Spotlight On... Megan Black

Since releasing her debut single Fur Coat Queen in 2019, Megan Black has racked up quite the list of achievements, from her award-winning EP to working on film soundtracks, to having her single Funk for Introverts featured in Snack Mag’s 2024 Songs of the Year list. Black released her debut album Deadly is the Woman in 2022 and has played her fair share of shows across the UK, Europe and the US.

Following a steady run of releases, at the end of last year Black teased her next album with a live album preview show as part of the Winter Soundhouse Festival; if you were there you’ll presumably have heard her forthcoming single – Clementine – already. This Friday (27 Jun) Clementine will officially see the light of day; the 60s-indebted rock number is packed with energy, catchy melodies and is oozing with confidence. In truth, it feels like Clementine is the sign of Black truly finding herself as an artist and we're excited for what the future holds. 

Ahead of its release, we catch up with Black while she’s in LA on top secret business to talk origin stories, inspirations and that album she teased back in November…

Let’s go right back to the start: how long have you been writing, recording and releasing music, and who or what inspired/encouraged you to get into it in the first place?
I’ve been PROPERLY writing and recording music since I was 19 when I released my first ever song Fur Coat Queen (which was my way of coming out to my family, but more on that later). I had two extremes of inspiration growing up – Bob Dylan and Hannah Montana – and I can really see the influence from them both in the music I make now! 

I wanted to be a football player when I was a child (I wasn’t very good at it). I got into music very randomly and ended up joining my high school’s folk band where I picked up instruments and first started writing songs. I gave music up for a while when I left school until I realised it was all I actually wanted to do. I’ve been doing this for six years now.

You have a sound that’s dripping in long-gone, but not-forgotten eras like the 60s and 70s. What is it about those eras of music that you love so much and who are some of the artists you’d say inspire your sound?
The people who know me personally know that when I’m not gigging, I’m in bed by 8.30pm playing sudoku on my phone. I literally am an old man at my core and I think my influence in music reflects that!! No, in all seriousness, after releasing Fur Coat Queen, we went into lockdown and I lived in the world’s smallest flat ever where I worked and studied from home. I didn’t really see many people and that point in my life really pushed me to look at the music I wanted to make – I have always been drawn to 70s rock 'n' roll. At this point in my life, I was angry and it allowed me to channel it which is where my first album Deadly is the Woman came from. 

I love the drama of the 60s and 70s – I love how raw some of the music is and I love the fashion. I wanted to find a world where I could write music inspired by Mick Jagger without the misogyny. I wanted to tell stories through my own voice and experience of the world but still find a way to make it feel both nostalgic and modern.

Following the release of You. Me., your collaborative single with Thundermoon last month, at the end of this week you’re releasing your first solo single of the year, Clementine. What’s the song about?
Clementine is teenage me if I was a bit cooler and grew up in the 60s. As a teenager, I was in love with my best friend and instead of telling her how I felt, I got a boyfriend. Clementine is a caricature of me – I always felt a bit nerdy, whereas Clementine is the IT GIRL. She’s cool, she wears amazing clothes, dances around – yet she still doesn’t have the courage to come out. It’s a way for me to heal that part of myself a bit. 

Fun fact: when I thought of writing this song, I couldn’t think of the name so I named her after my car. I wrote the words 'Clementine, you’ve got my desire / Clementine, a woman on fire’ and, I kid you not, two weeks later my car exploded.

Towards the end of last year you put on a very ambitious ‘early album listening party’ show at the Traverse to celebrate your impending ten-track concept album which you describe as ‘a soap opera of an album’. I assume Clementine is taken from that record? What more can you tell us about the album at this stage? What makes it a ‘soap opera’ and what are some of the themes and genres/eras explored across the record? And most importantly, when can we expect it… ?
This album is unbelievably dramatic. Firstly it’s a concept album. Clementine is part one of the story. Throughout this album, each song has its own world – each is a different colour, set in a different place, decade, and season. I can’t say too much about it right now but the drama starts because Clementine marries a man. There’s divorce, scandal, existential crisis, and me being my own fairy godmother – and these are literally not the most dramatic parts. The album will be released like episodes of a show. Clementine is episode one (but not necessarily track one in the timeline). 

This is the most proud/nervous/excited I’ve ever been to share music with the world. I hate my own music the majority of the time and I still feel so proud of this album. Whilst my fan base is very small at the moment, I’ve honestly been really inspired by fans of mine – people I’ve met at shows and through social media. The support and the honesty and the authenticity these people have really has inspired me to put everything out there for this album and I really hope people get something from it. 

Image: Megan Black by Abi Houliston

And what does the rest of the year have in store for you? Any musical adventures near or far to get excited about?
I’ve just finished a freewheeling tour of Europe and am currently in LA. I have a LOT to share very soon about why I’m here but it’s all very exciting things! Whilst writing this album, my whole life has turned upside down and it’s very scary and exciting!

I’ll be announcing a lot of shows later this year and will definitely be back to Scotland before you know it! I’ve also had a request for a Clementine Barbie doll so I need to figure out how to make that happen! I hope you all enjoy Clementine and stay tuned for episode two! 

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Clementine is released on 27 Jun

Follow Megan Black on Instagram @meganblackmusic

meganblackofficial.weebly.com