Besides keeping busy in the studio and co-writing for artists like JAWNY or bands like Charly Bliss, LA-based producer Jamie Sierota has found time for his own music. Under his meija moniker, Sierota has dropped his latest single, “Possum,” the first teaser to an upcoming project. The song also features singer-songwriter and producer Mark Oliver Everett, who goes by E as part of his indie-rock band Eels.
Although Sierota has already sought to prove himself as a producer, “Possum” is meija finding his lane, defined by alternating production and a relaxed voice that points listeners to the substance in the lyrics.
“Possum” initially opens up to the sounds of shimmers and subtle drumming before switching when Sierota crawls onto the track, clearly fed up by the constant need to shield his emotions. The chorus finds the song literally coming to life, electrified by bass shockwaves and buzzing synths. E joins him in the latter half, matching Sierota’s languid voice as the two fuse together against the loud production.
On top of being featured on “Possum,” E of Eels also joins Sierota in the song’s music video. Since the song hearkens back to the 90s with its green-tinted look and cursed floppy disk video game at the center, it was only fitting the visuals also paid homage to the 90s, taking inspiration from the movie Office Space. With E as the boss and Sierota as a distracted employee, the video is nearly twice as long as the track, offering more of a narrative than most visuals.
Oddly, both artists gave varying accounts of the making of “Possum.” While Sierota was focused on the song being “about trying to face the things that you feel like you haven’t been ready to face” and “‘playing dead’ with emotions,” E recalled a story where his dog Bundy hadn’t caught a squirrel in years until one day, it killed a possum.
“The possum died immediately and was already covered in flies,” explained E. “Bundy lost interest and went inside to brag to his sister that he was now a bonafide killer.” Whether or not E’s story is true — most likely not — it would make a lot more sense if it were for how off-kilter and experimental the resulting song is. However, the two make for a great pairing and successfully combine each other’s sounds.
Words: David Sosa
“Possum” by meija is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and live shows, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
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