meg meyers

With a sound and style that’s unapologetically herself, alt-rock artist Meg Myers is an artist you won’t want to miss. “Growing up, my family was very musical,” she says. “My dad bought me my first guitar around 9-years-old. It wasn’t until I was 12 or 13 though, when I really started taking an interest in writing songs. I started playing bass in a band with my brother called Feeling Numb and the first song he taught me was Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. I was always writing songs on keys and guitar and I can remember just always having this big need to express myself – gravitating towards music was easy for me.”

A strong believer in collaboration, Meg credits teamwork as her fuel for writing new songs. “I have a difficult time finishing things on my own,” she explains. “I would probably be playing quarter or half songs if it weren’t for my collaborators. Generally, I write a lot of my ideas on piano and guitar and bring them to whoever I am working with at the time and we finish them together.”

Having recently released a powerful cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill,’ the singer reveals she had always felt a special connection to the track. “I always loved the song sonically and lyrically, so deeply,” she explains. “I was never interested in covering songs but this one felt important to me. Even though I already knew the song pretty well, it took me a second to figure out how to sing it in my own voice. It’s a very challenging song to sing and I even had to lower it a key. I’ve been joking about how that must be why Kate [Bush] stopped touring. Also, I wanted to keep it as close to the original as much as possible – can’t mess with a masterpiece! I hope people feel inspired and connected to love when they hear the track. It’s a beautiful song about having compassion for one another in many ways.”

With a magnetic stage presence, Meg makes it a point to tap into her own authentic feelings and movements while performing. “I just try to let go everything when I’m up on stage,” she explains. “Growing up, I think Kurt Cobain and The Police were my biggest inspirations. Currently, I’ve been really into Florence and the Machine – she completely blows my mind and I can’t not cry when I listen to her music. They’re all inspirations to me but I don’t think I try to channel anyone when I perform, I just find my own zone.”

In regards to the music industry, the singer notes that evolution and change will always be apart of it. “I feel like the music industry is exactly where it needs to be right now,” she says. “Everything changes and evolves and it will always continue to do so. I like to do my best to focus on what makes me feel good about it and not really focus my attention too much on what I don’t like, as that just creates more of the problem.”

As for what’s up next, the singer plans to hit the road in just a few months. “I’ll be touring this fall,” she says. “I’m excited to see fans on the road and connect with them over new music.” Of course, music isn’t the only thing Meg has on her bucket list. “There’s a lot that I want to get done,” she reveals. “I have this itch to make some sort of collaborative film. I don’t know if that will actually happen this year but it’s pretty high up on my to-do list. I also really want to do some pottery.”

Words by VANESSA SALLES

Photos by CATHERINE POWELL