Meg Myers has been gaining a lot of attention since the release of Daughter in the Choir EP. She since has been busy in the studio recording new material for her first full-length album. We caught up with Meg and talked about her influences, the importance of social media and action figures.
Hey! How are you?
Myers: I’m good – just got out of the studio. We are working on a cover song right now, actually. Umm [laughs]… I’m not going to say which one but…
Is it a song that you admire? Or…?
Yea, so much! That’s why it’s so scary to do because it’s like from one of my favorite artists.
When do you plan on releasing it?
Hopefully we can make it sound good. It’s just like a really scary thing to do. You know, I’m not a big cover person but it’s got to be something I love and that I’m attached to. I chose this song but it’s the pressure of, “oh no you gotta make it so good.”
So there’s kind of that pressure. Any hints of what song it might be?
Ughh….no..[laughing] but it’s from one of my all time favorite artists.
Ok – we should leave it at that. How was your weekend?
I actually just got back from Tennessee visiting my family. Well I went to Florida first, but I went to Tennessee to visit my brothers and stuff. It was really nice to take that off, but I really missed my time in the studio. It was the first time I ever missed it so much. Its like the more I do it, when I’m away I don’t know what to do with myself, you know?
Well, your work in the studio has been paying off. You’ve definitely been gaining a lot of attention as of late due to your unique sound. How would you describe your sound and what inspired this particular sound?
Well I guess I would describe it as alternative. Kind of like a more modern Fiona Apple meets Sinead O’Conner sort of thing– mixed with Nirvana or something. It’s definitely alternative. I guess growing up I was really into male singers. My background in music isn’t really what the standard background is for alternative music. I was also really into folk and country. I would listen to a lot of male singers-– I actually still do. I never got into female singers. I’m actually a lot more into female singers now than I ever was. I think I respect them more now.
I started playing early on. My family was really into music. My mom played piano, guitar. My dad played the guitar. It was just kind of around and I had to use it as my therapy growing up. It was my one outlet I could just go to. My sound never completely changed from one style. I just play whatever comes out, whatever just feels good – I just want to do that. I find inspiration in so many types of music. Then I met Doctor Rosen Rosen, my producer, three years ago and he’s been able to let me be me but make it sound more modern, more “radio.” He’s just been a great producer and I would never be able to think I would be able to keep doing what I’m doing without him.
I was going to ask how has working with producer Doctor Rosen Rosen influenced your overall sound? So he kind of made your sound more…put together?
Yea! I think put together is a great word…or two words. I was definitely more all over the place and super raw. Working with him is kind of what I always envisioned and what I wanted to do, but what I could never do because I’m way too A.D.D and I can’t finish things. We go in and he helps me finish stuff and what he brings in with what I do. Our collaboration together-– it’s insane. There’s no other way that could have happened with anyone else. Its weird that we even met. It’s so cool.
A lot of your songs are very emotionally loaded – where do you find your inspiration when writing these particular songs?
Every song is different. You know, a lot of songs (I’m sure this is true for a lot of people) come from heartache, love and relationships. Life is just a whole bunch of ups and downs. When I write I have to put down what I’m feeling about life and even if there’s metaphors in it, it’s coming from something I’m going through. Like on the Daughter in the Choir EP, some songs were about a breakup that I was going through. I really like to write about love and death and just difficulties in life because that’s what I feel. I need to get it out in some good way otherwise I would be really destructive.
At your show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles you asked for a Ninja Turtle action figure – What’s up with your liking of the Ninja Turtles?
It was more just for fun – but you know I was kind of like “shit” after I posted that. “Do I really want everyone bringing me Ninja Turtle action figures? – Not really, No” [laughs]. I liked action figures. I was kind of a tomboy growing up. I grew up with older brothers so they had a lot and I wanted them. I remember I got a Polly Pocket once for Christmas (even though we didn’t really celebrate Christmas). I just remember crying-– they eventually returned it and got me an action figure instead [laughter]. I like action figures because they are cool, it’s not like I play with them or anything, I just think they are cool. And Ninja Turtles are cool cause I was a Jehovah Witness growing up and that was something I couldn’t really watch. You know, it was really violent; they had weapons and stuff so we weren’t really supposed to watch it. I liked it because it was “bad” even though it wasn’t at all.
Your music video for “Monster” was released about a year ago and has reached over 200,000 views on YouTube. You also offered your EP as a free download through your website. What kind of role does the Internet play in your career as a musician?
I think it’s insane – I think it’s so huge and I never knew before actually I started releasing music and experiencing it that it’s like everything. I’m not so big on the social media stuff but its like shit man, I have to be. It’s great to have fun with it because it is really important. People talk shit about it but I don’t know, I think it’s huge. I think everything…videos, photos, blogs. Blogs– Oh, my god. There’s so much blog love that I’ve gotten and really cool people I’ve met through it.
I know you are a user of Twitter and Instagram. Do you think that these changed the way your music is being discovered?
Yea, I think it definitely helps. People will post something about my music or people will tweet a song that is played on a TV show and all their friends see it. It’s a big deal. It’s also great to share bits a pieces of who I am that way. It’s also easier to share things about myself through the Internet rather than only interviews. I find interviews to be more difficult for me because I think I suck at them. I get nervous, so sometimes its easier to share parts of who I am and things that I like. I still think that Tumblr is great even though maybe it’s not as big as it once was. I think it maybe had a bit of a rush and now its kind of going out. I love it so much. I love posting pictures and videos of other artists I like.
So I recently watched the music video for “Tennessee” featuring Doctor Rosen Rosen where you essentially have a nerf war with residents in Los Angeles. Was this a direct response to your move from Tennessee to Los Angeles? How are you enjoying living in Los Angeles?
That was done about three years after I first moved to Los Angeles. Honestly, I hated it when I first moved here. I think over time I kind of isolated myself at first but then I found things I liked about it instead of talking shit all the time. Most of the time I’m in the studio, which helped my life a huge deal because that’s what I want to do. Sometimes I go on hikes and that’s kind of outside of LA. I just found things that I do like and that’s helped me to like LA more. I was living in Echo Park-Silver Lake area too and it’s helped to get outside of that area too. I love it so much more; there’s so much I like about it. I don’t want to be here the rest of my life, but I’m totally fine being here right now.
Where do you see yourself living in the future?
I don’t know, actually. I think going on tour will be good for that. I want to see different places and environments and weather. I still really love Tennessee– my dad lives there. He lives up in the mountains. I just really love it there; it’s so beautiful, but there’s some bad weather there. Stuff like that makes you appreciate California. Maybe I would move out there for a little bit. As far as my future future– I have no idea. I want to see so many places before I decide.
Any upcoming shows? I know we were talking about a future tour – is that something we should look out for?
We don’t have anything set as of yet; I am going to be in New York August 7th. We are still working on the album, which will hopefully be ready early/ mid next year. We have a lot of new material that I am so excited to play at our shows.
Thank you for talking with us! We will be on the look out for future shows and that cover!
She’ll be playing the Mercury Lounge in NYC on August 7th.
For more show dates check out her website
Or follow this social media lover on Twitter.
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