Meiko, a singer-songwriter originally from Roberta, Ga., has created a self-titled debut album of perfectly simple music, with charming backgrounds and lyrics that sound as if they spring from the pages of her journal. Honest and direct, they immediately create an understanding between Meiko and the listener. From beginning to end, we’re pulled right into Meiko’s emotional journey.

Meiko wears her heart on her sleeve, epitomized by the heartfelt and blues-inspired track entitled “Said and Done.” With maturity and presence, she pleads, “What are you going to say, what are you going to do, when it’s all said and done?” Her tone and background are gritty and unabashed in this number. She bites deeply into every song and channels the true emotion of the piece perfectly. It is this honesty that makes Meiko’s debut album so appealing.

But not all of her numbers are so forcefully sung as “Said and Done.” Others display a subtler side to her tone. Her album exhibits a great range of emotion and of musical influence. Many of her tracks, such as “Piano Song,” are much more reminiscent of Feist with her electronica-inspired background. The rhythm is mainly simple chords on a piano, with a xylophone adding some texture at parts — otherwise, Meiko’s voice carries the light melody by itself. She reveals the beautiful conversational tone of her voice in such slower numbers. In “Hiding,” she uses her great range and the richness of her voice to express moving lyrics. Ultimately, the album’s eclectic musical inspirations make each track refreshing.

The album is reminiscent of other soulful female artists such as Indigo Girls, Feist and Fiona Apple, with influences from classic strong women vocalists as well as acoustic and folk sounds. Her music blends not only the acoustic textures of the guitar, cello and other instruments, but also layers electronic sound to make her songs rich and full.

Although her smooth, sweet voice could stand alone, her more developed musical style sets her apart from other artists in the female songwriter category. The songs are catchy and memorable, but poignant lyrics and genuine emotion keep them from becoming overplayed pop sensations.

Raised by her father, Meiko, who adopted her name because she wanted to embrace her one-quarter Japanese background, grew up with a passion for music. She would sing in church and into her family’s clothes dryer, which she claimed had excellent acoustics. Soon, she was writing her own songs, and at age 13, her father, who taught her to play the guitar, gave Meiko her own Gibson six-string guitar. A flood of songs soon followed.

At age 18 she left home to pursue her music career. Eventually Meiko ended up in Los Angeles and began playing gigs all over Southern California, including Hollywood’s legendary Hotel Cafe.
It was in early 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival that she managed to play her way into the attention of Paste Magazine’s editor Josh Jackson who claimed she was a “big success story waiting to happen.” Soon thereafter she became a mainstay of the L.A. radio station scene. Finally, in 2008, Meiko managed to put together her own album, self-titled Meiko, that was released Sept. 8. Like the title of the first track on her new album, we can think of a lot of “Reasons to Love” Meiko.

Meiko is currently on the Hotel Cafe Tour with fellow female singer-songwriters such as Ingrid Michaelson, Kate Havnevik and Anya Marina. The tour, which features different new artists each time around joined by hometown favorites, is now in its fourth year and continues to meet huge success, with sold-out shows in North America and the U.K. Watch out for the tour’s D.C. appearance at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 28.