Alt-pop singer-songwriter Meiko returns with her highly anticipated third album, Dear You, tomorrow (Oct. 14) via Fantasy/Concord Records. You may recognize her voice from a variety of TV and film projects including Grey's Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars. Dear You is the follow-up to 2012's The Bright Side, but trades in Meiko's cheerful pop for something darker and electro-tinged. Ahead of its release, we chatted with Meiko about the inspiration behind the album, what she has planned for her tour, defining moments in her career, and which TV show she'd love to feature her music.
Music Times: I read that this new album was inspired by unsent letters turned into songs. Can you tell me a bit about that? How many years have you been collecting these unsent letters?
Meiko: Yeah, this was a collection from years past. I just keep a lot of stuff from pent-up issues I had in past relationships. When I started writing for this record, I realized that I do have a lot of stuff from back in the day. Some of them are old songs, and some are just going back and thinking how I would react now to these situations. What would I say?
MT: Did all the songs on the record originate from unsent letters or were some inspired by memories?
M: Some of them are actually unsent letters. But most them are just me being passive aggressive and me writing what I want to say in a song.
MT: The music on this album is darker than some of the bubblier, uplifting songs you've written in the past. You've described it as a confessional. Had you planned to do a darker album going into it, or did it sort of just develop that way?
M: No, I wanted a darker record. I enjoy the clappy, happy stuff, but that's not really the stuff I listen to as a music listener. I just wanted to make something that I would listen to. Not that I don't like what I've done in the past, I do, but I like the electronic-y stuff and the more sad songs. So, I did want to make more of a cooler, darker, more professional record.
MT: You've incorporated more electronic elements on this album. What made you go that route?
M: Yeah, I did the record with just one other person, who was the producer. He plays the guitar...well he plays everything, really. I grew up listening to a lot of electronic music -- Portishead, Squarepusher, and Aphex Twin, lots of random, very electronic stuff. I also listen a lot of early '90s R&B. I like the synth-y stuff. I was working with the producer and wanted to do a simple record, and not throw too many things into the recordings. But he helped me come up with beats to keep it minimal but also have that electronic element.
MT: What artists were you listening to when recording Dear You? Did anything in particular influence your sound?
M: No. It's kind of a blessing and curse when people ask me, what are you listening to? I mean, I try to listen to new music, but I kind of just listen to whatever is playing. I'm kind of stuck in old-school stuff. I listen to a lot of Jazz and '90s music. It's awesome, but I'm trying branch out, man. I'm trying to listen to Pandora. I have been introduced to a couple of new artists that I like. But as far as my album, I am not trying to incorporate their sounds.
MT: You released the single "Be Mine" not too long ago. Can you tell me more about the story behind that? Is there a specific person that some of the other heartbreak and betrayal songs are aimed at?
M: Well I was in a long distance relationship. I feel like when you're in a relationship, you're dedicated to that person, and when they're not there, it's kind of lonely. It's not like you want to go and hang out with anybody else because that's like your best friend. I found that when he left town, it was f**king lonely. I was just by myself a lot. I was like, if I'm by myself I should be sitting here writing, I shouldn't be moping. So, I got a bottle of wine and sat in my living room and was trying to write a happier song that would make me feel better. I ended up drinking the bottle and just writing this kind of dark song.
MT: I was going to ask what type of alcohol the "bottle" in the song was referring to.
M: It was wine, I like red wine. I'm a wino (laughs).
MT: You are singing to a "you" in many of the songs on the album. Were you referring to one person in particular or many people throughout your life?
M: Yeah, all different people from my past. There's never one particular person.
MT: You played a sold-out show in NYC not too long ago. What did that feel like?
M: Yeah! It was pretty cool. I'm from a small town in Georgia. New York City was like "Oh, New York City!" I always dreamed of going there to play shows. My wish was to play a show in New York. But that show was the moment -- without being ultra-cheesy -- that the dream clicked and came true. I was playing for a sold out room in New York. Yeah, it just kind of blew my mind. I was really excited to be there, it was like an underground Jazz venue. It was actually underneath a diner where the waiters and waitresses jump on tables and sing show tunes (laughs). I went up there after like whoa!
MT: You sort of answered my next question. I was going to ask if there have been any "I've made it" moments, but that seems like it might have been the one.
M: Yeah, that was an epic moment for me, personally. I am kind of still reeling from that feeling.
MT: Do you have anything special you're doing for the tour? Any backing band?
M: No. I'm gonna be solo. It's really good for this record to not have a band right now because these are a lot of new songs. I think it's gonna be like a storytellers kind of situation where I do my thing on stage and tell the stories behind the songs.
MT: With your new record having so many electronic elements, will you include that in the live adaption or will it be more acoustic?
M: Just me and the guitar. Then when it's full band, I will have a drummer with a drum-pad and stuff.
MT: Some of your early popularity came from placement on TV. Have there been any placements that you've particularly liked? If you could have a song on any show what would it be?
M: Yeah, the first placement I ever got was Grey's Anatomy. My song "Reasons to Love You" was on the fourth season of Grey's Anatomy, and that is when things started changing for me. I was a waitress at the time at a music venue in L.A. called the Hotel Cafe. I was playing shows from time to time, and a woman came up to me and asked if I minded if she submitted some songs to Grey's Anatomy. And I was like, 'Hell no! Go ahead!' She did it, and they picked up the song.
I got a lot of response from that placement, and pretty soon after I was going on tour. I put my job on hold, and I never went back. That was a nice feeling, a pretty big moment. Also, my other song, "Stuck On You" was on a Crate and Barrel commercial that played all the time on TV and especially on airplanes. I feel like that created a lot of awareness.
MT: If you could have a song on any show what would it be?
M: I love Girls, that and Orange is the New Black. I think I watch too much TV (laughs). I still need to watch Sopranos. I didn't think Breaking Bad was going to be such a dedication, but I was like in my bed all day long, cracked out, eating ice-cream, watching episode after episode.
MT: It's just you on your new album, but if you could collaborate with any artist working right now, who would it be?
M: I like The xx, I'd be into that. Yeah, I would probably just keep that as the answer.
MT: Three albums into your career, what are some lessons you've learned? Do you have any advice for aspiring singer-songwriters?
M: Go with your gut, because if you listen to other people's opinions and try to work your music or art around that and it doesn't work out, then you will always regret not doing what you actually wanted to do in the first place.
You can purchase Dear You here and check out her tour dates here.
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