Folk-pop is a timeless way for musicians to express themselves through a mix of intimate lyricism and hypnotizing instrumentals. Somewhere in Western Maryland, sharing the same love and sentiment for music, the paths of longtime musicians Eli Lev and Megan Leigh crossed. Eli grew up in the suburbs of Silver Spring, while Megan lived on a dairy farm in Boonsboro. After finally meeting on Instagram sometime in 2017, the duo was
In comparison to mainstream folk-pop artists and bands like Of Monsters and Men, The Civil Wars, and Fleetwood Mac, Wild Whispers pays homage to their cozy Maryland homestead with their music, incorporating their own brand of cinematic pop harmonies. In 2019, after building on many different solo ventures as well as a cross-country tour, the musically gifted pair returned to their roots in Western Maryland and started writing songs for their first trilogy music project, a melodious and profound trifecta of songs that narrates the Greek myth of Icarus and his journey of metamorphosis.
The year 2020, when the global pandemic began and shut down the world, was indeed a challenging time for the pair’s careers. Driven by their relentless passion and inspiration, however, Eli and Megan suddenly thought of filming their breakout Tiny Desk Contest video submission of “Icarus Rising.” Produced in Nashville, Tennessee, their first trilogy of songs is foundational to their full cinematic sound that puts the harmonious blend of male and female vocals, acoustic fingerstyle guitar, and booming percussion into focus.
The intimate music video, which garnered almost 8,000 views as of today, was shot in the barn on Megan’s family’s farm, where they now reside. Eli recounted his daily routine each morning, “I normally head to the barn and feed 13 hungry horses who await their grain and four cats who can be heard meowing across the meadow for their breakfast. Every winter evening, Megan heads up to the outdoor wood furnace and adds logs to the fire, heating the well water that runs through radiators through the house to keep it warm at night. In the summer, the family also grows and harvests hay and tends to the fruit and vegetable gardens that straddle their late 1700s two-story stone farmhouse, which was used as an officer’s hospital during the Civil War battle of Antietam.”
The horse barn on Megan’s family’s farm is growing to become a symbolic backdrop for Wild Whispers and their supporters. The horse barn has already been partly converted into an event space for weddings and special occasions, and now, the musical visionaries also would often shoot their live performance videos, which they have been religiously posting on their YouTube channel for the last three years. Aside from these, Megan and Eli also frequently host live concerts both inside the barn and out across the neighboring meadow that draw increasingly large audiences.
With their catchy melodies and soulful lyrics brought to light with the first two songs of their trilogy, “Icarus Rising,” and the darker and more mysterious “Another Side,” Wild Whispers is planning on concluding with I Am I. In collaboration with Grammy-nominated Artist/Producer, Stonebridge, “I Am I” is bound to be a dance floor filler with its timely release in the summer. As Unheard Gems said, “Wild Whispers’ goal is to take everything you know about acoustic pop and folk and flip it on its head—from their lyrical storytelling to their empyrean harmonies, to their arrangements that challenge the status quo of indie-folk.”
With the release of their second trilogy, the talented duo stays rooted in their folk roots while exploring unison vocals and infectious rhythms with their witty and insightful lyricism. “Fire” talks about the playfulness of ephemeral summer love, while “My Mind” is a commentary on the ridiculousness of political divisiveness in today’s media. “Hey,” on the other hand, is about the pair’s spiritual journeys in meditation.
The duo’s third trilogy includes the tour-inspired adventure folk tune “Trace the Lines” and the reflective and introspective “Rivers to Rain,” along with their socially-conscious, modern national anthem “Purple Mountains.”
With six of nine songs already recorded for their second full-length album, Wild Whispers is set to explore more of their musical potential at the same time, maintaining their acoustic roots.
Wild Whispers’ discography is on Spotify. For exclusive live streams, contest giveaways, and unreleased music, join their worldwide fan base online via their Whisper Fam Community.