Ones2Watch Home

Photo Credit: Jim Hughes

After releasing her debut EP in 2024, Meels is ready to bring her newest catalog of “folk country critter songs” to light with her sophomore EP, Across the Raccoon Strait. The seven-song release draws inspiration from some of country music’s most influential artists.

“After I released Tales from a Bird's Bedroom, which was my first EP, I just dug really deep into classic country music,” Meels said. “I grew up on a lot of ’60s and ’70s folk and was primarily listening to older music, but just got super into Loretta Lynn and Marty Robbins and Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, all of the classics and just felt super inspired.”

While much of Across the Raccoon Strait was written during her time in New York, the record is rooted in anticipation. As Meels waited to return to Mill Valley, California, that sense of longing and excitement became the emotional backbone of the EP.

“I think it was just like out of like a yearning for California and like excitement to be going home, and yeah, this record just feels like a homecoming in so many ways,” she said.

From start to finish, the EP explores Meels’ identity and lived experiences, often pairing upbeat melodies with underlying pain. The contrast was first pointed out to her in college, when a professor reflected on her songwriting.

“I just love your songwriting because it just feels like you're writing happy about the end of the world, like they do in fairy tales, which honestly was like, whoa, I've never really noticed that before,” Meels recalled.

As listeners begin to absorb the meaning behind the music, her emotions surface through each guitar strum and lyric.

“It's kind of like, maybe that's just me, my brain just like dealing with it in a way, like putting it in a way that's digestible and a little funny to maybe help myself deal with it or to make it more digestible for the listener,” she said.

The rawness of the record is amplified by Meels’ approach to recording. Unlike her previous work, Across the Raccoon Strait was recorded entirely to tape, removing digital distractions and creating a more personal atmosphere in the studio.

“Just kind of taking the digital-ness out of it a little bit and no screens in the studio and just kind of… having the band be like, all right, guys, we have to get really tight with this next one. Let's like, lock in,” she said. “And I feel like you can really hear that on the record, because that's not how I did the first one.”

Among the EP’s seven tracks, Meels points to “Marsha June” as her personal favorite. The song honors her grandmother and reflects on her life.

“I wrote it about my grandmother and her life. She's lived such a crazy life. And everything that you hear in that song is true,” she said.

The EP closes with a bold final track that came together in an unexpected way.

“I have this like, this voice memo like of me in the shower, like slapping on my leg and like singing this horn line,” Meels said. “I like, I was like, honestly, I don't know how else to describe this. So I just sent it to my producers and they're like, Meels, this is hilarious. Literally, the way we did it, sounds exactly like it did in my head.”

Nods to classic music and retro cinematography are woven into every part of Meels’ identity, from her lyrics and melodies to her personal style and California roots. Onstage or off, she presents herself the same way.

“My name's Amelia, but every, like everybody since I was a little kid called me Meels,” she said. “I'm, you know, have for a long time been really into the ’60s and ’70s fashion and history and I think, that plays a big part in the brand, like the way I dress. But, it really is just the way I dress in my everyday life.”

Adding to her growing list of accomplishments, Meels has signed with Lost Highway Records, joining a roster that includes many of her musical heroes.

“It's just like an honor to be included in the Lost Highway legacy,” she said. “I mean, all of my, like so many of my biggest music idols have released music through Lost Highway. And it just feels so exciting to be even included in that list of artists.”

Artists such as Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash have helped shape Meels into the musician she is today.

This year, Meels will take her sound on the road as a supporting act for Margo Price and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, bringing her newest work to live audiences.

With Across the Raccoon Strait, Meels continues to carve out a sound rooted in tradition while remaining deeply personal. The project stands as both a homecoming and a leap forward, carrying the stories, background and influences that have shaped her into the artist she is becoming.