Meaghan Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meaghan Smith
Meaghan Smith in August 2008
Background information
Origin	London, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Pop Folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2000s–present
Labels	Warner Music Canada, Sire

Meaghan Smith is a talented Canadian singer, songwriter, and visual artist. She is known for her unique musical style, which blends old-fashioned sounds with modern twists.

Her first album, The Cricket's Orchestra, came out in 2009. It was released by Warner Music Canada and Sire Records. That same year, Meaghan also became well-known for her cover of the Pixies song "Here Comes Your Man". This song was featured in the movie (500) Days of Summer.

Meaghan is also celebrated for her special Christmas concerts. She performs classic holiday songs and her own popular Christmas tune, "It Snowed". She has even performed her music with Canadian orchestras, like the Regina Symphony Orchestra. Her husband, Jason Mingo, often joins her on stage as an accompanist.

In 2011, Meaghan Smith won the Best New Artist award at the 2011 Juno Awards. Her most recent album, Have A Heart, was released in 2014. The music video for its main song won Video of the Year at the 2015 East Coast Music Awards.

Meaghan Smith's Life and Music Journey

Meaghan Smith grew up in London, Ontario, Canada. She is one of four sisters, and both of her parents were musicians. Meaghan taught herself to play the piano and guitar. She also studied visual art for many years, eventually graduating from Sheridan College's animation program.

While in college, Meaghan started performing on free stages. When she moved to Canada's east coast, she began to focus more seriously on music. Her first collection of songs, Lost With Directions, was released in 2004. In 2005, Meaghan married Jason Mingo, who is also a musician and producer. They often tour together for Meaghan's music career.

In 2008, Meaghan signed a record deal with Warner Canada. She has released three full-length albums with them:

• The Cricket's Orchestra (2009) – a mix of jazz and folk.
• It Snowed (2011) – a Christmas-themed album.
• Have A Heart (2014) – an album with a pop sound.

She also released two shorter recordings called EPs: The Cricket's Quartet (2008) and Wish Upon a Star (2009). Her cover of the Pixies song "Here Comes Your Man" was also released during this time. It was part of the (500) Days of Summer soundtrack in 2009.

Musical Inspirations

Meaghan Smith gets her musical ideas from many different places. She enjoys old popular songs from the early 1900s and Motown music. She also likes modern electronic music and artists like Björk and Ellie Goulding. Other influences include alt-rock bands like the Pixies and Canadian musicians such as Sarah Mclachlan and Feist.

Meaghan's Unique Musical Style

Meaghan described the sound of The Cricket's Orchestra (2009) as 'modern vintage'. This means it mixes early 20th-century jazz, swing, country, and folk music with modern electronic sounds. For example, her song "A Little Love" combines the turntable work of Canadian DJ Kid Koala with beautiful strings.

With her album Have A Heart (2014), Meaghan decided to try something new. She called this album "very pop." She wanted to change her artistic style and overcome the pressure she felt after winning the Juno Award in 2011. Have A Heart takes the jazz and folk sounds from her earlier work and puts them into a modern pop music setting.

Storytelling in Songs

Meaghan Smith's song lyrics are often about her own life. They are inspired by her relationships with family and friends. A music critic from New York Times, Jon Pareles, said that Meaghan's songs are "wry and retro." This means they are clever and have a classic feel, like old songs from the Tin Pan Alley era.

Other Creative Projects

Visual Art

Before her music career, Meaghan Smith was an animator. She worked on Poko, a Canadian children's TV show, from 2003 to 2006. As a young person, Meaghan studied illustration, painting, and other forms of art at schools like Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts and Bealart in London ON. You can see examples of her art pieces on her website, Meaghan Makes.

Writing

In December 2015, Meaghan Smith published her first ebook. It's called 'How To Have A Heart (In 25 Not So Easy Steps)'. This book shares her personal story about creating and releasing her 2014 album, Have A Heart.

Meaghan Smith's Music Albums

Meaghan Smith has released several albums throughout her career.

Studio Albums

• Lost With Directions (2004)
• The Cricket's Orchestra (2009)
• It Snowed (2011)
• Have a Heart (2014)

Singles

Some of her popular singles include:

• "Five More Minutes" (2008)
• "Drifted Apart"/"A Little Love" (2008)
• "A Piece For You" (2009)
• "If You Asked Me"/"I Know" (2010)
• "Heartbroken" (2011)
• "Have a Heart" (2014)