Meet Megan Muneer | Singer-songwrtier

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Muneer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I come from a musical family and I began singing before I could really talk. I began studying formal voice lessons at the age of 12, and then went on to study classical vocal music in college. So it wasn’t really a matter of pursuing or not, I was simply called to that path and I always felt that there was never any other choice.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My music is a direct expression of my love for the Divine and meant to be a healing experience for all who hear it. I began songwriting as a young child, but in my yound adulthood, studied opera. In college I encountered traditional Indonesian music and fell deeply in love with that art form. I was led to Indonesia, where I lived for many years. There I experienced a big surge of fame, but the price of that came with many personal challenges. I experienced a divorce and other painful circumstances; I was led into some very dark places. In Indonesia as a single mother, I felt myself at the mercy of those who did not have the best intentions. I had to pull myself out of a very dark place. I returned to the US in 2016 and began to rebuild my life from scratch. This new music that I’m releasing is the fruit of 8 years of piece-by-piece, putting myself back together and recognizing what truly has meaning.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Roosevelt Road in Lombard, Illinois is a famous area for incredibly adorable Muslim eateries. It’s very easy to eat halal on Roosevelt Road. In fact, as I’m in a cafe on Roosevelt as we do this interview. Darul Qasim Mosque in Glendale Heights is also a glorious example of American Islamic architecture. If you’re in downtown Chicago, the Art Institute or Chicago Cultural Center are beautiful places to explore.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Pianist and healer Adrienne Varner @adriennevarner
Singer songwriter Samantha Deluca @sammydelucs

Website: https://www.meganmuneer.com

Instagram: @meganmuneer

Facebook: @meganmuneer

Youtube: @meganmuneer

Image Credits
Photos by Megan Muneer and Ayesha Muneer