Meredith Shaw

Artist Information

Biography

The past two years have been a whirlwind for the dynamically delightful Toronto-based singer/songwriter Meredith Shaw.
After releasing her critically-acclaimed, effervescent and delightfully refreshing debut album, Place Called Happy, she embarked on an extensive tour with Big Sugar, criss-crossing the continent, assembling experiences and stories that were irresistible fodder for Shaw’s clever and creative imagination.
She will be releasing a series of three-song EPs affectionately coined ‘Tringles’ with special guest artists and producers that capture the essence of her talent, charm, personality, playfulness and also boldly proclaims a confident maturity as a songwriter.
“They all speak to pretty significant parts of who I am,” she said of the tunes. “I don’t mind writing by myself, and I do write a lot by myself, but I also like the collaborative nature of co-writing with other talented songwriters. Sometimes you just need that other set of ears or ideas to really come up with something special.”
As part of her journey for this project, she decided to reach out to one of Canada’s most accomplished, authentic and well-respected craftspeople – Joel Plaskett. And the meeting of the musical minds was sheer magic, as Plaskett ended up producing the material for the first phase of this ongoing project, and contributed some of his unique lyrical and musical imprints to the tunes.
“I have been a fan of his since forever, since I saw him at the Grad Club in Kingston when I was studying at Queen’s. He blew my songwriting mind and still does. He showed me that you could be funny in songs, that you can be in the moment, and I loved it,” Shaw said, admiringly.
“I feel that these songs are a really cool next step for me. And I am working with one of my musical heroes. I got to both write with him and work with him as a producer. I’m a lucky chick”
Place Called Happy was produced by another of Shaw’s musical heroes and mentors, Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, Grady and Wide Mouth Mason fame. Working in tandem with Plaskett, he mixed the first three tracks and will then hop into the producer’s chair for the next phase of recording. Shaw said she is continually grateful to be understood and appreciated by the likes of Johnson and now Plaskett for her own talents as a songwriter and performer.
“It means so much. In this industry, you hope the people you respect will give you a thumbs-up to show you that you’re on the right track. I am following my own creative heart, but I couldn’t have more admiration for these two guys, and their opinion and approval is amazing.”
Plaskett helped Shaw finish the song that will be the first single. ‘Trouble’ started off during a songwriting session in Nashville, a place where Shaw spent some time last year, and plans on returning to regularly to partake in the rich songwriting opportunities it affords. The song aptly demonstrates that, while Shaw has grown and matured as an artist, the girl who coquettishly sang ‘Acted Badly’ is still very much exploring her inner vixen.
“When I finally solidified where I was going with the song, I thought, ‘you know, Joel Plaskett would really get this.’ And when I reached out to him, sure enough he did. And he brought a lot of humour to the verses and made sense out of some of my nonsensical ideas, without really changing the vibe.”
The song also shows how Shaw the vocalist has progressed. Her phrasing, diction, and delivery is crafty, clever but oh so Meredith, and leaves no doubt that she is a Grade A charmer.
‘Have You Met My Heart’ reveals another soul-baring facet of Shaw’s personality, as she worked with noted songwriter Simon Wilcox during a session in Los Angeles to pen a tune that retains an element of playfulness, within the confines of sadness, loneliness and regret.
“I had already written the chorus and melody and then had this idea of blaming your heart for all your problems. ‘It’s all her fault. It has nothing to do with you. You’re a wonderful human being, but this heart is making you do all sorts of horrible things.’ I saw someone’s Facebook cover photo and it said, ‘my heart is an idiot.’ And thought it was funny – the notion of separating yourself from your heart. I thought it was an interesting way to start a love song. And I brought it to Simon because I knew she was so poetic and I was confident we would be an interesting match in terms of co-writing.”
‘Call It a Night’ was penned with Shaw’s primary songwriting co-conspirator, Patrick Ballantyne, and is also a straightforward, fantastical ‘pick-up’ song, and shows off Shaw’s breathtakingly soulful vocal power.
“It was actually a song that Patrick and I were writing for Gordie, but very quickly into it I said, ‘I think this is my song.’ I was feeling good about it, It spoke to me, and plus I was kind of able to holler a little bit. I like doing that – just belting it out. I did it with ‘There’s No Telling,’ from Place Called Happy, and it’s fun to do that once in a while. We changed the narrative, but obviously it’s a pure and simple pick-up song. We’ve all had those moments, although I get a little blushy about that sort of thing,” Shaw said with a chuckle and mischievous grin.
“We were coming up with the words and I just put the image of Ryan Gosling in front of me and wrote whatever I would say to him if he was in a bar. Yes, I have a thing for Gosling”
She beams with justifiable pride and excitement when thinking about the upcoming release, Trouble, as it represents a significant step in her artistic journey and also effectively captures the different sides to her delightfully complex personality.
And her many fans are also excited to hear the new music coming from their favourite, fabulous singer/songwriter. For more information, visit www.meredithshaw.com.

