Connor Morand is one of the very few musicians who shot a music video all around the world. Released on YouTube in May 2017, Connor’s video for “Everything Is Gold” (EIG) has received national air play on Much Music and its popularity continues to grow. Not surprisingly, Connor was “ecstatic” when he found out that his music would be in their rotation: “Much Music is such a recognizable brand in the Canadian music industry, and I was just so honoured to be involved with them. I'm very happy with the response it’s gotten so far - and is still getting.”
Having grown up in Ontario, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Alberta, Connor was exposed to different cultures and ways of life from an early age. Ultimately, this prepared him for his tour around the world: “Each [province] has its own lifestyle… and it’s important to get involved. Going around the world is the exact same--each country will have its own uniqueness to it. Once you figure out what that is, then it makes it easy to assimilate into the culture.”
Altogether, Connor’s trip and editing the video took about six months to complete—with the help of strangers along the way! In order to have his hands free during the process, Morand approached others to help film him, using only his smart phone. This was a daunting task that definitely paid off!
“Shooting the music video for EIG is my greatest accomplishment on a musical level. I have always been a pretty social guy, but walking up to strangers and asking them to do even the smallest task proved to be nerve-wracking. By the end of it, I was comfortable with asking, but it’s that initial hesitation that is tough to get over. Thankfully, most people that I asked were so excited to help me shoot! When you hear the words ‘around the world music video’, you can’t help but be intrigued” he explained.
In the future, Connor would like to return to Morocco (among other places) in order to perform. “I remember wondering how amazing and unique it would be to play a set on a Moroccan stage, so that would be the first answer off the top of my head. Spain would be really neat too, but I would need to brush up on my flamenco guitar skills first, I think.”
In addition to traveling and creating music, Connor said that he loves “being involved in many different aspects of life…. I love taking on new challenges. It’s important to be learning every single day because you’re never too old or young to try something new.” Morand follows a multitude of passions including graphic design and public speaking. When asked about how he is able to balance everything, he responded with, “Prioritizing…. It’s easy to put on a Netflix show or fool around on your computer and let your mind go blank for a little bit, [but] if you want to get something done, you need to work hard. I am not downplaying the importance of taking breaks, but the most productive people in the world know how to prioritize their time effectively.”
One of Morand’s main priorities right now would be his public speaking events. Each point in Connor’s presentation leads back to a pivotal moment from his trip. However, his experiences are something that everyone can relate to, like how good it feels to be included or to include someone else. After each point, Connor plays a song, each one, a different genre from the next.
Regarding his variety of song choices, Connor noted that “Musicians of all genres get their influences from other genres. I love music in that way! It’s a universal language that can be interpreted in (literally) millions of different ways. No matter what genre it is, I can guarantee that you will always find something about a song that you will like if you just listen hard enough. My musical process is the same way. I might play the guitar, but it’s nice to listen to songs that have absolutely no guitar at all. You open your mind up more.”
When putting together material for his public speaking events, Connor Morand’s main focus is himself, but not in a negative way. Generally, his audiences consist of high school and post-secondary students, so in order to have a positive impact on them, he thinks about what he needed to hear when he was in their position.
“I have so much advice to give, but one of the biggest things I can say is ‘TRY. FAIL. TRY AGAIN’. I’ve gotten far more no’s than yesses and I have screwed up musically so many times. It’s important to learn from your mistakes and never give up. If you want to get really good at something, you just need to keep practicing."
For more information or to book Connor, please visit his website.
Video courtesy of Connor Morand.
Photos by Annette Dawm.
