MEG OLSEN Meg has a haunting voice akin to the country greats. She just released Charade, her noir-meets-western album. Her music is poetic and chill-inducing, our favorite track being Corners of Bars. Give her a read and a listen with us. _______________ INTERVIEW, MAKEUP, HAIR AND PHOTOS KELLY SEARLE
Have you always been into music? Music has definitely been an ever-present entity in my life. I preferred movies and TV shows that had musical elements, and used to put on ‘stage shows’ in front of the fireplace for my parents. I started writing lyrics and makeing up melodies when I was eight or nine. Despite a few failed attempts in my teens, however, I didn’t really learn to play an instrument until much later on. What inspires you, musically or otherwise? I look for inspiration in as many places as I can get it, honestly. The internet is particularly useful when you are looking to rattle your cage a bit. It is so incredibly easy to be jaded by the day-to-day, but there are so many people out there--my own circle of friends included--who are doing these amazingly creative things. I’m inspired by music, fashion, art, film and the written word. I feel lucky to be around at this moment in time for that reason because it’s all there at our fingertips. I also love to hear other people’s stories, especially biographies and documentaries. Seeing someone’s struggles and achievements laid out in a plain narrative form can really help put your own life into perspective, I think. You have a very feminine, 60’s sort of vibe to your style...where did that influence come from? I am a bit of a ‘false nostalgia’ junkie so that is probably part of it. I love vintage clothing and not just for the aesthetic reasons. I love the history that comes along with it. My style is contantly evolving but I think there will always be a throwback aspect to my look. I’ve also learned to embrace the feminine in my 20’s, which has been pretty empowering. That said, dresses
and skirts happen to be more comfortable for me than jeans and t-shirts ever were! When you’re writing lyrics, where do you write? When I sit down specifically to work on lyrics I’ll usually be at my piano or kitchen table in my house in Laurel Canyon. That said, fragments and ideas can and usually do come to me at the most inopportune moments. I’m usually out and about somewhere so I try to keep a pen and paper handy wherever I am. What’s your favorite part of playing live? I love so much about playing for a live audience. I love the pre-show ritual too because it’s all part of the performance. Unfortunately, I still get horribly anxious before a show. It’s silly because once I am up there and the wheels are in motion, that anxiety just melts into the background. I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. What’s one of the major challenges you’ve faced in life, and did it effect your music? I struggled for years with nerves about sharing my songs. I was always thinking that what I was creating was perhaps not good enough. But, knowing it was such a big part of who I am as a person I just couldn’t keep it a secret. Finally, with some encouragement from my close friends and people I trusted creatively, I felt like I was in a plce to commit to making music for public consumption. Once I got through that self-doubt barrier, there was this incredible relief and everything fell into place pretty quickly. It was a long time coming! Check out Meg’s music at megolsenmusic.com.