Interview: Canadian Indie Folk Artist Rogan Mei Introduces His Boldest Chapter Yet with “Rushmore (So What)”

With rugged honesty and a dose of youthful defiance, Rogan Mei returns with “Rushmore (So What),” an angsty and liberating folk-rock anthem about missed chances, restless energy, and carving your own road. Louder and more unapologetic than his earlier reflective work, the track captures the friction between wanting change and actually living it – set against ringing guitars and a chorus built to be shouted back.

The song’s title traces back to an unfinished idea that sat dormant for years. “Originally, it was going to be about a road trip with friends where the main character was just not in a good headspace and would sleep in the back seat while everyone pointed out monuments like the biggest hockey stick in the world, the Grand Canyon, or Mt. Rushmore. That’s where the line ‘So what I didn’t see Mt. Rushmore’ came from,” says Mei. Though the story shifted, that core lyric survived and became the heart of the new track.

Unlike his last release “Lefroy,” which emerged in just a few days, “Rushmore (So What)” simmered for years before coming to life. Brought to a songwriting workshop in 2024, Mei dusted off the fragments with the encouragement of collaborator Anna Goldsmith, who helped him reconnect with the song’s raw energy. With support from bassist and mixing engineer Wesley Covey and the full band, the track evolved into one of the most anthemic highlights from his upcoming Dickies Green Plaid Jacket EP.

For Rogan Mei, the song feels like a release. “It’s one of the edgier feeling songs I’ve written and I like that it’s a little rockier than the rest of my set. Playing it live is a fun change of energy – I usually say a little intro speech about channeling angst and then get the crowd joining in with yelling the repeated ‘So what!’ at the end.”

1. What did you enjoy most about the creation of this new release?

The best part was how much fun we had making it. Sometimes recording can get stressful or technical, but with Rushmore it felt loose and alive. We were tracking in a house together, so when I wanted that “big crowd” sound in the last chorus, we just grabbed a mic, spread out through the rooms, and shouted “So what!” at the top of our lungs. Then we layered it again to make it sound even bigger. It was messy, loud, and full of laughter — and that spirit made its way into the song.

2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.

One piece of advice that stuck with me is: “Don’t chase being impressive, chase being honest.” In music and in life, the moments that hit hardest usually come from truth, not perfection. Whenever I start overthinking or trying too hard to prove something, I come back to that — it reminds me to write and live in a way that feels real first.

3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?

Probably Mumford and Sons. They were the soundtrack to some of my formative high school memories, and I’ve seen them a few times at festivals throughout the years. The biggest pull to them is that they just have so much fun up there and seem like really genuine guys doing it their own way.  

4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?

I have a lot of very specific references to places in Canada, from Dundas Street in Toronto, to Algonquin Park, to northern culture and the way the forest is up here, so that’s one thing. Also, I have a unique set of experiences having travelled a lot and having been a smoke jumper. The guys in my band are each quirky on their own, my violinist Saint Shepperd, makes fur hats out of rabbits he hunts and builds instruments on the side,  drummer Anthony Mei an guitarist Jacob Diamond are best friends outside of music an are always joking around, bassist/mixing engineer, Wes Covey is this like super driven young dude (the only 20 year old I’ve ever met with a life coach.. ) So I think our combination of personalities makes both the live show and the music intrinsically different. 

5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.

At this moment, probably “What’s the Use” by Mac Miller. It just puts me in a good headspace. I rode my bike to a hot yoga class the other day and just blasted it in my headphones on repeat on the ride – it was a pretty freeing ten minutes.