Essex-based artist Kevin Pearce returns with the haunting first single from his new album, So On, out on December 8th (2017). Maria Come Home is out now via Dharma Records.

The single is an ode to the tragic life of the late, great Soprano Maria Callas, opera’s first international superstar. Pearce explains “it was written after being frozen still whilst first hearing her voice and further reading about her life, which was as incredible as it was troubled.” Renowned for a playful theatricality and a masterful sense of atmosphere, Pearce matches his melancholy vocals with a delicate bittersweet melody to create a track that is heartfelt, intimate and euphoric.

Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?

For me songwriting is the craft of storytelling. And I’ve always like the fact that you can kinda play around with how you tell the story in song without being too restricted by living in any one narrow genre so to speak.

What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?

My journey in music began with my dad’s vinyl collection. I grew up on The Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison, The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel. I was fascinated how sound and song was this other place, a world you could get lost in which didn’t have the limitations of real life. In terms of playing music publicly, I love playing live and meeting new people. Seeing new places and experiencing new things. So playing live is a great vehicle to do this on.

Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?

Life I guess. And the bizarre, and somewhat un natural way society is constructed and how that affects our human condition. My music tastes are forever fluctuating. At the moment I’m obsessed with Hip Hop and Soul music.

Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?

It felt like a set of events that had happened over a two year period, and how I wanted to tell them and craft a soundscape for them to live in.

What was the last song you listened to?

“Intergalactic” by The Beastie Boys 🙂

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

CDs

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

Bandcamp for its artist friendly approach. I like the model of Spotify and Apple Music as streaming is how music is unavoidably going, but i think a new set up needs to be put in place so artists are paid more fairly from these services.

Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?

Digital noise so to speak has swamped people. Sometimes social media looks almost like 0’s and 1’s to me ! I think standing out in a sea of digital noise is every artist’s challenge these days.

Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?

www.kevinpearcemusic.com – all my other sites / social media links are easily found on there too.

Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?

Aardvarks are my favourite animal.