This One’s for the Outliers: Matthew Morgan’s Most Empowering Cut Yet

There’s something immediately grounding about “In The Blood.” Not flashy, not overworked, just honest in that quiet, confident way that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go.

Matthew Morgan has always written like someone painting scenes instead of chasing hooks, and this collaboration with Jamie Ravine feels like a natural extension of that instinct. Rooted in indie, alternative, and folk traditions, the song leans on a warm, steady bassline that gives it a pulse you can feel in your chest. It grooves without trying too hard, carrying an alternative edge wrapped neatly inside a pop-leaning ease. Catchy, yes, but never cheap.

From the first line of the chorus,“I am who I am” - the song plants its flag. Not as a declaration shouted from the rooftops, but as something more powerful: a calm refusal to shrink. You hear it in Morgan’s baritone, floating effortlessly over the arrangement, and you feel it even more when Ravine’s voice enters the picture. Their vocal textures don’t compete or crowd each other. They sit side by side, textured and lived-in, like two people who know exactly when to speak and when to listen.

The pairing makes sense. Morgan, inspired by the timeless songwriting of Nick Drake and Neil Young, has built a catalog that gives space to outsiders and quieter voices, especially those pushed to the margins. Ravine, beyond being an award-winning songwriter herself, has spent years actively nurturing her local music community in Columbus - creating rooms where artists can show up as they are. That shared ethos bleeds into the song naturally. Nothing here feels forced. It feels mutual.

Lyrically, “In The Blood” circles themes that hit especially hard for independent artists: resilience, identity, and the exhausting experience of being boxed into someone else’s idea of who you’re supposed to be. But the song never wallows. Instead, it carries an attitude that feels empowering, like shaking off the weight of expectations and choosing yourself anyway.

Sonically, it’s the kind of track that plays perfectly during those late nights when you’re trying to forget your worries without ignoring them completely. Windows down, lights low, thoughts buzzing, but steadier somehow. There’s warmth here, and confidence, and a reminder that self-acceptance doesn’t have to be loud to be real.

If “In The Blood” proves anything, it’s that great collaborations don’t need spectacle. They need trust, shared intention, and the courage to say something true. This one has all three and it sticks with you long after the final note fades.