IN CONVERSATION WITH PEARLY DROPS
interview MARIE-PAULINE CESARI
Meeting by chance in 2013, the members of Pearly Drops quickly discovered a shared vision that would eventually lead them to create music that’s both hauntingly beautiful and refreshingly bold. In this candid interview, they open up about their journey from feeling creatively stuck to finding their true sound, all while navigating the ups and downs of the music industry. With influences ranging from 90s MTV icons to contemporary trailblazers, Pearly Drops blend nostalgia with innovation, creating a sound that’s unmistakably their own. As they reflect on their past, present, and the exciting projects still to come, it’s clear that their passion for music—and for doing things their own way—remains as strong as ever.
Can you share the story of how you two met and decided to form Pearly Drops? What initially drew you to collaborate?
We actually met all the way back in 2013. At first, we wanted to create some sound design and musical productions together, which led us to also start doing shows as part of other groups as touring live members. A little before the 2020 worldwide quarantine times, however, we realized that we were in dead-end musically and all sorts of music industry opportunities were completely non-existent. It felt like there was nothing to lose and we started Pearly Drops completely from scratch, with our own vision. And here we are. Of course, it was by no means easy.
Who have been your most significant musical influences or icons? How have they shaped your sound and overall approach to music?
MTV during the 90s definitely shaped our musical taste. Madonna's Ray Of Light era, Björk, Kate Bush, The Cure and early New York Hip Hop have definitely remained with us. All kinds of bold and experimental, but with a strong Pop sensibility have always inspired and guided us. But we're not just “oldheads”, as the stage presence of, for example, Snow Strippers and Charli XCX has been equally and iconically significant in our opinion.
For readers who may not be familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound in three words?
Scandinavian birch forest.
If someone is new to Pearly Drops, which song would you recommend they start with, and why?
We’d say that Pearly Drops in a way contains two different stylistic directions. We like a lot the so-called easier pop anthems like "Bloom For Me" or "I Cry While You Sleep", but also the more experimental and moody ones like "Nightmare Screen" or "Big Trouble". However, these are not mutually exclusive.
Your new release, "Lost In The Dark," is a re-work of your earlier track "Breathless." What inspired you to revisit this track, and how does the updated version differ from the original?
At first, we really tried to get our favorite artists to create remixes for the new deluxe vinyl edition of Call For Help, but for a reason or another, the schedules didn't quite match up with anyone. We then just decided to take the reins into our own hands and remix ourselves. “Breathless” was one of our first PD tracks ever and we felt that it was a bit overlooked at the time. We also wanted to finally include it into our live set, so this was a good time to refresh and re-envision it.
The short film accompanying "Lost In The Dark" adds a visual dimension to your music. What was the creative process like working with Joonas Lind, and how does the film complement the music?
This time the stars just simply aligned. Joonas approached us with a lot of great ideas, just at the same time as we were finishing “Lost In The Dark” and the Call For Help vinyl edition. We share the same fascination for sunburnt VHS aesthetics, as well as love for B-Horror and surreal Italian crime and mystery films. It was easy to start working together. Joonas also knew how to resourcefully refer to our previous visual work, as well as take it to a new level, in his own way.
In May, we traveled to Tallinn, Estonia to shoot the film. The whole experience was warm, fun and we’re more than satisfied with the wonderful end result of the entire production team.
Your sound has been described as 'ethereal' and 'macabre.' How does your latest release differ from your previous work, and what new ideas or themes are you exploring with this deluxe vinyl edition?
The vinyl version is actually the same as the 2020 debut album, but the tracklist is only in a slightly different order due to the technical limitations of the vinyl format. In addition, it includes the new “Lost In The Dark” track as a bonus, which our listeners have already described as a sort of sweep and a mashup of our entire existing discography. Basically everything is the same as before, but this time just a bit more polished.
You both have backgrounds in music production and have worked with various other artists. How do these collaborations influence Pearly Drops' sound, if at all?
We feel that working with various different artists might broaden one's own views. We just co-produced a song with Vitesse X and it probably turned out to be something that none of us would've done otherwise.
Also the process influences our sound at least in such a way that, for example, some of our already released songs were at some point just drafts that we pitched for other artists. These drafts then ended up being rejected for one reason or another. However, we decided that we definitely wanted to implement these lyrical ideas or melodies ourselves. And we’re happy that we kept pushing.
As we are a fashion magazine, we're curious: what role does fashion play in your professional life as musicians, and how would you describe your personal style?
It's a big part, actually. Pearly Drops is our first project where we’re also our own primary stylists. What could be better and more personal than using your own second hand or vintage finds? Actually, we might be quite ignorant of what is fashionable at the moment, but maybe we’re fashionable in our own little world. We love playing with the notions of good and bad taste. Maybe you could call it ugly and cringe chic. A mix of old and new, playfully oversized, but also respectful of tradition. Whatever that is.
At times we might go a little too fully into one direction or deep into the seasonal history, whether it's Rick Owens, Miu Miu, Raf Simons, older Margiela, or just a mix of them all. The most important thing is that you dress for yourself, appreciate the clothing in question and take good care of them.
Looking ahead, what are your goals or future projects for Pearly Drops that you can share with us? Is there anything exciting on the horizon that your fans should be anticipating?
We’ll actually still release a few interesting collabs later this year! We’re currently working on our third album and can’t wait to share it with everyone!
Watch the video to the track ‘Lost in the Dark’ by Pearly Drops here
