CANNXN is about capturing lightning in a bottle. Based out of Seattle, WA, CANNXN is the homegrown musical project of singer & songwriter Megan Cannon. She has been writing and performing locally for the past five years, and has garnered a reputation for interweaving conversational lyrics with soundscapes that are both emotional and vibrant.
Born and raised in Puyallup, WA, a small town South of Seattle, Megan spent most of her middle school and high school days writing and producing songs in her bedroom. Inspired by pop-punk acts like All Time Low and Fall Out Boy, she started writing on the acoustic guitar and later moved to crafting larger productions after finding modern alternative acts such as PVRIS and Halsey. Prone to overthinking, songwriting served as an outlet to sort through the experiences of her adolescence.
Getting to know CANNXN
You are a new addition to a crayon box. What colour would you be and why?
Definitely a lavender. I love the moodiness of the color purple, and I think that it’s soft without being too delicate, which feels like a good representation of my personality.
What would be a good theme song for your life?
Infinitely Ordinary by the Wrecks. I feel like a lot of my life was spent trying to do the most all of the time, and when that song came out, it made me realize that the little moments in life were more important, which is an important lesson to learn.
Which are cooler? Dinosaurs or Dragons?
Dinosaurs because they have more variety. I could read about the different types literally all night long and not even scratch the surface. Dinosaurs are simply the coolest.
What’s your most expensive piece of clothing?
I am a BIG shoe nerd and have too many pairs of platform Dr. Martens, so those are definitely up there. I am also a big fan of the Ragged Priest, and their pants have definitely cost me a bit throughout the years.
If you were talking to a younger version of you, what advice would you give yourself?
Be crazy. In my youth, I was always afraid of being too obnoxious with my clothing and I think I spent a lot of time being too reserved when I could’ve had fun. The same goes for singing, I spent so much time caring about what other people thought of me that I was afraid to do what made me happy, which is SILLY.
What is your creative process like?
I feel like I sound insane when I talk about it, but a lot of the time when I write, I can hear the whole song in my head, almost as if I get a song that doesn’t exist on loop in my brain. That being said, a lot of the time when I write, it’s really just me trying to dissect the layers in what I hear and trying to get the idea out in a way that stays genuine to my vision. Lyrically, most of the time I write from my own life. I keep a lot of thoughts in the notes app on my phone, and will usually grab something from there and elaborate on the idea.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I feel like I talk about it all the time, but my dream collaboration would definitely be Nick Anderson from the Wrecks. Growing up, I was a big fan of his production style and he was definitely one of my main influences when it comes to producing my own music. I like the combination that he uses of live instruments and programmed synths, all the productions are just so BIG sounding and I would love to see his process.
What is your favourite song to perform?
I recently have been practicing with my band quite a bit, and I love the energy that “Will I Always Feel This Way?” has live. I think it really captures the energy of the song well, and it breathes new life into it. Practicing has me really excited to start playing live shows a a full band, I think it’ll really be an experience for both us and the audience.
What’s next for you?
The band and I are going into the studio next week! We are recording two new tracks that I wrote a while ago that have very heavy indie/summer vibes, and I’m excited. Since CANNXN originally started as a solo project, I am beyond excited to really dive into writing and recording with others. We’ve been writing as a group quite a bit, and I cannot emphasize enough how much more fun it is to write with other people, it helps me break out of the patterns I fall into when I’m writing by myself as well.
Do you have any other plans relating to this release? A video? Online Shows?
While not directly related to the release, I am a part of the Museum of Pop Culture’s annual Sound Off! Program this year which is exciting. As a Seattle local, I grew up watching a lot of the artists I loved from the area participate, and being a part of the program has me beyond elated. The band and I played two tracks and filmed an interview, and it’ll be going live on May 15th. Tickets are pay what you can, and you can get them at http://mopop.org/soundoff
What can we expect from you within the next 6 months? Any releases planned? Future gigs?
Lots of new music! Two new singles this summer, and then we have a new EP in the works for later this year, which I’m excited about. I want to start playing live more, so I’ll be seeking out opportunities where I can, especially as the vaccine becomes more accessible. Us CANNXN folks are spending our time rehearsing and writing so we can have the best live show we can when everything returns.
CANNXN has released her debut EP Will I Always Feel This Way featuring songs “Will I Always Feel this Way,” “Lonely in the Morning,” and “Nightmare (Demo)” available on all streaming services.
Written by CANNXN and produced, mixed, and mastered by CANNXN and Tyler Mays, the project serves as an outlet for the loneliness and uncertainty that comes with anxiety, and mixes CANNXN’s pop-punk influences with analog synth elements for a more modern sound.
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