Premiere: Megan Diana – “Tattoo”

If you live in the Portland area, chances are you’ve heard the work of Megan Diana. Perhaps it was a score she composed for a video or multi-media art installation. Or possibly you’ve heard someone playing one of the prominent and beautifully decorated pianos haphazardly located throughout town every summer as a part of the Piano Push Play program that she spearheaded. She also writes and performs around town with her own brand of piano-driven infectious pop.

This Fall, Diana will release her debut full-length album, Women In My Head, following up on her 2015 self-titled EP. Ahead of the release, Eleven is pleased to premiere the album’s lead single “Tattoo,” a catchy, upbeat track with a modern take on a classic beat and groove. She doesn’t have any events on the calendar at the moment but keep an eye out for an album release show this fall, to be announced soon, where Diana will be joined by a full horn section and a ladies choir.

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Megan gave us some insight about the track:

“Tattoo is one of my favorite tracks to play live….really high energy and so much fun to sing.

The original demo I made had several totally disparate drum loops throughout. An 80’s beat box, a dance groove, a classic Motown pattern sometimes with several loops happening at once…

I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out once we got into the studio because I wanted to record it all on a real kit but emulate the original which had some drum machine all over it. I had sent the demo to my drummer Jake Ransom and he came in with the entire thing worked out….a totally separate track that’s just high hats played with the back handles of some brushes to emulate those electronic drum sizzle sounds…along with a super muted snare and tom to get close to that 80’s dry tone.

It was also just really fun to keep playing around with the vocal arrangements, always making them a bit different than the last time you’ve heard them. I’m a fan of really lush vocal layering and this song has that come in and out really quickly; your ear likes something but then it’s gone before you know it….”