Alijah Morton

by: Joseph Leija

A true artist is hard to find, and furthermore, even harder to define. Embracing an arsenal of artistic abilities, Alijah Morton is here to help define the word’s true meaning.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Alijah Morton has been a student of music since his childhood. The difference between him and many other musically influenced children is the fact that he was his own teacher. At the age of 8, Alijah Morton found himself in front of a piano. A self taught pianist learning only be ear, Ludwig van Beethoven became a major influence after he learned “Fur Elise” and “Moonlight Sonata” by the age of 9.

Influenced by the likes of Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Eminem, Jay-Z (Alijah doesn't write down his piano compositions; he memorizes them), Ray Charles, and even Edgar Allan Poe, Alijah Morton now creates in the Pop/Hip-Hop/Soul genres. At the age of 14, he was accepted based solely on his self-taught talents to attend The Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts, where late R&B sensation Aaliyah is a credited alumnus. Fluent in Spanish, Alijah Morton appreciates the outlook speaking another language gives him. By the age of 14 Alijah Morton completed his first screenplay entitled “UNKNOWN,” which initiated his directorial debut with short films as a sophomore in high school.

Life hasn’t always been a feel good story for Alijah Morton as he explains, “While growing up, I was exposed to all kinds of violence, guns, drugs, money, pit bulls, the grand champion Flash... They wanted to instill this way of living in me. Even with that being said, I do not regret anything from my past, because these experiences were meant for me. There are no coincidences in life. I saw how my father would make his money and build his reputation. I saw the positive in the negative and embraced it.”

After high school, Alijah packed up his dreams and set out for Arizona with nothing but $800 and a corner to sleep in. Here, he would attend The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, where his dedication earned him the Perfect Attendance Award for the entire course.

The future holds no limits for Alijah Morton. As an aspiring music artist, he still continues to write poetry and screen plays and every song he plays is done from memory. Alijah Morton creates music that goes beyond notes and instruments; he creates music for people.