The Official Chat with Meghan Trainor: "I'm happy to be the All About That Bass girl at 70"

2014 marks 10 years since Meghan Trainor exploded into pop stardom with All About That Bass.

Her first UK Number 1 single, in the decade since All About That Bass, Meghan hasn't stopped, issuing excellent singles like the Britney Spears-esque No and the 2022 viral hit, Made You Look, which returned her to her doo-wop roots.

Her sixth album Timeless (out today) continues in the same vein, but takes bold sonic risks, mixing her tried-and-tested doo-wop aesthetic with energetic club beats (To The Moon) and even bone-crunching R&B (Whoops).

Before the LP dropped, we rang Meghan up to discuss her new album and how she's still owning (and loving) her first world-mauling mega-hit.

Your sixth album Timeless is here! How are you feeling?

It honestly feels like my first album all over again. I mean, it's always crazy, but I honestly feel like this is my best stuff yet. It's got a lot of self-help pop bangers, which I think is what I do best. I have some really soulful songs - the title track, Timeless, is about me not wanting to lose the people in my life that I love. That's my worst nightmare. 

Forget How To Love is another big, important song to me, it's about the hate online, how loud it's got.

Forget How To Love has to be a single, surely?

Oh my god, I'm so happy you said that. Did you know that my little brother produced it? It's very special. I wrote it with my brothers too; I did it a week after my C-section. Isn't that crazy?  

What hate online are we talking about specifically?

Well, I see a lot of hate online, especially towards the LGBT+ community, I was so sad and bummed out [by homophobia and transphobia] and also so confused. Why is it all getting so loud? I couldn't figure it out. Like, let me help. Let me support you!

Your last record, Takin' It Back, was your return to doo-wop, I definitely hear those influences here still, but it seems like you're playing with lots of different genres 

I did try and play around with [the formula] this time. My brother [Ryan] gets bored so easily. He moves on very fast and likes very cool music, so I always want to impress him. To The Moon is probably the best example of that because it starts really old school and then it's like...just kidding! We're in the club!

Out of all the new album, Whoops sounds the most like a classic Meghan track

That was actually inspired by Jack Harlow. Like, what if Jack Harlow did a song with Meghan Trainor? What would that sound like? I love Jack Harlow, by the way. 

Surely we now need to get him on the remix?

I would die. Can you please put that in there? In fact, make it the whole title of the interview. Jack, call me!

Been Like This with T-Pain just became your 9th Top 40 hit in the UK, by the way

Shut up! Really? Did I know this?

We did tag you, Meghan...

No-one tells me the good news! That's amazing.

Nearly 10 years since All About That Bass, how does it feel to still be scoring Top 40 hit singles?

I mean...that's a hit to me. I got a hit! It went to Number 1 in my head. So, now I'm going to go cry to my mom that we got a UK TOP 40 hit. Thank you!

This is also your last album on your current contract with Sony - it must feel like a victory lap of the last 10 years?

Honestly, it's emotional. We're all like family. They've been with me since day one, literally. With All About That Bass, no-one else believed in it. It or me. Epic were, literally, my only offer.

I can't believe that...

It's true! They came to Nashville after LA Reid heard the demo. They hunted me down. 

It is important to say, though, All About That Bass did change everything for you

That song is literally my first-born.

It was so big out of the gate, and it kind of did change the culture around it - do you still feel defined by it?

Honestly, at first I didn't like [how big the song got]. I thought I was going to be 'The Bass' girl at 70 years old. But now 10 years later, I'm like...I'm going to be The Bass Girl when I'm 70 years old! Hell yeah! Like, we made memories for people. I'm honestly still trying to catch up to that song, maybe I always will be.

Meghan Trainor's Timeless is out now via Epic.