Meresha

Meresha may soon be on a first-name basis with the public

New Revolution" adds elements of Prince and Annie Lennox to its predecessor's impressive echoes of Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Amy Winehouse. - Palm Beach Post

At the age of 12, Meresha recorded her song, "Fool Don't Be," in a CD booth at a mall. Fun, refreshing, and totally independent, the song revealed exciting potential. By the time she was 15, the singer and multi-instrumentalist uprooted her family from Warsaw, Poland, and headed for Florida. In late 2013, she launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that helped her release her first EP, Lunatic, on which she wrote, sang, produced, and played all the instruments. Her intense focus and D.I.Y. attitude garnered interest with young fans and supporters of independent music alike. While her deep, soulful voice recalled a young Annie Lennox, Anastacia, and Katy Perry, her quirky sonic vision drew comparisons to a young Björk or Lorde.

New Revolution By the following year, she'd gained a modest following on social media and radio airplay for her song "New Revolution," all before the age of 18. In 2015, she released the EP New Revolution, which included the title track and a trio of other songs that ranged in similarity from the Eurythmics to FKA Twigs. Her sometimes frenetic eclecticism and eccentric beats created a fresh sound that brought old styles into contemporary production. - All Music

This artist is a self-propelled and self-encased musical product. She plays a multitude of instruments, sings and even gets her hands dirty in post-production. She may be news to you, but with a bit of luck, she’ll be charting on EDM and dance boards. - Shutter16

Meresha brings a “New Revolution” to the indie music scene . We believe she just may be destined to join the ranks of those artists like Björk, Beck, Gaga, Madonna and Cher who are on a first name basis with their fans. - LA Music Critic

Meresha is a singer, songwriter, musician, artist, dancer, runner, vegan and animal lover.

At only 18 years old, Meresha recently launched her EP “New Revolution”.

Born and raised in Warsaw, Poland, Meresha’s interest in music began at the age of 11 with both guitar and voice lessons. In just one year, music became her passion, and she began writing and performing for anyone who would listen. By 15, Meresha had convinced her family to move to the US so that she could fully pursue her music career.

Meresha got to work, and one year later she perfected songs for her first EP, “Lunatic”. Funded through Kickstarter, Meresha raised over 200% of her goal and used the extra money to host a launch party at BB King’s Blues Club. Adding fans around the world through her Kickstarter campaign, and drawing a large local crowd to her launch party, Meresha quickly recognized that her sound – a soulful voice with modern beats was a unique blend that people craved.

Learn more about this very promising singer in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! How’s your summer been going? Ready for the fall to begin?

Thanks! Summer was great. I was back in Europe for the first time in 3 years. I saw a lot of my old friends. It was as if I never left.

When I got back to the States, it was back to work. I did a radio remix for my song “New Revolution” and after a long search for the right director, we shot a video for it in Miami’s ubercool Wynwood art district with David Rousseau, who you may know from all the Pitbull and Magic! videos, amongst many others.

Growing up, can you remember when you first decided that you wanted to be a performer?

I recorded my first song “Fool Don’t Be” when I was 11, about seven years ago in a CD booth – remember those? Everybody told me the hook was very catchy and that I should pursue this music thing.

Hayley Williams of Paramore took me over the top. I went to 6 tours in a row of theirs and was always in the first row. Seeing the raw energy she and the band shared with their fans convinced me that I wanted to do the same.

How easy or hard was it convincing your family to move from Poland to the US so you could pursue your music career? What was it like for you all to make that transition here in the states?

My family left a lot behind to support my dream. It’s crazy considering how it is almost impossible for a new independent artist to even get noticed. I guess we do crazy. The transition wasn’t all easy. I had to continue my studies in a US system after never having been in one before. Luckily I came across a couple of arts teachers that saw some potential in me. They got me involved in variety shows, theater groups, dance ensembles, etc. Think I had 11 different roles in one show. I got winded running to change from one outfit to another all night. On the plus side, though, this let me meet a lot of like-minded souls making my transition easier.

How do you think your sound has grown on this second EP, “New Revolution”?

My first EP was supported by a lot of cool folks from around the world through a Kickstarter campaign. For my second EP, I decided to try to go for it. The whole thing was about figuring out how to make it as good as some of the music I love.

