Pearl Charles recently announced that her latest album Magic Mirror will be released Jan 15th. She previously was part of the country duo The Driftwood Singers with Christian Lee Huston as well as in rock band The Blank Tapes as a drummer. The range of music she's been involved in is definitely reflected in her solo work which ranges from 60s garage and psychedelia to a more soft country rock.

I asked Pearl about her career to date and if a return to the UK is planned.

Who were your influences when growing up?

Growing up I distinctly remember my mom always listening to songwriters like John Prine, Leonard Cohen and Jimmie Dale Gilmore while my dad loved bands like The Beatles and The Stones, as well as Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa. Though I have gone through many phases and my tastes have expanded a lot, I still consider those artists to be some of the ultimate classics and ones who have definitely had a profound effect on me.

Why did you change musical styles to a more country influenced sound?

My first band was actually a very traditional country band in the vein of The Carter Family, so even though my first solo EP had less of a country sound, I feel like I have been getting back to my roots and re-exploring that country influence, both sonically and songwriting-wise, but trying new things with that style and incorporating it into the other genres on my records.

Have you ever visited the UK?

I have! The first time I visited was when I was in high school. I went to Scotland to perform in the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and had the time of my life! I had been dying to go back ever since and was lucky enough to get to go to all over England and back to Scotland on tour in 2019. My band and I absolutely fell in love with the UK, the shows and the fans were amazing!

Your new album Magic Mirror is released in January, what can we expect?

This album, and songwriting in general, is kind of like therapy for me. I definitely put myself out there in terms of the content in the songs. I did a lot of self-exploration through the writing process to get somewhere deeper with not only my writing, but within myself. I personally feel this is my strongest album in terms of songwriting and production, so I’m really excited to share it with the world and see how people receive it! In terms of musical vibe, I think I’m continuing to dig deeper into some of the genres I explored on my past records (disco, country, soft rock), but combining them in new ways, pushing those boundaries further and blurring those lines more than I had in the past.

Do you ever look in the mirror yourself a lot?

I think that self-reflection is crucial, both for songwriting and just for personal growth, so I’d like to think I take the time to really take those long, hard looks at myself and see how I can be constantly growing and improving in every aspect of my life.

What do you think is the secret of a good song?

Ahh, that’s a tough one! Aside from authenticity, I don’t necessarily know if there is one thing that can be applied to all songs in the same way! Though there are definitely common factors in many of the songs that I love and consider to be great, there are so many different ways musically and lyrically to achieve the same goal, which to me is kind of the magic of every individual songwriter and their songs. It’s the perspective and experiences that only that person can bring to the table.

Are there any artists that you would like to work with?

There are so many artists I’d like to work with, I wouldn’t even know where to begin! So many of my favourite artists from the 70s are still around today, so if I got to work with any members of Fleetwood Mac or ABBA, I would be able to die happy!

Have you any plans to tour the UK when things return back to normal?

As soon as we are allowed to travel again a UK tour is definitely top of the list of places my band and I can’t wait to get back to! We truly had the best time last time we were there and miss it so much!