Meg Smith
Photo credit: Meghan Marshall
LA-based singer/songwriter Meg Smith has released her new single “Any Other Boy”.
Written by Smith and produced by Joseph Tilley, the new pop single reflects on the end of a friendship.
"He wanted to be more than friends, I didn’t. Slowly he drifted away and I blamed myself for the friendship ending. I thought I had scared him away by oversharing about my life. But I realized, after a few months, that he never really wanted to be friends. I stopped romanticizing our friendship and building him up in my head. And the second I stopped blaming myself, I became a whole different person,” she says.
Meg Smith released her debut EP American in Paris in September 2020, which was inspired by her trips in Europe. The EP included the single “Cross My Heart I Hope U Die”.
“Any Other Boy” is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Photo credit: Meghan Marshall
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hey! My name’s Meg Smith and I’m a singer and songwriter from LA. I started writing when I was about 12, after joining the Ukulele Club at my school. I was pretty desperate to make friends at the time, and saw that all the cool girls played ukulele. Looking back, that seems pretty ridiculous. So I bought a ukulele and taught myself how to play. Then when the time came around to actually go to the club, I got to nervous and didn’t go. Instead I just started writing songs after school.
How would you define Meg Smith, the artist?
I try to offer a new perspective on topics that are often written about, especially love and relationships. I’m always searching for the balance between accessibility and specificity. Like, how can I write something that’s incredibly personal but also relatable. Then how can I get that message out in a melody that’s both really catchy but also unique. The other day someone reached out to me and said that my song ‘Cross My Heart I Hope U Die’ helped them through a break up. So that’s also one of my main goals: to connect with people and help them feel like someone understands what they’re going through. It also helps me feel less crazy when people are able to relate to my music.
"Any Other Boy" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this single?
I wrote this song when I was quarantined in the suburbs of Dallas with my family. Like a lot of people, I was doing a lot of self reflection. I just started thinking about this friendship I had earlier that year, that just sort of ended after he said he had feelings for me. It was a really hurtful experience, losing one of my closest friends like that. I blamed myself for a lot of what went wrong, but then finally realized that it wasn’t my fault. Once I came to terms with what happened, I just sat down and wrote most of the song in about 20 minutes.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process? Who helped you create it?
This is the first song I’m releasing which I wrote entirely by myself. I’m really excited about that! I loved the song after I wrote it, but didn’t know who I wanted to produce it. A couple days later, a songwriter friend of mine reached out and said I should work with this producer Joseph Tilley. He had just posted on instagram that he was looking for new artists to work with. I dm’d him, and he loved the song. So I recorded vocals in my bedroom closet and sent them to him. We produced the whole thing via email which was pretty cool. I still haven’t met him in person or even talked to him on the phone which is pretty insane.
What do you like the most about this song?
The verses! Especially the lyrics in the first verse. My favorite is “I miss your old place / I knew you better there.” I think it’s really interesting how much people change based on their surroundings. And I just have this really vivid memory of being in this guys’ new house meeting his new friends in his new city. I felt so out of place and like I had no idea who he was.
What made you want to release "Any Other Boy" as a single?
I wanted the first single off my new project to be a song I wrote completely by myself. I love to collaborate, but I’ve been writing by myself for the first time in a while since quarantine started. It just feels really natural, to write a song from start to finish without any outside input. It’s 100% my feelings and artistry which is really fun.
What did you learn about yourself after the release of your EP American in Paris?
I learned so much! The biggest thing was that there are people out there who actually connect to my music. Like, I’m not insane for having these feelings or having this outlook on life. Other people have similar experiences.
Any favorite memories from your trips in Europe?
Probably the weekend I went to Amsterdam by myself. It was truly magical. I felt like I was in a movie the entire time. It’s a really amazing, special experience to be able to travel to a foreign country by yourself. I spent hours in this one little cafe, reading and journaling. And the people were so nice!
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
That’s a question I contemplate a lot. Sometimes I think being an artist means making work that’s completely unique and stands out. Other times, I think being an artist just means putting music out into the world that’s authentic to me. Sometimes I’m really precious about the music I put out, and other times I just want to release everything I write, whether or not I think it will do well commercially. But at the end of the day, being an artist is a very therapeutic experience. I think that’s what I’ve learned most over the quarantine.
Why do you make music? What keeps you going?
Recently, it’s the other songwriters, producers and artists I get to work with. I get really excited when they get excited about what I’m working on. Their opinions mean a lot to me! And when my artist friends make something really amazing, it pushes me to want to be a better songwriter.
What does singing make you feel?
I’ve never been really good at articulating myself in normal speech. Like, I can never find the write words or express exactly how I’m feeling. But when I sing, especially my own lyrics, I feel like I can truly convey who I am and how I feel.
What do you want to accomplish professionally and personally?
I really just want to make music that I’m proud of. Of course, I’d like to grow my audience and have more people listen to what I put out. But the music industry is so unpredictable. Right now, I just want to focus on honing in my sound and taking more artistic risks.
What major life lesson have you learned this year?
There’s a time to speak up, but there’s also a time to shut up and listen! Also, heart break sucks and there’s a reason so many people have written songs about it.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
We all need to listen to the people who are hurting and struggling the most in this world. We can’t just put blinders on and hope that issues will resolve themselves. And I think pop musicians, like myself, should write music about the issues that are affecting this world. I’ve really only written love songs up to this point, but I’m excited to start including more of my political opinions and activism into my music.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
Love others unconditionally and love yourself unconditionally.
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