With the release of her inaugral album spittake, Meg Elsier proves that genre isn’t as important as the feeling that songs convey. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter discusses authenticity, incorporating dynamics, and the journey of recording spittake.

The cover artwork for Meg Elsier’s debut album spittake features the singer-songwriter ferociously spitting water while donning a lacy white outfit and a delicate, feminine hat. It’s the perfect representation of what her music embues: a merging of softness and roughness. Both distorted electric guitars and acoustic guitars weave in and out around Elsier’s emotive vocals as she effortlessly drifts between folk, pop, and rock.

Elsier knew going into the recording process that she wanted to incorporate the combination of heavy and soft dynamics, and the emphasis on atmosphere and texture over perfection ultimately allowed the raw, emotional nature of spittake to shine. This combination of dynamics represents the complexity of Elsier herself: no one is 100 percent anything. 

“I really do believe I embody the album sonically. I feel like less of a well-blended combination and more of a collection of traits and things I like thrown all over me. I can be super smiley and sweet, but I also need to express my emotions in a way I can feel… in my chest, in my throat, in my gut,” says Elsier. 

The Nashville-based singer-songwriter attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music, but the emphasis on technique and sounding “pretty” was at odds with her determination to fully express all facets of her voice, adding that “there’s more to my voice than softness and soothing.”

Juxtaposed with her esteemed music education is the very straightforward setup she utilized to capture the realness of the room. With assistance from producer Ryan McFadden, Elsier recorded a hollow body guitar being mic’d through a “shitty pawn shop amp” that picked up the mechanical sounds of the pedals that acted like a texture on its own. 

Despite the recording’s simplicity, the lengthy time it took for the process to be completed meant there was time to get in her own head and reveal insecurities about sonic choices, authenticity, and the challenges of collaborating. “It’s hard to try and give the most authentic performance and to be in a giving and collaborative yet intimate headspace, while your brain is questioning if it still feels true to you,” she admits. 

Authenticity is not a strange concept to Elsier. The writing stage for spittake was more intimate – just her and a guitar before additional arrangements were incorporated. This stripped down approach allowed her to be more vulnerable before building onto the demo with McFadden.

Now with the writing of a whole album under her belt, she’s more adept at songwriting beyond the vocals, lyrics, and guitars. “Sometimes I can’t really translate my thoughts into words very well, but being able to hear other parts of the music and map them out has helped me feel more comfortable in the world-building of songs,” Elsier explains. 

Her comfortability with songwriting has extended beyond just the rapport with a producer and the band. Originally from New England but now based in Nashville, Elsier is well aware of the struggles that the indie music scene faces. One of the biggest challenges is finding opportunities in a city recognized as a hotbed for country music, but there’s always artistry that will stand out regardless. “The scene is full of respect and collaboration and connection. The intention is to make art. Make it different and make it better. I think when something is more difficult to water, the flowers can end up more vibrant,” Elsier says. 

Vibrancy ultimately what spittake feels like. The folk leanings of the opening title track transition to the warped and thunderous “iznotreal,” with Elsier’s soft singing and layers of distorted guitars and pounding drums. The seemingly contradicting elements never feel out of place, and instead are a welcoming diversity that exemplifies her vast influences.

From woodwinds in classical music to the dopamine rush of pop music, there are nuggets of inspiration she’s able to grasp onto no matter which genre or how small the detail. “I think there are artists in every genre of music being genuine and making music that sounds like them, and you can feel it in the music. And that’s what I’ll take from any and every genre,” Elsier says. 

Throughout its eleven tracks spittake ebbs and flows through rock, pop, and folk on a journey that feels just like what it is to be a human: every-changing and multi-faceted.