Neofolk /witch-pop artist Shannon Pearl has just unveiled her new release, ‘Offering’. Ryan Callander caught up with her to discuss the moon, spirituality and more.
Congratulations on the release of your new single, ‘Offering’. I saw you released it to tie in with the lunar cycle. What’s the significance of that?
Every single thing I’ve released goes with a full moon or new moon. It’s a reminder that we’re cyclical beings. For women especially, our lives line up with the moon. We’re all part of nature. The song’s lyrics reflect that – they’re all about spirituality.
You make no secret that spirituality is important to you. As well as being a musician, you’re a Sacred Celebrant. Is that totally separate from your music? Or is there an overlap there?
Being a Sacred Celebrant definitely ties in with music. They’re in the same vein. I’m living my best life, being authentically me in everything I do. I love being able to marry people within the pagan faith and expressing religion through music. It’s the same with the moon cycles: it’s all about bringing people together, celebrating that in nature and in spirit all is one.
I’m thrilled that you mention marrying people and the significance of music and spirituality in that. I’m getting married next year and we’ve got a mutual friend playing the wedding. I was so excited to see that you’ve got a gig with (Viking pagan metal powerhouse) LN later in the year...
I love LN! We’ve got the same vibe. As soon as we met we were like ‘we need to do something together – unite the witchy women!’ Even though we play different music, we go together. We’re two strands of the same tapestry.
You’re supporting another North East metal band at the end of 2024, the legendary Tygers of Pan Tang. So, is neofolk/witch-pop the new heavy metal?
No, it’s not metal. I’ve not actually played that many shows yet, to the point that people have not had a chance to form a strong reaction to or opinion of me yet. I like it when people try to put me in a box. Metalheads like me for some reason. I think that’s because they tend to have an eclectic taste and they see the themes of my lyrics as being on-point.
Are you seeking out gigs where the lyrical themes will resonate, where there’s already a base of support for your beliefs?
I’m always looking for the best-fit gigs. But I don’t discriminate – I’ll play anywhere. If anything, it’s nice to play in front of people who don’t share my beliefs to see what they think of them. They usually have interesting things to say about them; I find myself getting into really deep conversations when I come off stage at my shows.
So, what are your shows like? Can we expect something like your kulning clips on your Instagram? Or is it a different experience with the full band live?
I have a few different live setups. I play my solo sets with a loop station. That’s how I write – using my voice and creating instruments with my voice. I then hand these ideas over to the band to build on them. It’s more trippy when I perform solo. My solo shows have more tribal, ancestral vibes but the band make it more palatable to a wider audience. It’s nice to be flexible. I have both a six-piece band and quartet. With the quartet, we play acoustic versions where the fiddle takes the lead. These performances are more relaxed. But come to the full-band show on September 28th at the Carnival House in Sunderland and you’ll get a really sensory experience. I’ll put on a show to get involved with, with lots to see and smell and touch and feel.
You can listen to ‘Offering’ now on all major streaming platforms.
