Interview with Meghaan LeBlanc

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I’m not sure how to answer this. I think it might be the other way around: music got into me. I’ve always been drawn to it and when songs started popping into my head… I followed them. Here we are. If that hadn’t happened, I suppose I’d be riding unicorns in space somewhere. Haha. That sounds fun.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I love spending time outdoors. Whenever I get stuck in the songwriting process, I take the song for a walk. Being in motion seems to help the creative juices flow… but maybe that’s just because of increased blood flow to the brain. haha.

How long have you been making music?

In earnest? Since a gap year in college. While I was backpacking solo through Europe, loads of songs started coming to me. My first songs arrived toward the end of high school, but I wouldn’t say I was ‘making music’ then. I was way more focused on being an athlete at that time.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I am currently based (and was born) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The musical tapestry is rich with celtic folk songs and good old East coast rock here, so it’s not a surprise that my music has come to be a blend of both.

I didn’t really start pursuing the artist life (and developing a style of writing) until I moved to Toronto, though. That city (or, rather, the people in the music community there) were a massive influence on my music. Because it is so culturally diverse, I became exposed to so many types of music I had never heard before and started collaborating and doing shows with artists in a wide-range of genres. They all left a mark - particularly when it comes to instrumentation and arrangement.

Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?

They’ve all been memorable in their own way, but I’ve been really blessed to have shared stages with several of my musical heroes (under my alt-rock alter-ego, Meghan Morrison) and would be remiss not to mention those.

The first time was performing a set at An Evening of Wine & Words (in Edmonton, Alberta) before Jim Cuddy (of Blue Rodeo - a popular Canadian band that I used to listen to with my Dad every weekend that we went skiing in the winters). It was a lovely room - everyone was there in the spirit of music, having a great time, and raising funds for family literacy. We auctioned off a house concert in support of the cause and flew back later that year to perform for the auction winners. It was such a blast all around.  

The second time was opening for Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace) and Chantal Kreviazuk when they launched their ‘Moon vs Sun’ project at The Mod Club in Toronto. Those two were huge influences on my early songwriting and warming up the crowd for them was such a dream. They were lovely too. I think my favourite part of that night, though, were the dear friends I made at the merch booth: Jason and Chris, you know who you are!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

I don’t have a favourite… but I have lots of fond memories from C’est What and The Central in Toronto.

Who doesn’t want to play Royal Albert Hall? Sign me up for that one, please!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Oooh!!! How many can I choose? We’d definitely have to have Florence + The Machine in there, along with Aurora, Half Moon Run, Fleetwood Mac, P-Funk and the closer would definitely be Beethoven (the OG rebellious rock star).

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I guess it would be the same for both (and for anyone, not just musicians): People will try to influence you toward their own beliefs / goals / agendas. Follow your inner guidance system. It’s your best friend.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why? 

That’s like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. Haha. But I’ll play along. Right now, The Isle & The Sea (Faun Stella) means the most to me, because of what it stands for and everything I had to overcome to finally release it.  

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I LOVE playing The Isle & The Sea. It’s so much fun and I don’t have to be confined to an instrument for that one. The most requested songs are The Weather Girl, She’s Like The Swallow, and Hush - but I think that is going to change once the rest of the EP comes out and I start playing more regularly again.

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

I don’t have a pre-set process. Sometimes the lyrics come first, sometimes the melody, sometimes a riff. It’s usually a dance between all three. Life inspires me to write my music - life and spirit - when they call, I write it. But I also believe that music is medicine and that is what compels me to share the music after it’s written. We all heal a bit when music moves us, don’t we?

Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music, if so please tell me about them?

Oh, sure! Songs are like stories, they all have a moral to them (or, at minimum, a point for reflection). Most of mine are social, in nature - like, in how we relate to one another (and even to ourselves).

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

The focus right now is to continue releasing singles off the ‘Elementals’ EP (and then plan a tour when the EP comes out).

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

The best way is to sign up for my letters (social media platforms come and go - email seems to be here to stay) at www.faunstella.com and/or www.meghaanleblanc.com .

But I am also active on Instagram: @faun.stella.music and @meghaan.leblanc

YouTube: @faunstella and @meghaanleblanc

And a wee bit on Twitter: @faunstellamusic and @meghaanleblanc

Thanks for this chat! Looking forward to connecting with everyone!