Words by Grace Kinter

Musician Meels has sharpened her sense of sound and is ready to share it with the world. With her second EP, Across the Raccoon Strait, making its debut on January 30th, Meels beams in excitement for her fans and fans yet to come to hear her self-actualized folk and Americana tunes. 

When Meels described her music as “critter country” with all the confidence and charm in the world, I was immediately drawn to her. On one hand, Meels’ upbringing in California gave her a strong connection to animals and nature. Muir Woods and its ethereal redwood trees were practically in her backyard, and she grew up with almost every pet you can imagine: guinea pigs, chickens, horses, rats, and more. Nature and animals are woven into her lyrics and imagery. Upon learning more, Meels unveiled that the critters in her songs are actually vessels to help deliver her message. “It’s not a way of disguising a truth, it’s just about making the truth more digestible for the audience and for me,” Meels shares. 

Meels identifies as having a California soul with a New York edge. Having spent time on both coasts, she admits to feeling most creative when she’s at home in California, and she feels it’s the place she’ll always come back to. She is also a huge fan and advocate of national parks, having performed a live version of her song “The Wizard” on a canoe, with glistening water all around her, at Glacier National Park. You can check it out here. 

When it comes to Across The Raccoon Strait, we’ve been blessed to receive a few singles off the EP: “Vultures,” “Willow Song,” and “The Wizard.” “Vultures” is the perfect driving song; medium-paced and leisurely. “Willow Song,” on the other hand, slows it down with no drums and feels questioning and haunting. “I’m one with the willow, I’m one with the wind / They’re gentle with me ’cause I’m not thick-skinned,” Meels sings with the perfect combination of soft, yet strong vocals. “The Wizard” opens up with whimsical percussion and piano that immediately gets you moving. It doesn’t take long to realize Meels is singing about her experience with OCD. The playfulness of the tune flips the subject matter on its head, calling back to Meels’ masterful ability to use metaphors to make her hard-hitting lyrics more digestible. You wouldn’t think to dance to a song about OCD, but Meels makes it possible. “Expelling deep feelings through my songs allows me to walk lighter through life,” Meels shares with a smile. 

The EP will be out on 1/30