Kendall Jane Meade didn’t know what hit her. The pandemic, then a sudden divorce…it was all a bit much. But it sparked a creative stint that Meade channeled into her writing. Space (out February 28) features nine chronologically autobiographical songs and is largely a collaborative effort that reflects how Meade – who has also worked with Sparklehorse, Helium, Stars, The Spinanes, and Lloyd Cole – embraced the crucial support of her musical and social communities while internally adrift and healing, and making space for lightness. We spoke with Meade about her approach to songwriting and how “Stereo,” a light, dreamy song, is a culmination of her fears.
Explain the title of your album, SPACE.
It’s a word that is just five letters and pretty generic, but it changed the course of my life. Three years ago my then-husband called me out of the blue and told me he needed space. This was a bomb drop for me. I had just quit my job so we could move from LA to his hometown, a small foothill town in California, to regroup during the pandemic. So with that one word, I found myself moving back to LA, just me and my dog, and restarting my life from scratch. To process my grief, I quietly started writing songs again. Then the word space started to take on different meanings for me during that time. Sometimes it felt positive, or negative, or essential, or even painfully elusive. I wrote a song about the feeling, and it became the title track.
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
To be moved to write or to write with someone else, I have to tap into a burning desire type of feeling that I need to express. I usually have no choice but to process my thoughts or feelings through songwriting. So I would say don’t be afraid of big feelings when you’re writing, as chances are they are what’s most needed to be expressed through song. And the feelings don’t need to be sad! They could be joyful, mundane, or yearning, as long as they’re true to you, it works.
What have you missed about touring?
Everything. I love touring and playing shows and always have, so I was so happy to get back to it recently. It gives me a sense of purpose that makes sense to my brain. I’m a seeker of new experiences, and even though I tend to be a solitary songwriter, love playing music in bands. What I enjoy the most is the camaraderie between the band you’re in and the band you’re touring with. The inside jokes, knowing how the other members take their coffee, etc. These little moments build the connection and chemistry that adds to what happens onstage.
What do you think you could do to make your music or shows more accessible to a more diverse audience?
I love working with artists outside of my current musical comfort zone. I’m a Libra, so collaboration of all kinds is where I thrive. I also love hosting events with a variety of artists, and I have plans to do more of that here in Los Angeles to expand my musical community.
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember about it?
One of the first concerts I ever attended was Madonna, who was playing in our shared hometown of metro Detroit. The Beastie Boys were her opening act — how cool is that? My older sister took me and my friends to the show, which was very nice as we were probably a super annoying bunch of 7th graders dressed up in lace and rhinestones. It all comes full circle for me, as my latest single “Stereo” was inspired by The Queen of Pop herself. About a year and a half ago I had just come off my first tour in ages, and I was feeling joyful— like I would be able to finally move past failed marriage. And then I got a news notification on my phone that Madonna was critically ill and would be canceling her world tour.
For some reason, I took it hard, and my mood turned dark. “Not Madonna!” I thought kind of dramatically. I imagined how, if she died, perhaps the Detroit Symphony Orchestra might play her songs in honor. How I would pilgrimage home to see it and pay my respects. I started writing the song from a place of anxiety and potential mourning about Madonna, and as it unfolded, it became a bit of a love letter to my hometown, an homage to her, and a celebration of the healing power of music.
SPACE will be out on February 28th
Kendall Jane Meade — Instagram