Authenticity in the Age of AI: A Chat with Morgan Myles

Morgan Myles on ‘Laced’: Turning a Broken Engagement into an Album, Surviving Nashville, and Staying Authentic in the AI EraIn this Curious Goldfish episode hosted by Jason English, singer-songwriter Morgan Myles discusses her upcoming album Laced (releasing February 13 on Galentine’s Day) and the personal upheaval that shaped it, including calling off her wedding, buying and then selling a house with her ex-fiancé, and touring through the chaos. She explains how the album title shifted from Language of Flowers to Laced, describing lace as delicate yet resilient, and shares how she used her 20-foot wedding veil—taken to Joshua Tree two weeks after the breakup—as the album cover. Morgan compares Laced to her 2020 album Therapy, outlines the two-year process of writing 80 songs in five months and narrowing them to 12 for vinyl with producer Ross Hogarth, and talks about performing while dealing with stress, compartmentalizing, faith, and negativity on social media. The conversation explores how fans can support artists in streaming, emphasizing that actively searching for an artist and listening to full songs signals algorithms, and addresses the flood of AI-generated music and its impact on songwriters, demo singers, session players, and industry economics. Morgan shares her view of authenticity, discusses songwriting themes like gaslighting and the power of words, and explains protecting vulnerability by staying close to trusted people. She talks about writing with Gary Nichols, what she learns from his perspective, and highlights tracks including “Love Is Lonesome” and “American Sky,” which she wrote to evoke bipartisan hope while addressing phone toxicity, food chemicals, veteran support, financial education, school tragedies, and media hate. Morgan reflects on her positive experience on The Voice as valuable exposure, her goals of continuing to write, tour, and build her fanbase, and ends by sharing what she’s curious about now—especially history and learning how to meditate.00:00 From ‘Language of Flowers’ to ‘Laced’: the veil that became the album cover

01:09 Welcome to Curious Goldfish + quick listener survey on streaming & AI

02:24 Meet Morgan Myles: survival, breakup inspiration, and authenticity in the AI era

03:38 Ice storm in Nashville: weather chaos and keeping the lights on

05:28 Laced release week + comparing the new album to Therapy

10:32 80 songs in 5 months: choosing the final tracklist with Ross Hogarth

11:55 The symbolism of lace: engagement, heartbreak, and women’s stories

13:33 Performing through pain: staying joyful onstage and handling trolls

16:59 How fans can help in the streaming era: algorithms, full listens, and search intent

21:06 AI in music: inevitable shift, lost royalties, and protecting the soul of songs

27:29 Breaking Down the Album: Passion, Despair & Song Themes

28:56 Why Words Matter: Songwriting, Gaslighting & Relationship Red Flags

30:29 Vulnerability vs Self-Protection (and Handling Online Judgment)

33:03 Pet Peeves & “Icks”: Attention, Alone Time, and Basic Respect34:09 Writing with Gary Nichols: Process, Perspective & Musical Authenticity37:24 “Love Is Lonesome”: When Love Hurts and How to Nurture It

39:54 “American Sky”: Hope, Division, and a Bipartisan Message

45:56 Where She’s Headed Next: Career Goals, The Voice, and Staying Grateful

49:55 Final Question: What She’s Most Curious About (History, Meditation & Life)

52:37 Wrap-Up: Album Release, Thanks, and Where to Stream