"Wasting the Silence" out December 1, 2023
WRITTEN BY: Mei Lin Heirendt (Compassition Music / ASCAP)
ARRANGED BY: Mei Lin Heirendt, Patrick M'Gonigle, & Kyle Ledson
ENGINEERED BY: Adam Haynes, Shaun Richardson, Joshua Lee Turner, Eli Gilbert, Kyle Poppen, Oz fritz, & Jaya Betts
RECORDED AT: Eagles Nest Audio (Portland, TN), Ancient Wave Studios (Nevada City, CA) & multiple home studios
MIXED BY: Adam Haynes at Eagles Nest Audio
MASTERED BY: Chris Latham at The Gorillas Nest (Ashland City, TN)
COVER ART BY: Juli Marks
FIDDLE/LEAD VOCALS: Mei Lin Heirendt
ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC GUITAR: Shaun Richardson
DRUMS: Tim Bulkley
BASS: Joshua Lee Turner
MANDOLIN: Maddie Witler
HARMONY VOCALS: John Bryan
BEHIND THE SONG
Mei Lin envisioned a prologue to better prepare listeners for the auditory journey. In her words: “You’re standing in a log cabin facing the window. Outside, knee deep snow covers the ground and decorates the distant line of pine trees on the horizon. No other houses are around for miles. It’s complete isolation except for the loved one who sits in a chair at the small kitchen table behind you. You can see their reflection in the frosted window. They sit there with a blank look. They haven’t spoken to you in weeks, yet you somehow hold on to a speck of hope that they’ll come around. But each day that hope wanes with the imminent melting of the icicle looming over the window. It’s their job to apologize, isn’t it? The past fight between you hangs over both your heads, but neither party knows how to live again. You wonder if they’re even sorry. You wonder if you have the capacity to forgive them. Your focus moves to your own reflection in the window. There’s visible pathways painted on your cheeks, scars of the countless tears that carved their way down your face, dried, and then came again. This is Wasting the Silence.”
Enough (Debut Solo Single) released June 16, 2023
Behind the song
Enough is a universal, yet personal journey; a sonic map of the insecurity and doubt that lead to purpose and self-discovery. As a 17-year-old singer/songwriter who tested out of high school two years early in order to focus on music, Heirendt often finds herself in life situations that are usually associated with folks older than herself. Heirendt presents the topic of pushing comfort boundaries as a young person while developing meaning and striving to meet her own standards.
WRITTEN BY: Mei Lin Heirendt (Compassition Music / ASCAP)
ARRANGED BY: Mei Lin Heirendt & Patrick M'Gonigle
ENGINEERED BY: Adam Haynes, Shaun Richardson, Joshua Lee Turner, Eli Gilbert, & Kyle Poppen
RECORDED AT: Eagles Nest Audio (Portland, TN) & multiple home studios
MIXED BY: Adam Haynes at Eagles Nest Audio
MASTERED BY: Chris Latham at The Gorillas Nest (Ashland City, TN)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: David Thuman
FIDDLE, LEAD VOCALS: Mei Lin Heirendt
GUITAR: Shaun Richardson
BASS: Joshua Lee Turner
MANDOLIN: Maddie Witler
BANJO: Max Allard
HARMONY VOCALS: John Bryan, AJ Lee
LYRICS
When she wakes up she hits her head on the stars
When she goes to sleep, so many goals to meet, never gets far
Trying, working, thinking, fighting all day
But nothing's paid off, oh, just fake it tough, dreams roll away
The secrets she hides are not satisfied with this life
Words stain her soul, she's always been told, "well, you tried"
Tears fly away, there's nothing to say but just
What do you do when your best isn't enough?
This time for sure she can prove herself
Exhausted and hurt, she's always yearned for luck to be dealt
Every time she tries it doesn't follow through
Well each try's denied and she's starting to believe it's true
Hard on herself, she can't mess it up
It's not black and white, but she thinks it's right, losing trust
Someone else lights up the world instead
Jealous and broken, she walks home and buries her head