Meels Brings ‘Northern Star’ To The Grand Ole Opry
The singer-songwriter performed the song during her Grand Ole Opry debut on October 28.
Meels has released “Northern Star,” a new single about the pull between pursuing a dream and staying connected to the people and places left behind. The Northern California singer-songwriter wrote the track, which was produced by Justin Francis and Peter Groenwald, a member of Hush Kids.
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Meels describes the song as a reflection on life on the road and the relationships that endure across distance. “I wrote ‘Northern Star’ about the contradiction of chasing a dream while the dream chases you back. It’s about the harsh realities of the road, the people and little creatures that keep you grounded from afar, and the magical connection that music provides,” she said. The song carries the blend of folk, Americana and country that Meels calls “Critter Country.”
On October 28, Meels made her Grand Ole Opry debut, performing “Northern Star” and the unreleased “Over Miles.” The appearance followed a fall on tour with Old Crow Medicine Show. She is scheduled to close out 2026 with December dates supporting Kaitlin Butts.
“Northern Star” follows Meels’ January 2026 EP, Across The Raccoon Strait, released by Lost Highway Records. It came after her 2024 debut EP, Tales from a Bird’s Bedroom. Raised among the redwoods of Mill Valley, California, Meels has drawn on the region’s landscape and its wildlife in shaping her songwriting and the “Critter Country” description of her sound. Her recent releases place that style alongside stories of leaving home, navigating new places and keeping ties to familiar people.
