Megan Carolan
Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2018 | SELF
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Press
In 2010, local singer-songwriter Megan Carolan moved from Bethlehem, Penn. to attend the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. But Carolan’s journey to Memphis was more abstract than Stuart’s or Simien’s, as she had no prior connections to or experiences in the city.
“When I was looking at attending colleges I wanted to go to one that was in a music city so I could immediately get involved in the music community there and build connections for when I graduated,” she said.
Of course, Carolan, who recently went solo after a stint singing in the indie-rock band Sleepwlkrs, eventually chose Memphis, and today she’s more than happy with that decision.
“I have definitely bought into Memphis and the beautiful transformation it is undergoing,” said Carolan, who is able to tout that transformation as New Memphis Institute's events coordinator. “I’m even trying to get relatives to come here. Some of my relatives refer to me as ‘Memphis Meg.’ I’ve lived here for six years, so I think I can strongly claim to be a Memphian now.”
And while she also sees areas where Memphis could be more supportive of its music scene, she also feels the city has afforded her opportunities she wouldn’t have had elsewhere.
“Memphis is amazing because some of the people you learn about in music history books are still here and are happy to share their wisdom with you,” she said.
“Also if I had gone to college in another city I probably would’ve had to move back in with my parents immediately after college. Since Memphis has some of the most affordable rents in the U.S., I was able to stay here and grow more both as an adult and musician.” - High Ground News
Memphis music is legendary and has made a significant impact on musicians all over the world. As we honor the sacred history of our musical culture, we also want to share what’s happening in the Memphis music scene right now. Check out these local musicians, buy their albums, and support local.
Saturday, May 20th – Megan Carolan @ South Main Street – 7:00pm-8:00pm
Megan Carolan entered into the #BuskingInMemphis competition and got a spot in the competition! Come check her out on the streets of South Main as you enjoy your Saturday night! - Choose901
Megan Carolan, who is on the board of Music Export Memphis, came to Memphis as a student at the University of Memphis and is also a musician.
“I wanted to go to college in a city that had a music scene and music industry. Memphis drew me here,” she said. “One of the coolest things about Memphis is I was reading in textbooks music history and about different things that happened. When I got to Memphis I could actually meet these people. They are here and they wanted to teach me and they wanted to pass along their knowledge.” - The Daily News
Today is the end of Musikfest’s 30th year, and the festival’s free stages look to go out with a bang.
Today we give you five recommendations, and we highly especially recommend The Wiyos.
Have a great final day at the fest.
Godfrey Daniels Best of Open Mics, 1:30 p.m. Leiderplatz. Performances by Bethlehem coffeehouse favorites Jason Ansell, Ed McKendry, Megan Carolan, Not for Coltrane (Michael Duck.) - Morning Call Blog
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
When one hears Americana, one might think of an old Folk troubadour traveling the Wild West to find gold, only to live a life raising cattle and spend the rest of his days lamenting over leaving the love of his life when he hopped on a wagon to pursue the Gold Rush.
Megan Carolan is quite aware of that image, but also knows that a vast majority of indie Singer-Songwriters technically fall under the umbrella of Americana.
So, in 2017, she started to write music again and found her voice in writing in the new wave of Singer-Songwriter Americana, bringing inspiration from artists like Sara Bareilles, Norah Jones, Lucy Rose, and Lana Del Rey. With her new work, she hopes to bring her new sound to the mainstream airwaves by incorporating influences from moreso pop and dark, ambient electronic styles, along the lines of VÉRITÉ, Marian Hill, Mree, and Oh Wonder.
Megan has performed in numerous venues across the globe, including venues in Germany and Austria, as well as domestically in venues such as Musikfest in the Northeast, King Biscuit Blues Festival in Arkansas the Hi-Tone in Memphis and writers nights in Nashville.
Her energetic and soulful voice has been described as “a sweet melody, with a rich and creamy texture that can capture the pains and joys of love and life.” Combined with her new songwriting style near the level of Taylor Swift, Patsy Cline, Carole King, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker, Megan believes she can be the next big contemporary Americana artist. But she won’t stop there.
With a full-length EP in the works, Megan seeks to get her foot in the door of the community and get to work to reshape the image of Americana.
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