by mariah estran
With a ukulele in hand and a pair of chic butterfly sunglasses on their face, MegaGoneFree is gifting the TikTok feed with enthralling covers. Marina and the Diamonds to Madonna, and even Nirvana, the singer is putting their twist on some well-known hits.
While creating content, Mega has found community within the platform, a place where ideas and conversations start to feel less obscure. “I’m a unique person,” the artist shares. “TikTok has made me lucky enough to find like-minded people who enjoy and have the same interests as I do.”
That safe space has made way for them to share their music, and with 5 million followers, it is the right place to bring that audience into the world of MegaGoneFree. In December, they released "Thermostat.” A fierce tune that describes the birth of spiraling thoughts once learning of being used.
They're setting ablaze to the ground they step on (in the best way possible), and it’s only the beginning. Mega took time to talk to us about their TikTok journey, creating “Thermostat,” their writing process, and what we can expect next.
You do these fabulous covers on TikTok, and they’ve received a good amount of love. What inspired you to start posting on this platform?
MegaGoneFree: “Well, I started TikTok around 2019. I just started casually, like everybody else. I was attracted to that app because around that time everybody, like, hated it because it was a version of Musical.ly. It just wasn’t as popular, and that’s what I loved about it.”
How do you feel posting on TikTok has helped you expand on your craft and grow your fanbase?
MegaGoneFree: “Well, TikTok has helped me find a lot of like-minded people. That has helped me a lot with embracing who I am in general. Where I’m from, the people I am surrounded by aren’t always that similar to me. I’m a unique person. TikTok has made me lucky enough to find like-minded people who enjoy and have the same interests as I do.”
On the other hand, I noticed that you posted a video grappling between the recognition your videos give to other artists, while you’re still pushing your own artwork as well. How do you stay positive, and ultimately, inspired?
MegaGoneFree: “Honestly, music is my first love. Music is my everything. My main goal with my music is to have people hear and relate to it. For people to know they are not alone in their thinking. Honestly, the hope of one day being able to impact as many people as I can is what keeps me going. And music just being my outlet, in general, for my emotions and what I’m feeling.
Back in December, you released your fiery single “Thermostat.” What’s the story behind the track?
MegaGoneFree: “I always make music about what I’m feeling. Around that time, I was having trouble, feeling like I was being taken advantage of.
I wanted to make a song that highlights the outside perspective of a people pleaser and the baggage that comes with that.”
What is your songwriting process, especially when you’re pulling from your personal stories and emotions?
MegaGoneFree: “It varies. Sometimes it will start with a melody that I like, then the lyrics will fall in. Sometimes it will start with a concept that I want to write about, and from there, everything will follow. It depends on what’s going on around me and how things affect me. What’s happening on social, on the internet, and what’s going on in real life. I try to pour inspiration from everywhere so that I can create something that a lot of people will understand.”
What are your opinions on how TikTok has shaped the music industry over the last two/three years?
MegaGoneFree: “I think it’s a great thing, but I also think there are some flaws. It’s an amazing platform for independent artists — it’s helped me out a lot. I love the fact that I can get on TikTok and see something new. It gives people opportunities they might not have had if it wasn’t for the app.
I also think there’s a specific type of sound on TikTok that oversaturates the app, in a way. That makes it harder for alternative artists to be heard, recognized, and appreciated. Even with that, I still think it’s an amazing platform for anybody trying to put their music out there. I know for me; I am a random girl from Baltimore City. You would have never heard of me if it wasn’t for TikTok. So, I am eternally grateful for that.”
What do you have planned next? Will you be releasing more singles? What can you tell us about that?
MegaGoneFree: “Well, I am planning to come out with a project this year. I am super excited about it. I am expecting the lead single to be out sometime in May. I'm excited about the project because one, my discography, isn’t that big. So, I’m excited to have a body of work for people to listen to.
There is going to be a roaming theme throughout the project. I’m excited to implement myself, my taste, parts of me that people don’t usually see. And there are talks of starting to do live shows.”