There are so many ways to describe Justin Meyer– a Brooklyn-based singer, producer, music engineer, and Colorado native, and perhaps most importantly, a multi-talented artist that continues to push the boundaries of his own music. Recently, he released his most ambitious song yet, Friends With Fear, which hit the airwaves this past month. Hoping to tackle the elusive quarter-life crisis, Friends With Fear is Justin’s response to graduating during a pandemic and the unique challenges that come from that experience. The song pairs airy guitar riffs with an upbeat drumline, perfectly encapsulating the transition of graduating school: exciting, but also a bit daunting. Friends with Fear is bittersweet– but you’ll still catch yourself tapping your feet while reflecting on your uncertain future.
“Friends With Fear is about having a quarter-life crisis and trying to be okay with life’s unknowns,” said Justin. “I went through college during the pandemic and graduated a year early, leaving me feeling this sense of time slipping away very quickly. I got super focused on the impermanence of life for about a year. This song is about making friends with those feelings and letting them settle instead of fighting them and making them even worse.”
Friends With Fear is the culmination of numerous collaborators. Lily Kelso, a fellow Berkeley School of Music graduate, provided background vocals and co-wrote the track. Alden Spence on electric guitar creates deep layers of hypnotic sound for the song. Justin co-wrote the single as well as produced, mixed, and mastered it himself.
“I have been leaning into the indie-pop/rock sound and can definitely see this continuing for a while,” said Justin. “I currently am also feeling a strong pull towards the artistry side of things, but for me production and engineering go hand in hand with that.”
Justin’s music may have shifted from being produced in his bedroom to in actual professional studios, but he still wants to make sure that his music resonates with his listeners. Lost Love, a track off of his 2021 album, Metanoia, also deals with the idea of moving on and growing up, though that track focuses on moving away from a relationship rather. Regardless, this is not Justin’s first rodeo when dealing with large life changes.
“I think most people can relate to feeling like the last couple of years went by very quickly, given how turbulent they were. I also think most people can relate to having a quarter life crisis when they finish college and enter into proper adulthood,” said Justin.
Justin is no stranger to The Crescent Magazine, as I’ve been covering him since March of 2020. This new single feels like it is the closing of a chapter that I have been lucky enough to witness for the past three years, but it is not a finale.
“I love being able to create something that could potentially really connect to other people. I think self-expression is something that can be so healing for the world,” said Justin. And continue to connect he will. Justin’s upcoming single, Melancholia, is set to come out on May 12th. As always, I look forward to what comes next in his career.
You can listen to Justin’s music on any major music streaming platform. Connect with him on Instagram, Youtube, and Spotify. For more information, visit justinmeyer.studio.
Featured image shot by Kaia Miller. Courtesy of Justin Meyer.
About Mercedes Ohlen
Mercedes was The Crescent’s Editor-in-Chief from 2022-2023. She graduated from Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She enjoys going to the movies, fashion, and writing about the great city of New Orleans. She will be pursuing a career within the entertainment industry upon her graduation from Tulane. No topic is too obscure, and no story too niche. Roll Wave!
Mercedes was The Crescent’s Editor-in-Chief from 2022-2023. She graduated from Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She enjoys going to the movies, fashion, and writing about the great city of New Orleans. She will be pursuing a career within the entertainment industry upon her graduation from Tulane. No topic is too obscure, and no story too niche. Roll Wave!
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