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Andrew Michael Meador Runs from his Inner Demons on Electro-Pop Single and Video Cut, "DEVIL"

Writer's picture: BUZZ LABUZZ LA

From a nanotechnologist to a multi-instrumental producer, Andrew Michael Meador has proven that he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to.


That's the same classification his newest feature, "DEVIL," comes appended with, along-side some hooves and a pair of horns for some added metaphorical punch. Over a distorted howling of multifarious pads and bolstering synths adjacent to the droning sub-bass, Andrew takes the corpulent portions of his intrusive thoughts and shovels them out on display for audiences to dissect.


With a mid-hustling tempo and a back-beat that you'd only find attached to the hottest electro-pop singles from this decade, he swoops in with a top-line that sears into the hearts and minds of anyone who can relate, like a pitchfork burnished through a plethora of scintillating aural effects, and through the great test of time. 

As you glide along the festooned highway of hooking synth riffs, his lyrics denote the demons he harbors within himself, hiding from everyone he knows in plain sight. "The DEVIL inside of me, you wouldn't believe, what's inside of me," he decries with magnetic resonance, as his music video portrays the Tennesse-based songster in a fractal struggle, fleeing from the beasts and devils trailing inside his swarthy mindset. It's an incandescent display that draws reminiscence to something like a lyric video, but at the same time, behind the engrossing texts, a poetic story is unfolding.


Amongst a thick and almost neon-tinged backdrop of smoke and steam, Andrew comes face to face with the mirrored image of himself, looking right back at him with a dismal silhouette of horns and the festering notion of something more sinister about to unfold.

By the time you reach the hooking chorus for the last time, it's almost impossible not to feel invested in the anecdotal genius behind Andrew Michael Meador's "DEVIL." If one thing is for sure, its that he can run from the demons chasing him from inside, but he can't run from the attention his latest single is going to bring him—compounding in potency as time goes by, like the timeless classic all his music is destined to become.



What was the primary influence behind creating "DEVIL" and the appended visual feature attached? Is this something you felt was essential for you to divulge to audiences?


I wrote “Devil” on a surf trip in February 2020. I was camping at a nature preserve in Florida, and one morning I woke up and the song was right there in my head. I made a couple of voice memos on my phone and began creating the musical track when I got home. Authenticity is colossally important to me—so yes, it does feel essential to divulge how I feel in my music. I have a long history of overcoming mental unwellness and I’ve learned over the years how to thrive in the midst of immense sadness and internal darkness. So the song immediately made sense to me when it was in my head.


Can you recall any challenges related to addressing the vulnerable topics associated with "DEVIL?" Is this something you always find yourself struggling with within your diversely potent musical catalog?


When addressing vulnerable topics, there is always the challenge of “is this corny?” Trite? Using the devil mask in the video—is it too literal? Cheesy? Will I keep people from hearing the message and heart of the song with my production choices? I treat every song like it’s its own person. My catalog is diverse because I don’t consider myself a single-genre artist. I’m focused on writing great music that people can relate to, and I’m looking beyond the singular genre that the song is packaged in. A song I wrote called “Under the Sun” I actually released in multiple versions and genres because I wanted to communicate the SONG, not just a specific recording.


What were the main emotions that guided you through your vocal performance on the "DEVIL"? And how do those emotions compare to those you channeled for the music video?


It can be very challenging getting “into the mood” for vocal recording. When I recorded “Devil”, I was actually having a great day! But after listening to the track a couple of times, I feel like I was able to sing from that same place in which I had received the song. Despair, fear, uncertainty. I think the video is a little less serious in some of the shots, we were paying homage to some of the greats: like when I turn suddenly with the flashlight to face the camera. But the video is definitely a vehicle for the lyrics. I’m a visual person, and seeing the lyrics written out really helps me understand a song better. I wanted to accomplish that with Devil because I want people to relate and understand that these feelings are way more common than we think or discuss.


If you could give your listeners a few words that would act as the prologue to your intended experience behind "DEVIL" and its attached music video, what would you choose to say, and why?


I want to create comfort for those who can relate to “Devil”. Life is hard enough; I’d want people to open up about these feelings and share them, get them out in the open, deepen a friendship, be vulnerable. Talk to someone you trust so you’re not carrying these things alone. Ideally, it would spur listeners on towards increased awareness and better mental health for themselves.


What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?


There is SO MUCH to get bogged down by. I have some incredible friends and I love seeing what they put out. Anyone approaching isolation and quarantine with positivity is encouraging to me. Let’s at least make the best of this time we have. More than that, I’m inspired to share my stories through my music and hope that they connect with others. I want to make the world a better place, especially for those on the fringes of society who are overlooked. That really drives me.

 

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