ and I think as of right now, I’m Degy’s main Christian music artist,” Hart said. “They immediately contacted me about the show, and I’m just really grateful for this opportunity.”
She said her performance at St. Thomas was a contrast to her experience with other college performances where she had to sing cover songs and pop music.
“It felt freeing to sing here,” Hart said. “Because not only was I able to sing my originals, but I was able to give my testimony in between, and share these little different snippets of my life and how God has helped me through music.”
When it comes to her creative process, Hart emphasizes the importance of practice and constant growth. “I was able to just slide by on natural talent, but the more that I performed in front of other people and wrote new music, I realized I really have to be practicing regularly,” Hart said.
Hart said she practices not just playing songs accurately, but also performing with emotions and energy, “kind of like a DJ, but with live music.”
However, it wasn’t an easy road. Hart recounted the challenges of performing after suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2018.
“To get through a 30-minute show was very difficult. And not only that, hauling all my equipment in, setting it up, tearing it down,” Hart said. “But I’m clearly much more able-bodied now and healthier, so that’s not as much as a challenge anymore.”
In addition to physical challenges, Hart also shared her struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies before performances.
Despite these obstacles, she said she continues to push forward with choosing songs on her setlists to adapt to audiences based on their energy.
Looking to the future, Hart said she would like to collaborate with other artists, especially Laura Veirs, whose unique style she admires. “She is a multi-instrumentalist that comes up with these crazy, unique musical lines,” Hart said. “Her songwriting is just so unlike anyone else’s I’ve ever heard.”
Hart said she has also set her sights on winning the 2025 Tiny Desk competition, going on a tour with NPR and selling her small house and buying a springer van to travel to her shows.
For the students in attendance, Hart’s performance was more than just a concert; it was an opportunity to connect with an artist whose music speaks to personal growth and emotional healing.
First-year Wacheke Njoroge, who attended the event, expressed her excitement about supporting another female Black performer.
“I really love music, and I saw another Black woman performing and doing her thing, so I had to go and support. I think music brings people together, and we should have more events like this,” Njoroge said.
Njoroge shared her preference for acoustic music, jazz, R&B and other music genres that she enjoys.
“I love the guitar and vocals. I’ve also been to orchestra performances because I am in an orchestra here, and I feel like if I was to compare, it’s just different kinds of music that we’re playing; that’s nice,” Njoroge said.
Njoroge said she believes that events like this can help students meet new people and contribute to the St. Thomas community.
“It’s a good thing, and there’s a lot of people here who are musicians and are really good at what they do,” Njoroge said. “It would be nice to have a space that not only supports local musicians, but also musicians that go to St. Thomas.”
First-year Joeleph Jengh found himself drawn in by the music playing from the ground floor. Jengh said he hopes for more live music events on campus, citing his positive experience at the Loft event.
Jengh said he enjoys his openness to various genres of music, and said he believes that exposure to different genres can be enriching and help foster a stronger campus community.
“Live versions have much more personality and are more intimate and engaging than recorded music, and I appreciate the artist’s interactions during each song that was played,” Jengh said.
Natulia Momo can be reached at momo4842@stthomas.edu.
