Introducing: Katy J Pearson
From: Gloucestershire
Listen to: ‘Tonight’, ‘Hey You’, ‘Take Back the Radio’
It’s not often a musician has the ability to transport their listeners to a completely different place. Especially a place full of embroidered double denim, expansive green fields, acoustic guitars and starry summer skies – you’re not sure of the location, or the decade, but it’s bliss. In just five songs compiling her short-but-sweet discography to date, Katy J Pearson has quickly proven she’s one of those rare gems who can take you to another world with every listen.
Despite having a sound that almost transcends time and place, upon listening to the euphoric ‘Tonight’, you’d be forgiven for assuming the 24-year-old hails from Pennsylvania, Tennessee or any other US state famous for generating the best of country music.
But the West Country singer is English born-and-bred, and her discography already surpasses one genre. From ‘70s rock to pop, folk to country, Pearson’s soulful melodies accompanied by razor-sharp, emotionally poignant lyrics draw on the best of multiple genres. She creates a timeless sound that is sure to be carried into her debut album landing in November.
And the clear influences in Pearson’s music to date are both varied and iconic. In ‘Tonight’ the infectious trumpet solo almost rivals Sufjan Stevens’ iconic ‘Chicago’ outro. Moreover, the rock-driven ‘Fix Me Up’ and throughout the anthemic ‘Something Real’, her vocals are comparable to Kate Bush alongside her already Stevie Nicks-esque tone.
But despite Katy J Pearson’s magnificent scope, the country comparisons are fair – with the genre known for its exemplary songwriting, it’s certain that Pearson deserves this praise. “I thought I’d rather be alone than call you my only home” she sings in ‘Fix Me Up’, and in “It’s all the same to everyone / It’s up and down, you’re not the only one” is a fierce and necessary reminder sung throughout ‘Tonight’.
While ‘Tonight’ is an ode to the ups and downs of life (with a line-dancing, sunset-infused video to match), and ‘Take Back the Radio’ is, in Pearson’s own words, ‘so random’, she’s capable of handling the darker material too. ‘Hey You’ is a meditative open letter to a dear friend going through a hard time. It’s simple, haunting and a testament to her songwriting ability. The bittersweet ‘Something Real’ showcases her candour, powerful vocals and ability to write a killer hook.
After 10 years of writing and touring, having previously been in the band ‘Ardyn’ alongside her brother, she is finally recording her first solo debut album Return on 13th November from Heavenly Recordings.
You can listen to Pearson’s music so far here:
You can follow Katy J Pearson on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Listen to Katy J Pearson on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.
Words by Kat Smith
Image by Seren Carys
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