My own music skills had developed a lot since. My first EP was recorded 5 weeks after I first started using a home studio-type setup. By my second EP, I had grown a lot in terms of song structure, lyrics, hooks, etc. I hope you like the result!

Can you talk about launching your EP on the new social media site tsu? What is that all about?

tsu is another “New Revolution”. Unlike other social media sites that keep all the revenue for themselves despite using your copyrights, tsu pays out 90% of ad revenue to users. That clicked with me immediately as something much more fair to content creators. I was one of the first users when it came out and got the idea to do an exclusive EP launch there.

The CEO and his team got fully behind it. We even recorded a half dozen promo videos together. The launch got huge support from the tsu community. They are now a big part of my “army”. Without a major label, I don’t have a big corporate army to support me. I had to recruit my own. You can see the behind the scenes shots from my video there at tsu.co/meresha.

What’s it like doing all the singing and instrumentation on your album? Do you think you will continue to work this way in the future?

I’ve done a few collaborations, and hope to find great artists to work with in the future. I really enjoy composing and recording my own music, but also love how ideas develop when working with others. Plus, when I want to play live I need to have a tight band with me to put on a big show.

Generally, where do you get the inspiration for your music? Are you constantly thinking of song ideas?

You are right that the creation process never stops. I’m inspired by great music I hear, by concerts I go to, by my travels, by things I experience, by great art I see and by nature.

meresha_photo1How did you get David Rosseau to be the director of your video for “New Revolution”? What was it like working with him?

It wasn’t easy to find a great director. Asking around in South Florida, most people first asked “What’s your budget” before asking your name.

There was a great article about David in the Washington Times entitled “Miami director’s hustle hooks Lil Wayne, Pitbull”. It described how he got started sitting on a car outside concerts he couldn’t afford to go to near his home in Little Havana, imagining the visuals to match the music he heard.

He and Pitbull got started together. David worked for basically nothing to show what he could do. Pitbull said of him in the article “He was hungry”. David developed a reputation for making world class videos without an over-the-top Hollywood budget. That’s a “New Revolution” too.

I knew for me to make it as an independent artist I needed to have the best possible visuals as well. We sort of guessed what David’s email address might be, and to our great surprise, he actually wrote back. Sometimes a total “cold call” works. The rest you can see on screen.

Actually working with David was amazing. We shot everything in one day, which for me was 15 hours long. Everything was really well organized and stress free. The rain gods smiled on us too. The second David said cut after the last party scene, it started to pour and most of us ran to our cars.

What musicians have continued to inspire you through the years? Who would you love to work with in the future?

My collection of vinyl and CDs includes Queen, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bjork and others. I draw a lot of inspiration from the “classics” and I’ve covered a lot of their songs live.

Besides those, I listen to a huge range of well-done eclectic music from across genres. This ranges from FKA Twigs and James Blake to Miles Davis and some Reggae deep cuts from various Marley family members. Right now I’ve got Years & Years’ “High” on my playlist. They’re a British electronica band.

What do you hope is the message of your music? Is there something specific that you hope listeners take away from your songs?

Everyone has their own “New Revolution”. There are New Revolutions going on in music, technology and even how we eat. I’ve got plenty going on.

I’m vegan. There is a trend among some people to go back to eating real, healthy food. It’s pretty revolutionary since all the ads are telling us to eat something else.

I’m a female, independent musician trying to make it on the charts. Ask anyone. They’ll tell you that is impossible. That’s why I’m doing it. (Or trying at least).

What’s your “New Revolution”?

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

If you read so far in the interview, all I can say is kudos. You are exactly the type of person new musicians need to make it in an impossible music market. Be sure to continue to support new artists. Tell your friends when you discover cool new tunes. Buy some music. Without you, the world would be much drearier and more tone deaf.

Turn it up! - All Access

Electropop artist Meresha started a “New Revolution” when she made the decision to move from her hometown of Warsaw, Poland to the United States in order to jumpstart her music career. The 18-year-old self-described alien-loving vegan singer, songwriter, musician, composer and producer recently teamed up with Miami-based director David Rousseau for the official video for her new single, “New Revolution.” I recently had the opportunity to speak with Meresha about her early beginnings and musical inspirations.

