By Cynthia Gross
This Alchemical Records article is read by the author to provide a multimedia experience for our audience while increasing the accessibility of our content to persons with hearing loss, low vision, dyslexia, physical or motor disabilities, or are on the autism spectrum.
With her latest single “Window,” D.C.-based jazz-pop vocalist and songwriter Megan “Meggalooch” Dunn explores the nuances of the human experience. The song chronicles the narrative of an individual whose rocky start to the day is somehow put in perspective by looking out the window into the lives of others.
“Someone’s vibe can be bright and happy, but they’re still experiencing darkness. Someone can seem self-aware and brave, but still feel lost. Someone’s tone can sound awake and vibrant, but they’re still trapped behind a dull screen,” Dunn explains. “The goal is to feel the breeze, widen your frame, and keep searching for magic inside you.”
With her classy, quirky, and bold style, Dunn showcases her impressive talent as a songwriter of exceptional insight and depth. “Window” explores the idea of hiding behind a mask in order to conceal one’s true self, a tendency that feels ubiquitous. The song carries undertones of themes captured in Charles Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask,” a poem Dunn would likely approve of based on her standing commitment to advancing equity and justice.
In the first verse of “Window,” the subject is intentionally self-absorbed, frustrated, and weighed down by the mundane. “I can’t go back to sleep/I’ve already had like two cups of coffee.”
After realizing “there’s always someone having a worse day than I,” the focus of the song shifts outward, reminding audiences that the seemingly invisible people we are surrounded by are connected to us by the universal experience called life. The bridge of “Window” offers an unexpectedly perfect surprise that you have to experience for yourself.
Fans of Amy Winehouse and Tracy Chapman will feel at home with Megan Dunn’s honest, authentic songwriting – scat singing and all. Listeners immediately get the sense that Dunn’s mission as an artist goes beyond the music. In her art and being, she seeks to challenge the status quo, inspire positive change, and awaken individuals to greater empathy and understanding.
As the song suggests, what we see in others when we look out the window is actually a reflection of ourselves. These moments that allow us to have unfiltered, fleeting glimpses into other people’s lives should prompt us to put our circumstances in perspective.
Despite challenges in our individual lives, we still have the capacity to look beyond ourselves and lend our sunshine to someone else’s season of darkness. Dunn’s compelling call-to-action is captivating, impeccably timed, and utterly human.
A proud New Jersey native, Dunn also serves as part of the leadership team for the DC Music Summit, where she helps nurture the DMV independent creative community.
“Window” is the first single off Dunn’s upcoming highly anticipated debut album, expected to drop spring 2022. She is also self-publishing a project with long-time collaborator, Dracula Franchise, due out before the end of the year.
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Cynthia Gross is a freelance writer and award-winning spiritual pop artist based in Maryland. With more than a decade of experience as an executive ghostwriter, she understands the power of each individual’s voice to create positive, meaningful change.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
