Editors’ Note: This article was updated at 2:04 p.m. on Sept. 18 to reflect Jo MacKenzie’s professional name.

Meghan Chen is no stranger to being unique. Known as the “white eyebrow girl,” it’s not just Chen’s unusual eyebrow color that allows her to march to the beat of her own drum. She makes music from a place of honesty and enthusiasm, and these qualities imbue her new EP, “Cynic In The Making,” released Aug. 16, with a character that is wholly singular.

“I personally have never been afraid to be bold in what I’m saying,” said Chen, a junior majoring in popular music performance.

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“Cynic In The Making” is an audacious testament to both Chen’s musical ability and her voice in the musical community. Tracks like the more rock-forward “Aphrodite,” written about a past toxic relationship, stand out as an expression of Chen’s confidence in herself as she grappled with something that many college students go through.

As the song reaches a climactic ending, she sings “I’m the best you’ll ever have / The best you’ll ever know / You’ll see.” Chen is an artist who is intensely aware of herself and her values.

With songs like “Good Men” and “Beware,” Chen takes a shot at the patriarchy and older generations. On “Good Men,” she rails against common sexist behavior, like getting catcalled on the street. “Beware” is a bold statement against the assumption that the youth must be made responsible for the faults of older generations.

“If I didn’t swing at you, don’t feel hit,” Chen said. “I’ve just always wanted to say what I have to say. I have a lot of thoughts about my own personal experiences and the lessons I’ve learned from them, and I think that’s a valid perspective to put forward.”

Chen’s songs showcase not only her strong values but also her varied influences. “Good Men” has a Joni Mitchell flavor to it, while “Waterfall” feels like a Gracie Abrams song. As a singer-songwriter, Chen draws on a variety of inspirations, and a lot of her music focuses on her experience moving from Indiana to Los Angeles and her identities as a queer Asian American woman.

She approaches these ideas cinematically; her way of seeing music fits in perfectly at USC, where interdisciplinary thinking is heavily encouraged. Rachel Meiselas, a junior majoring in music industry and Chen’s manager, helped Chen come up with movie equivalents for each song.

They connected “Everything I Know,” which details her feelings on moving away from home and has a plaintive, melancholic vibe that is balanced by her powerful vocals, to “Lady Bird” (2017) and used this connection in their promotion of the EP on TikTok. Meiselas encouraged Chen to use this multi-hyphenate approach for every aspect of “Cynic In The Making.”

“Meghan is really cinematically driven. She’s really inspired by the movies that she grew up watching and continues to watch,” Meiselas said. “She loves to score as well. She’s really, really gifted.”

Jo MacKenzie, a junior majoring in music production, helped produce multiple songs of “Cynic In The Making.” She appreciates that Chen is multi-talented, unafraid to try new things and adds intricate levels of interest to her music.

“Obviously she’s had a lot of musical training, but I also think she’s just so smart and has such good musical intuition that she can come up with these unexpected parts that make them flow together,” MacKenzie said.

There are many steps that go into making an EP: From demos to recording in the studio to partnering with a label to release it, USC has provided a lot of opportunities for Chen to realize her vision. Chen even released the album through USC’s own student-run record label, 840 West, which distributes through Universal Music Group.

Moreover, Chen has also had many opportunities to perform live. She recently performed at SPARK! to kick off the year for Visions and Voices, and she’s performed at Tommy’s Place, The Mint and  Moroccan Lounge. The varied nature of her music lends itself not only to full production but also to acoustic sets.

“I saw her perform this acoustic set at the Moroccan Lounge like a week and a half ago, and she sang some of the songs from the EP,” MacKenzie said. “It was so magical to watch her performing songs that we had worked on for so long to a crowd of strangers and then seeing how they reacted. It was so heartwarming and sweet to watch the audience go up to her after and cheer for her.”

Chen is dedicated not only to great live performances, but also to the craft of music-making. She grew up playing the piano and didn’t like it at first, but once she got the opportunity to make her own songs, everything changed for her. Now, after years of practice, her writing is sophisticated and multifaceted.

“Ordinary Girl” is a great example of Chen’s frank yet polished songwriting as she sings “But no woman lives for free / There should be a bill / 17 means no more smiles / Her innocence is spent / In Americana style.” Chen’s sharp eyes see the true way of the world, and her lyrics are timely.

“When I first discovered writing and that I could write, that was almost addicting to me. I wanted to do it for my entire life, and that’s why we’re here,” Chen said.

Being a musician is a lot of work, but Chen does it all with ease. She’s motivated by her own love for music, so she’s constantly working on new songs and trying out different styles. On “Cynic In The Making,” Chen even produced “Everything I Know” because they needed more people to work on the album.

Chen seems on track for success if “Cynic In The Making” is anything to go by. Her dedication and commitment to herself and her values show an artist who is ready to let the world see her greatness.

“As a manager, you can never work harder than an artist is willing to work themselves,” Meiselas said. “And that girl has drive unlike anything I’ve ever seen. She’s sending demos every day. She’s asking for your thoughts. She’s always in the studio, always wanting to be better every single day.”