Pop-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Majelen, has today released her formidable debut album Stuck With You. The songs on the album have been inspired by love and relationships, and her passion for the Australian landscape.
The album was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London, where they were able to capture her incredible guitar skills. Majelen is currently touring the album, and this Sunday night will be at Lazybones in Sydney. All the tour dates are below.
There is plenty to celebrate with the release of the album. Majelen has partnered with guitar maker, Cole Clark Guitars, and they have released a limited edition acoustic guitar – head HERE for all the details.
Limited edition vinyl and other merch has also been released – head HERE for those details.
To celebrate the release of Stuck With You, Majelen has penned a track-by-track breakdown for the AU, so crank up the volume, press <Play> and read on.
Majelen – Stuck With You – Track by Track
‘Stuck With You’ – Album
This album was written over a period of years whilst backpacking around the world and working as a horseback trail guide in places like Africa, the UK and parts of Australia. And then it also features songs written about meeting my wife Courtney and building our home on wheels, a Toyota Coaster bus named Nioka, in which we now travel around Australia.
It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, and then mixed and mastered by myself in the bus back home in Aus.
The title track “Stuck With You” was originally written to be a part of my marriage proposal to Courtney, but she beat me to it – so now it’s a celebration of our relationship and the music video features footage from our actual wedding and family and friends.
The album is about wanderlust, adventure, love and just basically enjoying this beautiful life we all get to live.
1. “Leconfield”
‘Leconfield’ was written about a farm in Australia where I first learnt to ride a horse – picture me and a bunch of backpackers from around the world living in a massive shed on a beautiful rural cattle property near Tamworth. During this time I met my best friend and one of my life’s greatest loves and losses, Emily, plus a bunch of other friends from around the world who I am still in touch with and have travelled with as well.
2. “Sand Dancing”
“Sand Dancing” was written about a trip that Emily and I went on through India for a few weeks. It was my second trip to India, a place I absolutely adore and am still trying to convince my wife to travel to with me! We stopped at a beach town during our travels at a place called Goa and went to a few beach parties… this song is a result of all that.
3. “Me and You”
“Me and You” is written about a few months Emily and I spent travelling through Africa during a very long trip round the world together. We worked and volunteered in a few places throughout South Africa as horseback trail guides and it is honestly one of the best years of my life so far – an absolutely incredible experience and adventure that I hope to also share with Courtney (my wife) one day. Africa is an amazing place and to see it from horseback with someone I loved… just made it priceless.
4. “Waiting”
‘Waiting’ is the first song that I wrote for Courtney, during the first few weeks that we met. I knew I was going to marry her the second I saw her, but Courtney needed time. I decided that I would patiently wait, proving to her with time that I was indeed the person that I portrayed myself to be, someone who would love and adore her as she deserved. Must have worked, cause we’re married now…
5. “Stuck With You”
About a year after we met I started writing “Stuck With You”, because I wanted to use a song as part of my marriage proposal to her. Unfortunately (not that I really minded that much), Courtney beat me to it and proposed to me first. I’m happy to say she’s the best wife I’ve ever had (dad joke), and that married life is pretty freakin great. She’s amazing and I am very grateful and blessed to have someone to adventure through life with and grow with every single day. I named this song “Stuck With You” because we met right before COVID locked Australia down, and when lockdown started we moved in together… and been happily together ever since.
6. ‘Long Way To Go’
So Courtney and I bought an empty Toyota Coaster bus in early 2020 and decided to build it into a house on wheels to live in. I wrote “Long Way To Go” one afternoon when we were halfway through the build and were exhausted, covered in dirt, sawdust and metal shavings and kinda just wished we were finished already. It took us three months all up to complete our little home (which we named Nioka), and we’ve had the most amazing time living in her for the last 3 years.
7. “The Mirror”
Picture a good friend turning around and telling you and your wife that you’re just not good enough – and not for the first time. We had someone in our lives who I loved dearly who we just never seemed to be able to live up to their expectations, despite our every effort. I was told by this person that they are the only person who has the balls enough to be everyone else’s mirror and say what other people are thinking but don’t express. So what does a mirror do? It reflects back to you exactly what you are. No opinions, no different perspectives, no thoughts added in there. Just you, exactly as you are. And if a person is to be a mirror for those around them, what do you think is the best way someone can truly do that? Remind and reflect to the people who need that mirror who they truly are. And who are we all? Really? When it all boils down to it? Love. That’s it. If you can remind people around you of the truth – that they are perfect just as they are, they are loved, they are beautiful and a wonderful creation in this world, THEN, and ONLY THEN you are actually acting as a mirror. Anything else, is just your perspective.
8. “Flame Tree”
“Flame Tree” was written by the side of a river on the Gold Coast, Australia. By this time we had finished our bus Nioka and had been living in her for a while. Courtney and I had been through some testing times due to life circumstances of the people around us and it caused me to ponder life, resulting in this song. Flame Tree is a cry for honesty and authenticity, highlighting the need to stick together as people and create closeness, not division, at a time when we need it most.
9. “Midnight”
Courtney and I own multiple business and have spent most of our relationship working very hard (though it may not seem like it online!). There was a time a few years ago where we just didn’t feel like we could catch a break in almost any way, and it seemed like we were just hitting our heads against a wall and not moving forward. But, because she and I are pretty much the dream team, we both knew if we just stayed strong together, we’d get through the dark times and things would be easier soon. Turns out we were right. Midnight is a reminder that though things are not always easy, it’s always worth it, and we always know whatever dark tunnel we’re walking through, we’ll always come out the other side.
10. “Take My Hand”
“Take My Hand” was written for a friend who I watched make decisions that were pretty heartbreaking. I wished I could just pull her out of where she had gotten herself and help her see another option, but of course, I can’t make anyone see anything unless they choose to and want to. It’s in these times that compassion really has to play a big part, even though it might hurt.
11. “Whisper”
“Whisper” is kinda a funny story… Courtney and I had an encounter with a random indigenous man whilst in a carpark on the Gold Coast one day. He basically told me that I’m actually an Atlantean (which I am totally fine with, as long as I still get to go to Hogwarts), and that my wife Courtney should listen to me more cause I have ancient wisdom within me (I also liked that one, for obvious reasons). Jokes aside, he literally talked at us for about 45 minutes and knew our whole life stories – and it was kinda like he could see into our souls. After thinking about that random encounter and the little inner voice we all have within us, this song came about.
12. “The Story”
“The Story” is actually the first song I ever wrote on guitar. I had spent time travelling through India and Thailand and helping out in schools and in slums and spending time with people on the street. “The Story” doesn’t have words because we all have a story, and a story that adds value, beauty and meaning to this world, even if it is heard by few others. All of us share parts of the same story, we are born, we live, create, adventure, grow, and then we die. And that bit in the middle is what can bring us all together, if we choose it. We are all the same, all turn to dust at the end of it all and our souls all go back to the one flame where they came from. To try to sum all that up with words however seemed rather superfluous, so I let the music and my guitar speak for itself.
