Meaghan Smith (episode 22)

In 2008 I came across this really unique and interesting EP/DVD package called The Cricket’s Quartet, by Meaghan Smith. It contains 4 wonderful songs, with accompanying stunning videos including animation, costumes, and stunning visuals.


The melodic, interesting, jazz-influenced pop songs were from a full-length album that would soon follow, called The Cricket’s Orchestra. It’s produced by Les Cooper who produced breakthrough albums for Jill Barber, Madison Violet, Good Lovelies, and many others. His albums often have a bit of a timeless sound that could have been recorded decades ago, but with a modern clarity and quality.

The songs and videos feel comfortable and somehow familiar, but fresh and exciting at the same time and they really caught my attention. The album was picked up and put out by a major label with big budgets for promotion and support. It’s the kind of industry push that signifies the arrival of a significant artist with a bright future.

The album was unusually followed up by a Christmas album, which many artists don’t release until they’re well into their careers, with a proper followup album not appearing until Have a Heart, in 2014.

And then, seemingly as quickly as she’d arrived on the scene, Meaghan Smith kind of disappeared from public view.

Meaghan and her ever-present husBAND, Jason Mingo, had been touring all over the place, and suddenly that life came to a halt. The long and fascinating period is documented in an eBook that you can buy on Meaghan’s website, called How to Have a Heart. (buy it HERE)

After an ultimately joyful, but painful and devastating pregnancy and delivery, Meaghan and Jason knew that their touring life was over and had to come up with a new way of staying creative and earning enough money to live on.

They launched a custom song business called Our Song (oursongmusic.com), where you can go to commission them to write and record a song with details and stories from your own life. These aren’t novelty songs by any stretch, they are fully realized proper songs that are impressive and powerful. And they’ve been busy writing, recording, and sharing hundreds of these songs over the past several years.

Besides being a loving mother, adoring wife, and busy and successful songwriter, Meaghan Smith is also a painter, someone who designs greeting cards, and so much more. I’m so glad that she found time in that busy schedule to talk to me for a while. I know that you’ll really enjoy this conversation with Meaghan Smith.


download .mp3

Check out this powerful Facebook post by Meghan:

Oh, hi. 👋🏼 So, I have anxiety. It’s hard for me to go outside sometimes. It’s hard to be around people. It’s just hard.
I want to share this with anyone who feels alone in this. You’re not alone.

I’m starting to realize that it’s not COVID. I’ve always been this way. I just got really good at ignoring huge parts of myself. I believed a prescribed religiosity so I would be accepted at home. I followed a certain life path to be acceptable in various social groups. I allowed certain behaviours in order to maintain jobs and income. I allowed myself to be disrespected for my own physical safety. I stayed in hurtful relationships to get what I thought I needed.

But the more I heal and the more I see how I have done what I’ve done to survive, I’m thankful that I have survived. And once I figure that part out, I can potentially see other ways of being. I don’t have to betray myself to survive anymore. 💗 You don’t have to either.

Things that help me:

– Putting my toes in the sand

– Supportive people (HusBand, Sisters, Kids, Friends)

– Putting my body in the water (preferably the ocean or a lake but friends who share pools are also my fave @tlkieley )

– Acknowledging and accepting the trauma in myself and others

– Looking for ways to help and support other people and beings

– Hugging and loving my kids (and small fluffy puppies @hadia_bedoui )

– Learning about boundaries and practicing making them

– Therapy

– Daily exercise

– Good sleep

– Balanced friendships

– Healthy food and regular eating

– Meds

– As much nature as possible

It doesn’t hurt all the time. But it hurts every day. If you feel this post, you’re not alone. Don’t stop trying.

I’m here too.

💖🎵

Music Credits:

“I Know” and “A Little Love” are from The Cricket’s Orchestra, available on iTunes

“Have a Heart” is from Have a Heart, available on iTunes

“All Over Me” is from Superpop (Do It Like a Girl 2), available on iTunes

“Good Good Heart” is an Our Song, available on iTunes

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