Meels Is Just Getting Started (Press Conference Recap)
- Kayla Barnak
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Written by Kayla Barnak
The California native artist, Meels, dove into the scene with her debut album, Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom, in 2024. This seven-track work plays more like a diary of songs; its sound and uniqueness focus heavily on nature and nostalgia. Two years later, Meels is now gearing up to release her newest project, Across The Raccoon Strait, featuring the current singles “Willow Song,” “Vultures,” and “The Wizard.” Releasing on January 30, 2026, the album will be followed by a tour supporting Carter Faith, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Margo Price this spring. Sitting down with Universal Music Group’s 1824 program, Meels held a press conference for music publications to get the inside scoop on all things Across The Raccoon Strait.
“This new record is me returning to my roots as a folk music lover,” Meels shared when asked about taking a new leap from Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom to the upcoming record, which is rooted in its ties to folk classics. Memories of Meels’ childhood home fill her songwriting. Her creativity stems from the remembrance of the nature of the redwood trees that fill her parents' backyard. The concept of nature and nostalgia is expected to be present on the new album.
Meels references her sound as “Critter Country,” a style that is so uniquely tied to both records. In songwriting, Meels uses animals as metaphors to represent the hard truths of life in a way that's easier to digest as a listener. “Songwriting to me is about trusting myself and trusting my gut. The ones that run through me and are done in 30 minutes, I know that these [songs] will become its own world,” Meels explained when asked about knowing when a song is meant to turn into its own world of lyrics to be shared with the world. “Writing happy about the end of the world” is a quote Meels used to describe her songwriting, given by a mentor she had while in the industry.
“The Wizard,” the lead single of the record, explores Meels’ struggles with OCD. Meels shared with the conference-goers that writing about a topic like OCD made it easier for her to work through those issues. “Vultures,” the last track released before the record’s release, radiates a bittersweet, hopeful sound. This song explores themes of hopefulness and loss as a way of looking back on your life and longing for a time that is no longer present. “I’d be doing jail time if it’s a crime to be small and alive,” a lyric from the song that, in Meels’ words, “brings you into the story of the song.”
Meels described Across The Raccoon Strait as the album that lives in a more confident space in comparison to her debut album, Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom. “Writing about my inner world helps me move through my outer world.” Meels shared this, tying back to making this record and how the aspects themselves have evolved, putting together the world that is Across The Raccoon Strait
In the near future, we will be able to fully dive into the folk country critter tunes of Across The Raccoon Strait. Make sure to check and see if Meels is immersing into your world on tour this spring.