Conversations with Meghan Linsey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Linsey.

Hi Meghan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Thanks so much! Let’s see… well… I was born in New Orleans. I think growing up down there really shaped me as an artist. That culture had a huge influence on my music and style.

Then, I moved to Nashville when I was 18, right after I graduated high school. I immediately got a job hosting karaoke at Lonnie’s Western Room in Printer’s Alley downtown. I was singing demos for songwriters, writing 2-3 songs a day, anything I could to get into the scene and make a little money.

Eventually, I signed a record deal with Big Machine with my duo Steel Magnolia. We toured like crazy, visiting every radio station, dive bar, festival, and fair across the country. We toured opening for some big artists too, Brad Paisley, Bob Seger, Reba. It was a whirlwind.

At that time, I had written a list of everything I wanted to accomplish, and I read it every single morning. One by one, I started checking things off the list… hit single, Letterman,The Opry, CMA’s, ACM’s, I think I checked everything off within a year.

Professionally, I was on top of the world, but personally, I was struggling. My relationship with my fiancé/ duo partner wasn’t working and I had to make the hardest decision of my life. I left the band, and we each went our separate ways.

I continued to pursue music as a solo artist. I put out some singles and an EP, but I still wasn’t totally sure what direction I was going. I knew I had made the right decision for my mental health, but I still felt lost.

Then, one day in 2015 I got a call about auditioning for NBC’s The Voice. It was one of the producers and they said that they were searching for more female talent to audition.

I thought, “why not?”, and a few days later, I was on a plane headed to LA. I made it through the blind audition and ended up coming in second place that year. It was a crazy, unexpected ride.

Since The Voice experience, I’ve continued to put out music independently. My husband, Tyler Cain and I built a recording studio during the lockdown. He’s an insanely talented producer, musician, writer and artist. We’ve had some really cool tv and film placements recently. We just did the new theme song for Queer Eye and we’ve landed a few on Station 19.

We also just performed my new single, “If You Need Me, Don’t” on the Kelly Clarkson Show a few weeks ago.

It’s been quite the journey. Lots of ups and downs, but I still can’t believe that I get to do music for a living. I wake up grateful every single day.

I try to stay true to myself and speak out about the things I care about, when I feel led. Social justice, diversity, inclusion, equality are all topics I’m super passionate about.

I am also an advocate for animals. I get it from my parents. Growing up, we always picked up every stray dog, and that has definitely carried over into my adult life. I still pick up dogs, feed cats, help injured birds and opossums. I would do anything for an animal. I’m an ambassador for Beagle Freedom Project and a supporter of Nashville Humane.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve always worked very hard and I’ve definitely had my fair share of struggles. I’ve just tried to keep moving forward, no matter what. I’m definitely a firm believer that life is what you make it.

– I think one of my hardest times was when I left the band and my relationship ended. My partner  entered a treatment facility for drug and alcohol abuse, right before we were set to go out on the Reba tour. It was a very tough time for me because our relationship was irreparable and I knew it. There were a lot of hurtful things that happened. I decided to move forward with the tour solo and it took everything I had to get on stage every night. I was smiling, but I was dying on the inside. It was a heartbreaking and transformative time for me. I think that was the first time I really started to learn who I was and what I was made of.

– Another transformative time for me came in  2017, when I was a bit on the face by a brown recluse spider in my sleep. It was pretty brutal. I had every symptom you can possibly experience… excruciating nerve pain, muscle spasms, full-body rash, extreme swelling, and then the necrosis set in and I developed a large black wound under my eye. It took months to heal and a lot of medical treatments. I think that’s when I realized how important my yoga practice was. It’s a mindset and when you have something like that happen to you, you have no control. You have no choice but to live totally in the present moment, so that’s what I did.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a soulful artist from New Orleans. I’m very proud of my roots, and I think that comes across in my music. I also love writing songs, as much as I love singing them. I’ve been writing since I was a kid.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Authenticity. People know when you’re full of shit. I try to be honest, in my songwriting, my music, and on social media. I used to be afraid to speak out about the things I was passionate about. I never want to feel like that again. I always want to keep it real and use my platform for the greater good.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/meghanlinsey
• Facebook: Facebook.com/meghanlinseymusic
• Twitter: Twitter.com/Meghanlinsey
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@meghanlinseysings

Image Credits:
Jessica Ireland, Barbara Peacock, Eric Ahlgrim, and Jeremy Ryan