meadowhip exposed on new acoustic EP ‘Inside Out’

Wollongong singer-songwriter and poet, meadowhip, is celebrating AusMusic Month with the release of her sophomore EP
‘Inside Out’ – an entirely acoustic release that showcases meadowhip’s often concealed artistry, with a momentary pause
on the deeply sardonic and a venture into openness.

‘Inside Out’ is a shimmering collection of tracks in which meadowhip’s signature sound and trademark sarcasm are pared back to reveal a new sense of vulnerability, and a more earnest side to the artist that has been kept under wraps until now. While meadowhip’s lyricism has always been perceptive, unguarded and sensitive, her musical choices typically result in light-hearted and tongue in cheek tracks. But with ‘Inside Out’, the sonic landscape shifts from her characteristic woozy, buoyant alt-pop/R&B to a sparser, more organic sound – and with it her lyrics and performance are laid bare, and a new tenderness is unveiled.

It takes a lot for me to drop the cheekiness and self-deprecation and be real, for real. But this project has forced me to, and it’s actually been so liberating to let my words and performance breathe. – meadowhip

The catalyst for the ‘Inside Out’ EP was meadowhip’s performance experiences during her 2023 tour of East Coast Australia with collaborator Benjamino.

I was performing my songs in these super stripped back sets, and I started to perceive them differently. When the core of them is front and centre, the songs can really take on a new life, and I wanted to dig into the possibilities. – meadowhip

Although more revealing than the traditional meadowhip fare, the ‘Inside Out’ soundscape is no less textured or lush. Primarily produced by Benjamino, the ‘Inside Out’ EP weaves a rich sonic tapestry, with the captivating common threads of acoustic guitar, upright piano, glockenspiel, and layers of meadowhip’s distinctive delicate backing vocals.

This record has been the coolest project I’ve had the pleasure of working on.Cara [meadowhip] threw around so many great ideas during our production sessions, and her openness to experiment and that has led to a record that’s bursting at the seams with colour and shade. – Benjamino

Fans have already had a taste of what’s to come with the release of the smokyBenjamino collab track On Repeat (On Repeat), and the spunky little bossa-inspired David (produced by Chelsea Warner [Kid Cudi, Lucy Sugarman, Essosa]), which have received radio and playlisting support in Australia and internationally. Audiences can now look forward to a continuation of the aural journey with four more tracks, including title track Inside Out.

The track is plush and dreamy, but deceptively minimal. It features snapping drums, a pulsating bed of meadowhip’s own hums and a tinkling vintage upright piano, and is smattered throughout with inflections of glockenspiel, trumpet and meadowhip’s debut flute recording. It serves as a perfect environment for the song, which is about keeping someone at arm’s length to prevent them from perceiving you beyond a safe, surface level.

Written with Jacky Desage (USA) and Kaitlyn Mikalauskas (USA) on first meeting at a songwriting retreat,Inside Out incorporates some of the most earnest writing of meadowhip’s repertoire. With lyrics like “Spending the weekend undressing your feelings / While I’m keeping it vague and / Tugging my dress hem” and “What if I spill a compliment or let you in / Past my skin”” the song paints a clear image of someone who is agonising over being vulnerable and being fully seen in all their dimensions – an image that links in seamlessly with the essence of the ‘Inside Out’ EP.

I never thought I would release this song. Even though I’ve always loved it, and it resonates with audiences, it just felt way too open and sincere. I’ve actuallytried to produce it a few times, and it always fell flat because I was trying to hide the sincerity behind the sounds. But within the context of this EP, where Icommitted to laying myself bare, it felt almost necessary to pursue it. – meadowhip

Other tracks on the ‘Inside Out’ EP include acoustic renditions of meadowhip’s previously released tracks Am I Broken and Getting Messy, which are transformed from light, sardonic and self deprecating, to reflective, brooding and raw, as well as a sparkling, breezy reprise of If I’m Being Honest – the first song ever written under the meadowhip project.

The ‘Inside Out’ EP is out

‘Inside Out’ track listing:

1. Getting Messy (Acoustic)
2. David
3. Am I Broken (Acoustic)
4. Inside Out
5. On Repeat (On Repeat)
6. If I’m Being Honest – A Reprise

ABOUT MEADOWHIP

meadowhip (pronounced ‘meadow-whip’) is the solo project of Wollongong musician-poet-calamity queen, Cara Walkam. A musical project that was born during Cara’s recovery from a major hemorrhagic stroke in 2019, meadowhip is an exploration of self and society from Cara’s perspective. As she puts it, “I’m here to discuss the big three – capitalism, patriarchy, and myself.” Musically influenced by artists like Solange, Tame Impala, Erykah Badu and Moonchild, meadowhip fuses introspective and irreverent lyrics with pop melodies and elements of woozy alt-R&B, soul and jazz.

meadowhip’s music has been featured in Women in Pop (Australia), MusicFeeds (Australia), Pilerats (Australia), CLOUT Magazine (UK), IGGY Magazine (France), Popmuzik (Sweden), with support from radio throughout Australia (including Triple J, FBI and SYN) and internationally. In 2023, meadowhip co-headlined an 8-date national Australia tour with collaborator Benjamino.