Shannon Pearl’s music is inspired by her connection to nature, her love of folklore and the music of her ancestral homelands in the north of England and Scotland. As she prepares to release her new single, ‘Mountains’, Lee Allcock caught up with her to speak about nature, the body, humans and more.
Tell me about your fascination with nature. It certainly seems to inspire a lot of your work…
I ponder a lot about why we are here, what my place is on this planet and whether or not I have a purpose. The more books I read on subjects like history, environmentalism and culture, the more I’m drawn into the never-ending search for meaning. The only thing that quiets my mind about all of this is being in nature. That, in itself, fascinates me! The fact that my brain is only ever soothed by wilderness seems to hold huge significance. It’s like I can finally breathe when I am out of the city and upon return, I am always brimming with ideas and inspiration for creative projects. We are intrinsically linked to the world around us. No matter what walls we build and systems we have in place to ‘civilise’ ourselves and disconnect, the wild untamed is within us – we sprung from it. I think it’s important to remember that and in this day and age, we should totally embrace it. Our vital resources are depleting and the planet that we all depend on is in crisis – the earth needs our help. I feel grief every day for what we are doing to our beautiful home, so I see my music as a way to express that and to bring awareness to other beings through the medium of sound. I want to make people feel things and change their outlook on the notion of being ‘human’ and being ‘separate’ from the natural world.
And the release date coincides with a full moon too…
The release date for ‘Mountains’ coincides with the full moon in June. This is because, to me, the full moon represents the physical and emotional body. It’s a time to be receptive and take notice of the energies around you. It’s also the result of a very visible cycle, this phase represents completion – specifically the completion of my own creative cycle – so it seemed very fitting to release my most poignant song on this day, which I’d be marking in ritual anyway.
In terms of the overall sound of the track, what can listeners expect?
Think Halcyon’s vibe but slightly more light-hearted. This track is my favourite out of a few I have lined up. The lyrics mean a lot to me; it’s like my personal love letter to the wild. It represents the moment you are let loose in your favourite environment after a long while of being cooped up. ‘Mountains’ will resonate with anyone who has ever visited a distant place, that when you get there, also feels like home.
And what are your plans for the remainder of 2022?
2022 is a busy year for me! I’m travelling a lot to France, Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as gigging frequently with my duo YUMA, but for now, it’s just the recordings I’m focusing on. I will perform my solo material live someday, but not yet. The time will come and I’ll be sure to let you know in advance, but for now, I’m busy with other projects. There will be a third and final single release in this succession of works and I’m currently working on a sound art project that will be revealed in November. ‘Ghosts’ will culminate in a mixed-media piece comprising an auditory response to visual stimuli. I intend to capture images in places that inspire me, through both their human and natural histories. The music will be almost entirely a cappella, except for sparse percussion embellishments and field recorded sound samples I have collected. I’m so excited to share all of this with you.
You can listen to ‘Mountains’ on all major streaming platforms from today.