Instrumentation

Jen Benton - Bass
Kori Kameda - Guitar/Voice

Discography

Meredith Shaw Demo 1998
Meredith Shaw EP 2005
Place Called Happy 2011
Trouble May 28th 2013

Official Website

http://www.meredithshaw.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• YOUTUBE

Audio

• Little Fishy
  Listen  
• Acted Badly
  Listen  
• Girls Who Believe
  Listen  
• Joey
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Girls Who Believe
• Happy
• Joey

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• NXNE Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  Shaw brings a level of comfort to the stage that endears her to the audience immediately. Her witty ...Shaw brings a level of comfort to the stage that endears her to the audience immediately. Her witty banter and interaction with the audience is exactly what a solo act needs to keep everyone interested. Shaw has the ability to captivate the audience with elegant songs and impressive vocals.
  Rob Kingston, Chart Attack
  

• Shaw Glitters [+ Show ]
  

  Shaw, who is all blue eyes and pink lipstick glitters in the limelight. Her singing voice rises to t...Shaw, who is all blue eyes and pink lipstick glitters in the limelight. Her singing voice rises to the material!
  
  Cameron Groves, Eye Weekly

• Meredith Shaw is in her happy place and isn't afraid to share it [+ Show ]
  

  Meredith Shaw is in her happy place and isn’t afraid to share it, with the release of her debut albu...Meredith Shaw is in her happy place and isn’t afraid to share it, with the release of her debut album on May 10th. The ten-track album, titled A Place Called Happy, was produced by Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) at Willie Nelson’s studio in Texas.
  
  The singer/songwriter celebrated the album's release with friends, family, and media at The Rivoli last Tuesday. Guests received a goodie bag of candy treats upon their arrival, but the goodies didn’t stop there. Tiers of colourful cupcakes adorned the bar, while the tables were stocked with bottles of blowing bubbles and star-shaped sunglasses. Shaw’s merch table was filled with more candies, chocolates, and lip balms (from muffymade, her own line of gifts and greeting cards) along with, of course, her new album. The atmosphere that Shaw had created for her release party served as an apt indicator of her own quirky, feminine personality.
  
  The show began with a brief video of Shaw recounting her experiences with making A Place Called Happy, before the screen was lifted and the band kicked off the set. Shaw joined them onstage and the crowd cheered, as she performed her signature blend of pop, folk and country music.
  
  While her soft melodies proved to hook those in attendance, it was her bright, fun-loving and slightly sensual demeanour that made her stand out as a new artist. She interacted with the audience in between each song, explaining the meaning behind each and what inspired them.
  
  She performed tracks such as "Joey", "King of the Road", "Stars" and "Little Fishy". Shaw made a special dedication for the song "Girls Who Believe", the final track from A Place Called Happy. The single has been featured on the popular Canadian television show Degrassi. Since its debut on the show, Shaw has developed a traveling showcase of the same name, targeted toward high school girls. The Girls Who Believe showcase approaches self-esteem, songwriting and careers in the field of music.
  
  Shaw wrapped up her set, genuinely thanking everyone for attending, before joining the crowd to mingle, chat and just be happy.

• Canadian Music Fest Pours some Big Sugar on the Sound Academy [+ Show ]
  

  The cheers were deafening as the much anticipated headliners came out. The Sound Academy stage was ...The cheers were deafening as the much anticipated headliners came out. The Sound Academy stage was barely big enough to contain the talent emerging from the wings. One after the other musicians poured out; the boys from Wide Mouth Mason, fiery haired songstress Meredith Shaw, Respectables drummer Stephane Beaudin, the bespectled and bedreaded DJ Friendliness, and of course, the stars of the show, the members ofBig Sugar themselves: the venerable Garry Lowe on bass, Kelly “Mr. Chill” Hoppe on sax, harmonica and keyboards, and of course, the godfather, Gordie Johnson. Picking up his signature double neck guitar, plugged into the loudest and most bad ass amp on the planet, Johnson proceeded to blow the roof clean off the house with the opening riff of “Diggin’ a hole” (preceded by Lowe’s beating bass intro). The momentum never dropped, every song played better than the last.
  
  Continue reading on Examiner.com Canadian Music Fest pours some Big Sugar on the Sound Academy - Toronto Live Music | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/live-music-in-toronto/canadian-music-fest-pours-some-big-sugar-on-the-sound-academy-review#ixzz1QiQ6YE4o

Setlist

45 mins

Basic Requirements

Calendar