Can you talk about how you got your start in music?

When I was 12, I wrote a song called “Fool Don’t Be." After recording it on a whim in a CD booth in a mall, I played it for various people. They were impressed and encouraged me to push deeper into music. Some of those people still hum the chorus today when I see them. You can see a video for the song online.

I got into formal training for voice, piano, guitar and drums after that. I also learned how to record and produce my own music myself. A few years ago, the result was my debut music which was funded by people from 5 continents on Kickstarter.

Now I’m at the stage of putting out my music to commercial radio and TV. My song “New Revolution” seems to have caught on. It’s already being played by over 100 US FM stations and at Abercrombie & Fitch, and we are just starting to get the word out.

Who are some of your musical inspirations? Any artists you're currently into?

I have a vinyl and CD collection including Jimi Hendrix, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley and others. The Palm Beach Post recently wrote that my EP, “New Revolution," "adds elements of Prince and Annie Lennox to its predecessor’s impressive echoes of Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Amy Winehouse." Those are very kind comparisons.


I’ve recently been to concerts by James Blake, FKA Twigs and Paramore. One of the groups on my playlist often these days is Years & Years from the UK.

What was it like growing up in Warsaw, Poland, and then relocating to Florida?

I went back to Poland in June for the first time in 3 years. It was great to see family and friends. It was as if I never left. My first 15 years were spent based there, so it will always be a part of me. Some people say my music has a European sound to it, even though I made it in the US.

One thing you notice after being away a long time is how nice the people are in Poland. Everywhere you go, in cafés, on the street, wherever, people are always ready to help in a very polite way.

I was lucky when I moved to Florida that some arts teachers got me into theater, dance, music and variety shows right away. Without them I probably wouldn’t be doing what I am now.

What's the music scene like in Poland compared to the U.S.?

It is very hard to be a professional musician in Poland. Piracy caught on in a big way there early and people pretty much stopped buying music, even before they did in the U.S. You can still play live, but with less than 40 million people there is only so much you can do. The U.S. is a much bigger market, but it is also very hard to get noticed here. There are so many talented musicians. It takes a ton of work to get going. Moving to the U.S. was a conscious decision to give it a try anyway, no matter how seemingly impossible.

Is there an artist (or artists/musicians) you feel like you relate to? If so, who and why?

Hayley Williams of Paramore was an early inspiration, and continues to be. I went to something like 6 Paramore tours in a row. She’s made it to near the top of the music industry while staying true to her music and herself. The band toured all the time, and continues to put out great music. They have an amazing connection with their fans too. Last year, I had a chance to meet Hayley and the band, which was amazing.

What was your favorite part of working with David Rousseau for your “New Revolution” video?

David [Rousseau] is amazing. He started from humble beginnings. When he was young, he “saw” music videos while sitting on a car outside Dolphin Stadium [now Sun Life Stadium] in Miami outside concerts he couldn’t afford to get into.

He got started with Pitbull and continues to work with him since he's become “Mr. Worldwide." David has since done “Rude” by Magic! and many other well known videos.

Despite his many accomplishments, David was totally down-to-earth and professional. His visual ideas for the video sold me. The shoot was pretty complex, but we managed to do it all in one day in the cool Wynwood area of Miami, surrounded by really creative street art. We also got lucky. The minute David said cut after the last take, the skies opened up in a huge deluge.



Describe your song, “New Revolution," in three words.

Creating New Reality

What's your favorite part about being an artist?

The best (and worst) part is that it all depends on you if you are an independent artist, as I am. There is no limit on what you can do with your music, how much you play live or things you can do to connect with fans. The trick is to focus on things that have meaning for you artistically, and finding the few ways to best share those with the world.

What's up next for you?

I’m just finishing a remix competition for my song “New Revolution." Over 300 musicians/producers/mixers from around the world submitted their versions of the song. In the next weeks, I’ll select several of them and will release them on iTunes and other music sites.

Besides that, my band and I are in rehearsals. We have a couple of gigs coming up, including possibly on TV. Stay tuned!

Meresha’s EP is available on iTunes. - Starpulse