LA Indie Artist meija Shares “RITUAL”; Sophomore Album Now Out 10/11 (Feat. EELS, JAWNY, Hand Habits)

Los Angeles indie artist and producer meija shares “RITUAL,” the final single before his sophomore album, There’s Always Something. The record was initially set for October 25th, but it was moved up to release on October 11th to tie in with film festival submissions for a short film he created around the album. Listen now HERE.

“RITUAL” is a hushed, lo-fi reflection on life, with Sierota’s quick-witted lyrics cutting over sparse instrumentation. He notes, “Getting lost and finding your way is almost a right of passage. Experiences shape us, especially hard ones. I don’t like it, but maybe it’s necessary.”

WATCH MEIJA PEFORM “RITUAL”

For meija, the alt-rock moniker of Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer Jamie Sierota, the new record is a creative and personal evolution that effortlessly elevates his DIY aesthetic and leans harder into ‘90s alternative influences, from the Eels to Sparklehorse to Beck and Primal Scream, plus draws lyrical inspiration from stories in Greek mythology like The Odyssey and Sisyphus.  This record ended up being much more internal than the previous one.” Jamie says. “I was thinking about family a lot. There’ve been several deaths in the family recently. The past two years have been re-examining the past 10 years of my life and reconstructing things. I started a family of my own when I left my sibling band. That was an interesting dynamic of leaving family to have my own. I realized that some of the things I thought I was over, I wasn’t. I buried it instead of facing it. I was surprised how hard it was to get into the headspace to finish some of these songs when the subject felt too heavy or personal. This process really showed me my strengths are my ultimately weaknesses and vice versa.”

The album was recorded and produced by Sierota in his home studio on the east side of Los Angeles. A frequent collaborator, it will feature his recent singles, including “MAGIC” featuring JAWNY, “POSSUM” featuring iconic indie rock band EELS, and “SEVEN,” featuring indie tastemaker Hand Habits.  

There’s Always Something follows his 2023 debut album, Do Ya?,  a clever, hazy, indie-rock journey into the mind of Sierota. Having launched his career at age 15 in the hit pop band Echosmith, Sierota started over again in his early twenties when he stepped away from the sibling band to get married and start his own family in Los Angeles. He then spent the better part of the last decade establishing himself as a writer and producer, eventually working with artists like Charly Bliss, Adam Lambert, Aly & AJ, JAWNY, and Quinn XCII.  He has gained a loyal fan following with over 20 million streams worldwide and praise from outlets like The Fader, BBC, Stereogum, Flood, Earmilk, Complex, Ladygunn, KCRW, BBC, and more.