Q&A with Pearl Future

Shop Song was ringing through my headphones for the longest time – and the one accountable for doing this to me was none other than miss PEARL FUTURE (aka Pearly), the next power vocalist emerging from Bay Area, US. We first got in touch through the beauty of social networking – a la MySpace. Being amazingly down to Earth (if you can believe – this girl moderates her own page comments and takes the time to respond), Pearl Future did a little Q&A for urbanebloc.com on her upcoming gigs.

She’s a “Cali hippie type with a gangster mentality”. Read up after the jump.

1. You’re so fond of the San Fran Bay Area – tell me how it’s influenced you / why you’re running it there?
   hmmm, many things have happened to me here in the Bay that have contributed to who I am so…yes, this area is under my skin. At 17 I lived in a communal artist warehouse… the rent was super cheap. It was a crazy mini government going on in there and they threw huge underground parties all the time. I met a lot of DJ’s and musicians, but they were sometimes on another musical trip than me. I interned at a hip hop studio and was writing pop music… my music evolved outta that. But I also met poets and painters and famous drag queens, so it all worked out. The Bay Area is unique in the way the way that there is a lot of open mindedness and so many different types of personalities. You end up with very few similar people… you bond on a different level. Like basically just acceptance. But I live by the street rules. If you treat me cool, I treat you cool. I stay outta your business, you outta mine. If I like you we are tight. Don’t hussle me.

 

2. You have an aggressive nature to your music – how do you think it makes people react?
   I hope it makes people assert themselves. Either to themselves or the world around them. I have a fighting spirit. Not so much physically, but mentally. I can be mouthy too. I stand up for things, but not in an activist way, more in a protective personal way. I’m the friend that stands up for you. I also am a firm believer that you have to go get the things you want outta life. I have a big heart that I protect. Its easy to get taken advantage of… so I pretty much play it safe. No one gets a pass until they earn it.

 

3. Dr. Dre, Bjork, Chopin – all such different backgrounds, how do you mix elements of all of them together to form your own style?
   The original list for those references was so big. I made a list and the writer chose those… but I admit, she was keen, they represent me well.

 

4. You started in music so early – who has ever heard of a sound engineer at 16! Tell me what it was like working professionally while still being a teenager.
   Yes, at 16 I engineered my first session alone. I handled the patching and sending and outboard gear. It was a Neve console and it was a tracking and transfer session. That’s what I did a lot… we transferred ADAT sessions into ProTools 24.. an early platform of Protools… I’m glad we’re into HD now. I moved onto editing once I started recording my first album.

 

5. You’re originally from Vegas – do you think that plays into your entertainment factor?
   Yes, I’m sure it does. The lights and costumes are addictive. My Dad was a pit boss and I was regularly left at casinos to be watched, like CircusCircus. It was fun… adults snuck me in backstage to the shows. It was surreal… I’m sure it rubbed off.

 

6. Shop Song is unnervingly addictive, it sounds like such a powerful song with piercing vocals. Where’d the idea come from?
   I have a girlfriend and when her and I get together there is this crazy shopping chemistry. We are insane and it feels like a drug, we go outta control. I was trying to capture that. I’m not gonna lie… it’s not my first time in a store!!

 

7. You’re so direct with your fans! Even for myself, I met you on MySpace, how do you connect with people usually, and how does the Internet play into your art / craft?
   I love the internet… when I can get on it! I don’t get a lot of time for it lately. I love how there is a real spirit of “doing your dreams” online. People sharing stuff, opening their minds. I like meeting people online, and like with us, it’s was really easy to meet, so it’s cool. I was able to find your blog and you could hear my music… I love that! I have also been able to work with other musicians from all over the world because of the internet and that has been great. The internet is changing the music and entertainment industry a lot. It is pretty wild right now.

 

8. What’s something that’s in your music collection that would surprise us?
   Would screamo surprise you? I dig Brokencyde and stuff like them, it’s a cool genre. I love heavy metal and classic rock too. Techno and Drum-N-Bass. Oh, I know what would surprise you… Andreas Vollenweider! Surprise!

 

9. What’s next Pearly, where can we find you?
   You called me Pearly… thats crazy cuz that shopping girlfriend of mine calls me that!! Girl, I bet we could shop!! 🙂 Next? Well, A LOT! I have been developing my style and sound over these past months and we will be starting slow as we lead up to my single and album release, sometime in late 2010. I’ll be touring again also. Getting the word out and creating awareness to let pop music fans know about the music is what I’m doing right now. That is why it is so great to do this for your dope blog, you are definitely up on stuff early… I love that!

You can find more on Pearl Future at myspace.com/pearlfuture and twitter.com/pearlfuture