Rising country-pop artist Neah McMeen is stepping into a powerful new chapter with the release of “Unexpectedly,” her first self-penned track co-written with Grammy nominee Deborah Allen. At just 21, McMeen continues to build momentum with heartfelt storytelling and a growing presence in Nashville, making her an artist our readers will want to get to know. We connected with Neah in our latest Getting to Know feature.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
NM: I’m Neah McMeen, a small-town artist writing country/pop songs that are honest and unfiltered. I love taking real experiences and turning them into unique reflections where people can see themselves. My three sisters and I grew up in Webber, Kansas, but I moved to Nashville, almost a year ago now, to pursue my music career.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
NM: I’m really inspired by artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Taylor Swift, and Megan Moroney for their storytelling and the way they bring real life into their music. Taylor Swift has been the biggest influence on my career, both in songwriting and in how she’s built her artistry over time.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process?
NM: My songwriting usually starts with ideas I’ve written down in my notes app. I’ll go through them and pick the one that stands out to me that day, then really dig into it and start unpacking the story behind it. I love going into co-writes with a lot of ideas already because it gives me a strong starting point to build from with other writers. Most of my ideas come from real-life experiences, and writing is very therapeutic for me. It’s how I process things and make sense of what I’m going through.
CN:You’ve just released “Unexpectedly,” your first self-penned track. What did it feel like to move from performing songs to telling your own story in such a personal way?
NM: It felt more real, honestly. Performing other people’s songs is fun, but writing and releasing my own made it feel like mine. There’s no filter, you’re saying exactly what you mean instead of interpreting someone else’s story. It’s more personal, but in a good way. It pushed me to be more honest, and I think that’s what people actually connect with.
CN: You co-wrote “Unexpectedly” with Deborah Allen, which is an incredible milestone. What did you learn from that experience, and how did it shape you as a songwriter?
NM: Writing with Deborah Allen was so fun and natural. She’s an amazing artist I can look up to, and we really shared the creative process in a way that just clicked. That co-write boosted my confidence for walking into various rooms.
CN: Your music often blends vulnerability with a country-pop sound. How do you balance staying emotionally honest while also creating something that feels commercially accessible?
NM: For me, the more honest a song is, the more it connects and that’s what makes it accessible. If I try to write for what I think people want, it usually ends up feeling forced.
I focus on getting the emotion right first, saying it in a way that feels true to me, and then shape the melody and production around that so it still feels catchy and easy to listen to. It’s more about finding that middle ground where the story hits, but it still feels like something you’d want to play on repeat.
CN: From “Bitter” going viral to performing on national stages and television, your journey has moved quickly. What moment so far has made you stop and say, “this is really happening”?
NM: Probably when my friends started sharing my music and seeing little girls singing my songs. That was really surreal. “Bitter” was the moment where I felt like, wow—I’ve already achieved a dream of mine.
CN: You’ve explored themes of love, faith, and growing pains in your releases. Is there a story or experience you haven’t told yet that you’re excited to eventually turn into a song?
NM: Yes, there are definitely stories I haven’t told yet. I think I’ve only scratched the surface of growing up and everything that comes with that, changing relationships, outgrowing people, figuring out who I am outside of where I came from.
I haven’t fully written about the in-between seasons yet, where nothing is clearly right or wrong, just uncertain. That’s something I’m really drawn to now, because it feels the most honest version of where I am.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
NM: If I could collaborate with anyone, it would definitely be Taylor Swift. Her storytelling is on another level, and the way she evolves while staying so true to herself is something I really admire.
CN: What was your first concert you ever attended?
NM: My first concert was Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour. I was really young, but I remember seeing her on stage and feeling something click. Even at that age, I knew I wanted to do that one day, be up there and make people feel what I was feeling at that moment.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
NM: Honest. Because everything I write and put out comes from a real place, good, messy, or in-between.
CN: What else can fans look forward to this year?
NM: They can look forward to new music that shares more honesty. The songwriting and production are evolving a lot, and I’m really excited to show everyone what I’ve been working on.
For more information on Neah McMeen, visit neahmcmeen.com and engage with her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.