This Valentine’s Day, the only person MEIA is spending the holiday with is herself.
In her newest single, “Date Myself,” MEIA brings out her confidence and self-awareness through this fun and upbeat track. The song is an anthem of self-love and embracing your sexuality without needing a counterpart.
The singer grew up in a musical household and started writing songs when she was a teenager, using it as a way to cope with the hardships she was going through in her life at the time.
“I write from real-life experience,” MEIA says. “It’s easier to write about something when you’re really going through [it].”
In contrast to her usual “darker” songs, the talented singer/songwriter has taken a more lighthearted and upbeat path with the single. MEIA decided to take a step out of her comfort zone with “Date Myself,” showing her fans a new side of herself and how much more she has to offer, and she definitely did not disappoint!
“My goal for this song is to bring people around the world that sexy, confident energy,” MEIA states. She opens up more about how deeply she believes in the importance of self-love, saying, “I think that everyone should empower themselves. At the end of the day, all we have is ourselves. I think it’s so important to self-love and self-care.”
“Date Myself” is only the beginning of a new path for MEIA. The artist reveals that this track is the start of a new era for her, and she’s so excited to share it with her fans!
Get ready to bring more “bad b****” energy into this year!
MEIA sits down (virtually) with Celeb Secrets to discuss growing up in a musical household, how she embraces her self-love, and what’s to come from her in 2021!
Check out our Q&A down below and don’t forget to listen to “Date Myself”! Let us know how excited you are for MEIA’s new era by leaving a reaction down below or tweeting us @celebsecrets!
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Celeb Secrets: Hello, everyone! Celeb Secrets here and we have the wonderfully talented, MEIA joining us today! How are you doing? How has quarantine life been treating you?
MEIA: “Hello! I’ve been doing so well. Quarantine has been crazy but for the best. I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to create music, write and just work on my artist project. It’s definitely been a good use of my time.”
CS: That’s really good to hear! I’ve read that you grew up singing, songwriting, and playing music. Along with that, you also grew up loving alternative pop culture and music. How has that experience growing up influenced your music career and your songwriting?
M: “I love that question. I grew up in a pretty musical household. My dad played guitar and sang to me all the time. I always compare my relationship with him to Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley [Cyrus]. He also taught my brothers how to play the guitar and they taught me how to play guitar, so it was just a very musical household. When I was a teenager and started to experience my first hardships and all that negative stuff in life, writing was my way of therapy, getting through things, and escaping. That’s how I got into that [songwriting]. I play piano, guitar, and songwriting is just something I love to do and now I’m doing it as a profession, and it’s awesome.”
CS: I love your new track, it’s really good! You’ve also written covering a range of topics, from very serious to very lighthearted, is there a difference between the writing process of the two?
M: “Yes, absolutely! I used to really only be able to write sad songs, well, dark songs, I should say, like songs that are just so heavy. I write from real life experience, and it’s easier to write about something when you’re really going through something. But, ‘Date Myself’, this single, is the first song I really pushed myself to just be upbeat, happy, and lighthearted. It was absolutely a different process, writing stuff like that. I think it comes a little less natural to me, but I will say it also depends on who you have in the room. This song was written with my friend Dan, Will, and Kevin, and also Jake Miller. Jake is a very positive, happy person. Whenever we’re in a room together, he’s always like: “Okay, we’re not gonna write a sad song, we’re gonna write something happy!” It just comes from the energy in the room, the people in the room, and trying to switch it up and show the world, and my fans, that I have more to offer than just one type of song.”
CS: That sounds like a very lively environment to be in!
M: “Yes, yes! Definitely.”
CS: Like you said, “Date Myself” is a much more upbeat song and when I listened to it, I felt so empowered. I felt so confident in myself, like I could take on whatever and I didn’t need anyone along with me!
M: “Girl, I love that. I love that you felt that way! That is how I want everyone to feel when they listen to this song. This song is literally saying, regardless of a relationship or not, you need to put YOU first and love on you. I love that it made you feel that way because that’s my goal for this song. It’s to bring people around the world that sexy, confident energy.”
CS: So, how did it [“Date Myself”] come about? What was the inspiration behind it?
M: “I’ve always been super into self-empowerment, and I would say I’m a pretty big feminist. I love women because I am a woman. I think that everyone should empower themselves. At the end of the day, all we have is ourselves. I think it’s so important to self-love and self-care. ‘Date Myself’ came from a place where I, at the time, was in a long distance relationship for five years and you kind of just have to learn how to date yourself, and do you! Growing up and being in and out of relationships, falling in love and breaking up, the one thing that stays consistent is you and that’s what inspired ‘Date Myself.’ That is the one consistent thing in your life and you gotta learn to love it.”
CS: Exactly! So like we’ve talked about, “Date Myself” is an anthem for self-love and owning who you are. What are the ways you empower yourself or embrace your own self-love?
M: “I would say the main thing is that I am very gentle with myself. I think it’s very easy to get caught up in society, society standards, and just trying to put so much pressure on yourself. I think that the best way you could care for yourself is to be gentle with how you’re feeling and not be too hard on yourself. I also do little things: I eat pretty healthy, I go to the gym, and I write in my journal. I take time with myself and for myself each day. Even if it’s a small amount of time! I think it’s so important to be with you and loving you. That’s pretty much my routine, I just try to stay healthy and active, and on top of that, just be kind to myself when I’m feeling down.”
CS: I love that. I’ve also learned that along with the music process, your other creative projects. Are there any creative projects regarding “Date Myself” that you’re involved in that you can maybe share with us?
M: “As far as creative projects go, I love being involved in everything I do. Whether that’s helping design merch, directing the music video, or creating the cover art, I want to be involved in everything I do and I think that’s also partly because I’m independent. The process is also so fun for me, I’ve actually worked at Warner Music Group for a few years and I love the behind the scenes – the hard work, the design, the ideas, and the creative content. I would say that I’m involved in everything I do, but I also do bring in people that are experts in what they’re doing and we combine our minds and combine our vision and create something super dope.”
CS: Is “Date Myself” a taste of what’s to come in the future?
M: “I would absolutely say that it is the beginning of a new era for me. ‘Date Myself’ is fresh, I’m gonna have some fun, upbeat, pop music coming out but even the darker stuff I have coming out, it’s not just super sad music anymore. It’s very bad b*****! I feel like with all the music I have coming out, ‘Date Myself’ is the foundation to show everyone of what’s to come. It doesn’t give it all away, there are still songs coming out that are different from ‘Date Myself’ and I’m excited! I don’t wanna give away too much.”
CS: No worries! But, you know, we are Celeb Secrets, so is there any secret you can share about yourself or just a hint of a future project?
M: “Hm, what can I say? I would say that my secret is that I am hoping to release 10 songs this year. I won’t tell you how I’m going to do it – if it’ll be an EP, an album, or like a bunch of singles – but, I will say that I’ve been creating music throughout 2020 like crazy. It’ll be a year of lots of music, lots of content, and there’s so much to come.”
