Earlier this year, country music singer-songwriter Meels released her sophomore EP, Across the Racoon Strait. With catchy and heartfelt melodies, vulnerable lyrics, and stunning musical effects, the project resonated with critics from the likes of People, Billboard, COWGIRL Magazine, and Nashville Scene. They praised the EP, noting Meels’s engaging “critter country” sound and rising star potential. She continues to grow as an artist with her first release since the project, “Lonely USA.”
On “Lonely USA,” Meels focuses on the unknown. Penned by Meels herself and produced by Peter Groenwald of Hush Kids (who also collaborated with her on Across the Racoon Strait) and Justin Francis (Jelly Roll, Leon Bridges), “Lonely USA” contains a foreboding vibe that reflects the darkness and mystery of venturing somewhere new. But there’s also a folksy groove established with Fats Kaplin’s fiddle work and Meels’s banjo accompaniment that brings the song to an ambitious, exciting place. All the while, Meels provides a restless energy when she sings, “I spend my nights a talking / To the whistle of the train / Dreaming of a city where they all know my name.” You can check it out in the live performance video for Western AF below.
Giving us more details about “Lonely USA,” Meels explains,
“‘Lonely USA’ is a song that I wrote in the midst of my first back-to-back tours. It tells the fictional story of a town called Lonely, USA, and a young woman who’s desperate to leave the place that’s only ever brought her heartbreak. For me, it’s really a metaphor for stepping into the unknown. It’s about that restless feeling of wanting to see what’s out there, trusting your instincts, and believing that whatever’s waiting beyond the horizon could be everything you’ve been hoping for.”
You can listen to “Lonely USA” here.
This fall, Meels will perform at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, AMERICANAFEST, and Bourbon & Beyond. She’ll also be reunited with Old Crow Medicine Show on select dates. Tickets and more info can be found here.
Keep up with Meels: Instagram // YouTube // TikTok // Website
