A single word became the guiding force behind Mei Ehara’s creative journey and her deeply reflective and revealing album, ‘All About McGuffin.’

Stream: ‘All About McGuffin’ – Mei Ehara

<a href="https://meiehara.bandcamp.com/album/all-about-mcguffin">All About McGuffin by mei ehara</a>

For years, Mei Ehara carried the weight of expectations she imposed on herself: Creative doubts, songs that hadn’t yet found a home, and the nagging question of whether she was creating in the way she was meant to.

While making her latest album, answers began to take shape around a single word – McGuffin – which would become the title of All About McGuffin.

It’s a film term, but for the Japanese singer/songwriter, it became a mirror of her past few years – challenges, risks and wins that slipped by without applause. That’s when the album transformed from just a collection of songs into a story about finding and following her authentic path.

All About McGuffin - mei ehara — All About McGuffin – mei ehara

“Happiness, for me, has always been doing what you love,” Ehara says. “I think of this album as a story, and the McGuffin felt like the perfect way to capture that journey. I want people to listen to it from start to finish, and feel the thread that ties it all together.”

It was a daunting task, but one that seems to have paid off. Revisiting songs she’d shelved for years, like “Mada Hayai Kudamono,” and shaping the “Opening Theme” early on helped her define the emotional direction of the album.

And then came her first U.S. tour, opening for Faye Webster, performing in places she never imagined – from intimate stages to the grandeur of Radio City Music Hall. The experience was surreal and inspiring; expanding her perspective on what she was capable of as an artist.

Now, gearing up for her first U.S. headlining tour, Ehara is looking forward to meeting the listeners who have connected with her music from a distance, and see how the experience will inspire her next project.

Atwood Magazine spoke with Mei Ehara all about McGuffin, letting go of pressure, and the evolution of her creative process that led her to this defining moment.

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:: stream/purchase All About McGuffin here ::

:: connect with mei ehara here ::

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mei ehara 'All About McGuffin' © Naoki Usuda — mei ehara ‘All About McGuffin’ © Naoki Usuda

A CONVERSATION WITH MEI EHARA

Atwood Magazine: Your new album All About McGuffin has such an intriguing title. What drew you to the concept of a “McGuffin” and how did that shape the themes of the album?

Mei Ehara: There are many reasons I landed on the word McGuffin. It’s not only about the musical choices I made when arranging the songs, but also about my personal life – everything I’ve had to face, work through and digest over these past few years. When I look back on my life up to this point and on the process of making this album, I feel that this word encapsulates the lessons and growth I’ve gained during that time.

I think of this album as a single story, which is why I want people to listen to it all the way through, from the first track to the last. Seen as a narrative, the idea of the McGuffin – a term from film – felt like the perfect expression of what I was trying to capture.

You’ve said this record is about letting go of expectations and perfection. What was the moment you realized you needed to create without fear this time around?

Mei Ehara: When I began working on the album, I realized that what mattered most for me at this stage was letting go of the anxieties, pressures and rigid ideas I had been holding onto. Allowing myself to create in the way I truly wanted to felt like an essential part of the process.

You’re about to embark on your first U.S. headlining tour! How does it feel to take your music on the road in the States under your own name?

Mei Ehara: I honestly never thought I would perform outside of Asia in my lifetime, so being able to play in the US, so far from Japan, feels really exciting. I’m also very curious to see what kinds of people connect with my music and how they enjoy it, and I look forward to meeting them in person.

It’s truly an honor to be able to perform in front of fans, and I feel that through this tour I’ll discover new perspectives on how I want to approach live performances in the future. That’s something I’m really looking forward to.

mei ehara 'All About McGuffin' © courtesy of the artist — mei ehara ‘All About McGuffin’ © courtesy of the artist

Your journey to this point included opening for Faye Webster across the U.S., even playing Radio City Music Hall. What did you take away from that experience?

Mei Ehara: Joining Faye’s tour made me realize just how differently people in Japan and the U.S. approach sound. Whether it’s in recording or in live sound engineering, the mindset and methods are completely different. Through the experience of opening for her, I felt inspired to work with more people and to expose myself to a wider range of perspectives on sound and music-making.

The show at Radio City was such a rare and valuable opportunity – something that might never happen again – so I was truly happy to be able to share that stage with my band members.

Speaking of Faye, she’s described you as a major influence on her songwriting. What was it like to collaborate on “Overslept,” and how has that connection impacted your own creative path?

Mei Ehara: It began with me trying to interpret the mood of the songs she had written, and the lyrics I felt were the most striking. Since our languages are different, I might not fully understand every nuance, but I wanted to take the beautiful everyday scenes she creates and, in my own way, weave them into a single story.

As a Japanese speaker writing lyrics in Japanese to melodies composed by an English speaker, I knew the impression of the melody – and even the song itself – could shift. So I paid close attention to word choice and how I delivered the vocals, making sure the original feeling of the song stayed intact.

When she told me that she was influenced by my music, I felt truly honored. Over time we’ve become close friends, and she’s introduced me to new people who eventually became my friend as well. With my own activities and touring in the U.S. just beginning, I feel that being in this new environment will bring many opportunities for growth through experience.

You’re not only a singer/songwriter, but also a designer, filmmaker and magazine editor. How do those different creative outlets feed into each other, or do you try to keep them separate?

Mei Ehara: Basically, I try to pursue anything I feel drawn to.

When there are emotions or experiences I can’t fully express through music, I sometimes turn to other ways of expressing them.

With All About McGuffin, was there a particular song that felt like a turning point during the making of the album?

Mei Ehara: I think it would have to be “Mada Hayai Kudamono” (“The Fruit not yet ripe”). Even though I had already released “Game Over” and “Picture” as singles and knew they would be part of the album, a lot of other things were still up in the air. “Mada Hayai Kudamono” actually existed in an early form about six years ago, but it never quite felt right, so I kept it on hold all this time.

As I worked toward finishing the album, I decided to revisit the song. I kept just part of the melody and bassline, and rebuilt the rest from scratch. That process allowed the song to really reflect where I am now, and it ended up becoming something of a guidepost for the whole record.

Another turning point was finishing “Opening Theme” fairly early on. Since this album is meant to be heard straight through from track one to track ten, having the opening piece in place helped me shape the overall flow and feel of the album.

Your lyrics often feel like poetry. Do you ever write poems that become songs, or do they exist in totally separate worlds for you?

Mei Ehara: I often jot down words or phrases that come to mind, either in a notebook or on my iPhone. But I’ve never really started with finished lyrics and then written music around them. Most of the time, the lyrics come together while I’m working on the melody, or after the music itself is already finished.

You've worked with artists like Cornelius and contributed to Hosono House Revisited. How do you choose which collaborations to say yes to?

Mei Ehara: The reasons usually come down to whether something sparks my interest, the relationships involved, or simply the timing.

From my own experience, I want to keep taking on things that feel like they can help me grow and improve my skills.

As someone who’s been making music independently for over a decade, what’s something you’ve learned about creative freedom, and about yourself, along the way?

Mei Ehara: That being able to do what you love is happiness.

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