Style Rider: Rae Morris’s Leopard Print Sneakers Are Just Like Her Music

Photo courtesy of Rae Morris Maybe you haven’t heard Rae Morris’s name yet, but there’s no doubt you’re well acquainted with the many rad bands she’s collaborated with. The 22-year-old Blackpool native has sung—often hauntingly, always memorably—on tracks with everyone from Bombay Bicycle Club to Clean Bandit to Fryars. Of course, by the time she drops her debut album (produced by none other than Ariel Rechtshaid) next week, she won’t need hotshot features to get your attention.

Morris has garnered a dizzying number of comparisons to Lorde, and not just because she has a head full of ringlets that could give the curly-locked pop royal a real run for her money. She also sings dark, moody R&B-tinged jams that’ll break your heart and make you move. Unlike Lorde, though, Morris’s on-stage presence is significantly less dramatic. You won’t find any interpretive dancing, nor will you find her in head-to-toe Rick Owens. “My music is straightforward and genuine. I’m just being myself,” Morris explains of her laid-back performance vibes. “I have to be comfortable in what I wear to not feel like a phoney. I have a formula and stick to it. All the best things in life work that way!” Her formula involves pretty tops and tangles of necklaces—not to mention that hair—and since she spends most of her shows behind a keyboard, that’s all she really needs.

She’s gearing up to support George Ezra on a sold-out tour. so we stole a few minutes with her to find out what’ll be crammed into her beloved leather backpack as she hops around the world opening up for one of the biggest one-to-watch names of 2015—a rank she’ll surely be joining soon.

“I don't travel lightly when it comes to every day belongings. My Alfie Douglas backpack fits all my unnecessary day to day essentials perfectly and i don't go anywhere without it. i feel like it's aging with me. except it's actually aging better than me!

“I’m always hopeful that the sun will be shining somewhere on tour so i keep my Waiting For The Sun wooden shades in my bag just in case. They have a pretty fitting title. I like them because I’m not a super flashy person so them being wooden is perfect for me.”

“I finally invested in a proper winter coat for the European tour this November. My North Face jacket is practical—it’s a hug with every wear and it saved me on those cold winter mornings in Eastern Germany! I try to convince myself I make it cool in some way…”

“I’d never been an Adidas girl until these ZX leopard print delights changed everything. They go with everything and make even my scruffiest outfit choices seem cool and meant to be that way. I love that there's a dash of leopard print on the toe, like an afterthought. If I wanted to be really cheesy, I’d compare these to my music: simple and kind of understated, with concealed moments of bite!”

“I realized a long time ago that I never feel better than when wearing a really well-fitted black blazer. I like the consistency of knowing this item of clothing will always make me feel comfortable and excited. I guess I feel creative and ready for getting down to work.”

Casey Lewis does this every week. She's on Twitter.