What inspires Meg Hitchcock
Hey Meg! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. How are you?
Hiya! I am well thank you, we’re over the winter tipping point now in Byron and the sun is picking up pace again! How are you?
Doing well thanks! Your debut single ‘Hello Moon’ is so full of soul! Can you walk us through some of the influences behind the track?
I owe a lot of my musical soul to my parents - we were always singing at the top of our voices on car trips. They have led me to be heavily influenced by a mixture of music from the 80s whether it be Madonna and her conviction, Kraftwerks synthesiser magic, Prince and his combination of rock and dance, or George Michael’s ballads. More recently I have been very into atmospheric music and artists that push boundaries - Brain Eno, FKA twigs, and always - Bon Iver. I guess the combination of these elements has led me to where I am now.
We understand Byron Bay has played quite a magical role in your life recently, having made it your home after leaving the UK - what can you tell us about your journey so far?
I first settled in Byron back in 2017 at a time where the idea of being a musician was a lost dream of my 16-year-old self. Slowly I got absorbed into the community and found a home-away-from-home. I just happened to come across my - soon to be - musical family and toyed with the idea of performing and writing again. After a few small intimate gigs and a newly formed drive, I figured where better than London to give music a crack! So I headed back in September 2019 and gave it a go. However, I had the opportunity to travel back to Australia to perform at the final Party in the Paddock Festival (Tasmania), and just like that, I found myself on Aussie soil again. With the intention (and the flight) to return to the UK after our debut festival performance, and after a week visit to my Byron family, we drove to Brisbane Airport. But as we pulled close I broke down in tears. The logical side of my brain was telling me to get on the plane, but my gut and intuition were having none of it! So… we turned around! Two weeks later the world was in lockdown, and I was fortunate enough to be in close proximity to my musical family once again. As soon as restrictions eased we were straight in the studio recording ‘Hello Moon.’ It seems that Byron worked it’s magic and I was catapulted back onto the path I was always meant to be on.
You’ve mentioned that the idea for ‘Hello Moon’ came from a nighttime stroll and a feeling of disconnect to the world around you. Can you tell us some more about that?
The song was written when I was back in the UK, one night after I’d got home to the suburbs from London. I had walked to get groceries, and on my return, as I turned the corner, there, proud in the sky, was the shining full moon. In awe and disbelief a tear ran down my cheek, I felt completely disconnected to nature, I had no idea it was the day of the full moon. I was too busy ‘on the grind’ getting up and on the train before the sun was up, and arriving home after it was dark. The first line and melody ‘Hello, Moon. It’s been a while, I’ve been in the city where I can't see the sky’ whispered out. I ran inside, found the arpeggiator sound on my laptop and ‘Hello Moon’ was born. Lyrically the rest of the song is heavily influenced by my reading of Annaka Harris’ book ‘CONSCIOUS.’ I spent my time in London questioning our experience of existence. The line ‘is it like something to be like you’ mirrors ideas form Thomas Nagel's “What is it like to be a bat,” as I play with the ideas intuitions, god, and fate.
What's one thing that you hope people will take away from your music?
A feeling of freedom and the urge to boogie.
What role has music played throughout your life? Are there any artists who have remained with you as your tastes evolve?
I was extremely shy when I was little, I was the only child to not partake in the yearly school play. That was until I hit the ripe age of 7, discovered the song ‘Memory’ from Cats The Musical, and voila, I wanted to be centre stage at all times. One of my biggest musical expanders was my vocal teacher, mentor, and good friend, Cecilia Smiga. She was an opera singer and pushed me beyond what I thought were my limits, I owe a lot of who I am as a musician to her, and as mentioned before - my family. Florence and The Machine have my heart, it seems that I coincidently went through phases and grew as they did, I think it’s beautiful when this relationship between artist and fan evolve. I can't wait to create the same experience for others along my journey.
What inspires you?
Nature. I go crazy without it. It’s one of my favourite things about Byron Bay life, our daily integration with the outdoors. Also, good connections with adventurous, big-thinking, challenging (in the best way) friends - our provocative conversations definitely inspire my lyrics.
Finally, where can we find your music, and can we expect more new music from Meg Hitchcock in the near future?
Everywhere… haha. Well, on all major streaming platforms! Definitely check out the music video for ‘Hello Moon,’ the making of which was a dream come true and quite literally a sneak peek inside my imagination. You’ll find links to everything on my social media accounts (@meghitchcockmusic). And you can expect more very soon. This is only the beginning, we’re hitting the ground running, and starting as we mean to go on. Get ready!