Megan Black is readying to perform
At Glasgow’s Endless Summer

Hello Megan, can you tell us where are you from & where are you living today?
Hello! So, I’m originally from West Lothian and am currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Ah, Edinburgh, what do you make of the city’s music scene?
I am definitely a lot more involved in the Glasgow music scene than Edinburgh. Edinburgh doesn’t feel as vibrant in terms of supporting original live music, however, there are some really great venues: in particular, I love Sneaky Petes in Edinburgh and have played there a few times. The team at sneaky Petes really seem to hold importance in supporting artists and showcasing their original work. As well as this, we have wide days which do amazing work for artists and people working in the music industry so hopefully the momentum to celebrate original music keeps building!

What are your first musical memories?
My first musical memory is of joining a folk band at age fifteen and learning to play ‘Wagon Wheel’ on guitar – I still know every word to that song!

Photos by Charli Morachnik – Echo Echo Photography

When did you realise you wanted to take music seriously?
Over lockdown, I wrote my first album, ‘Deadly is the Woman’. I think it was around that time that I started to see myself as an artist. Having people respond so positively and really get something from the music i make made me want to do it for a living. I also really love being a performer and I just know it’s what I want to do (I’ve also worked plenty of rubbish jobs to give me perspective on what really makes me happy). It’s a no-brainer at this point.

There’s a certain element of several musical & spiritual streams meeting in your music, can you define them for us?
The first song I ever released at age 19 was my single ‘Fur Coat Queen’ (2019). It was my way of coming out as queer to everyone (including my family). The music I write is always for my younger self. I grew up in a small town where I didn’t feel I had permission to be queer and, therefore, didn’t have permission to be me. I owe it to my younger self to be the person she always wanted to be now. I want her to be proud and to feel seen. And hopefully, while doing that, I can make other people feel that too. My music covers a lot of very important topics such as feminism, the LGBTQ+ community, mental health, addiction, and relationships; but all it really comes down to is me talking about my own experiences as authentically as I can, and hopefully by doing that, I can help other people too.

Where do your songs come from & how do you shepherd them into existence?
My songs always tend to start with me humming a tune. I’m one of those annoying people that’s always got a song stuck in their head! Then I have to work out if it’s mine or someone else’s (this happens a lot), and then it just grows from there. I always have an idea of what I want to write about and the songs tend to be manifestations of what is going on in my life. I then get some chords together and build on them more with my band until they become what you hear. It’s definitely a process.

So… desert island, solar power’d CD player, 3 albums – what are they?
This is such a difficult question! This answer will change all of the time but right now they are ‘Stop Making Sense’ by Talking Heads, ‘Fetch the Bolt Cutters’ by Fiona Apple, and ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ by Lauryn Hill.

You’ve just releas’d a new single, can you tell us all about the song?
My new seat single MOTHER. SISTER. LOVER. is a celebration of womanhood and the power we possess. As a queer woman, I’ve been in love with women and still felt this comparison. We’re taught there’s only one opportunity. We’re taught we have to be prettier, smarter, funnier – you name it! This is something placed on woman by a patriarchal system, and I’m tired of fighting. My biggest inspirations in this world come from the women in my life. I love women and I want to celebrate the fact I am one! I collaborated on this song with many artists who identify as women or as non-binary. I wanted this song to recognise that this effects all women and everyone who relates to the experience. The more we stand together, the more we realise just how powerful and wonderful we are.

Can you tell us about the recording process that brought ‘MOTHER. SISTER. LOVER. into existence?
This song was Co-recorded by myself and Sam Macleod, mixed and mastered by Scott Bathgate, and features the musicianship of Estefanía Badilla Mora, Niamh Maclennan, Rachel Duns, Mima Merrow, Sam Moffat, Lewis Ross, Stephen Buggy, and Paul Lamberton.

You recently play’d a sell-out gig in Newcastle, how did it go?
My sell out show in Newcastle was divine! I may have some news about a future show there coming up soon!

What does the rest of 2023 have in store for Megan Black & her music?
The rest of 2023 holds many surprises (things I can’t announce yet) but there may be some more new music, festivals and live shows in new places!