“I think I’m addicted to the thrill of it.”

While most people may get their adrenaline from crowd-surfing or dancing in a packed mosh pit, Matilda Pearl gets her adrenaline dose from performing live.

When she’s not playing at festivals or singing with her band at the Northcote Social Club, you’ll most likely find Pearl frequenting her friend’s one-bedroom Sydney apartment. These visits can last from a couple days to weeks, where she’s accompanied by several guitars and recording equipment. Born and bred on the Mornington Peninsula, the 23-year-old spends upwards of seven hours in the home studio each session, brainstorming, crafting and producing music.

Already making quite the splash with her work, Matilda Pearl shows no signs of slowing down. Her most streamed song on Spotify, NICE TO KNOW YA, has accumulated over 300,000 listens and was featured on the Netflix show Heartbreak High. In 2023, she also won a Triple J competition, allowing her to perform at Beyond the Valley, one of Australia’s most popular music festivals. “I was definitely shitting myself,” Pearl chuckles. “It was jarring on stage because all of my band were really far away from me… it almost felt like being naked.” But despite the daunting experience, performing live is when she feels most comfortable. “Being on stage gives me a space where I feel very confident… it’s when I feel most myself.”

Now, following a year-long hiatus and a transition into becoming a fully independent artist, Pearl is making a return with the release of her first single from her upcoming EP, THINKS THAT HE’S JESUS, a song exploring the complexities of modern dating and living in your twenties. Pearl’s music leans towards soft, indie rock: “I call [it] bubble-gum grunge,” Pearl states, citing inspiration from the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, Blur and Beabadoobee.

Matilda Pearl isn’t a stranger to the music scene. When she was just 17 years old and still juggling the pressures of Year 12, she signed a recording, management, publishing and booking deal all in the same year. “It made me realise, ‘Oh, I might have a shot at being able to make this a job one day.’” Pearl first got into music, and particularly musical theatre, from a young age, often leading in her school’s productions, but it was the school’s music writing and production program that made her consider pursuing music as a career. Surrounded by supportive staff who also kept it real with her, Pearl was often told by teachers to keep music as a backup. “Those conversations tended to ignite me wanting to do music even more… for where I am in my life it would be impossible to pursue a music career while juggling a full-time job.”

Pearl’s shift into becoming an independent artist wasn’t easy. As an indie singer, she’s funding everything, from production fees to photo shoots—it’s one of the biggest challenges that she faces. “Live music has become very difficult in Australia… just because it’s very expensive, a lot of venues require a venue fee or take splits of tickets.” Pearl notices that audience behaviour has also changed post-COVID, with many people opting to buy tickets the day of the show, making it difficult to figure out how much to spend or how much she’ll make.

Pearl’s choice to make music as an indie artist has allowed her to produce on her own terms. “Obviously there are team labels that are really good at what they do,” Pearl states, “but the whole nature of having somebody tell you what you should be doing to make it the most profitable can ruin a project sometimes.” For Pearl, songwriting isn’t just a career, it’s also how she understands what’s going on around her. She notes, “It’s like journalling or talking to a friend, I think I’d be lost without [it] because it helps me understand things… whether that’s a breakup or mental health, it’s helpful for me.”
 

Among all this, Pearl believes that one of her greatest achievements has been the making of her upcoming EP. It was not only a new experience as an independent singer but also allowed her to craft something that felt true to herself. During her break from releasing music, she reflected on how she learnt to not put so much pressure on herself. Likening her creative ebbs to that of the seasons, she realised that there were periods where she felt inspired and eager to write, and other times where she just had to take it one day at a time. “A lot of self-worth was rooted in what achievements I was ticking off… but I think the goalposts naturally change the older you get.” Through this hiatus, she’s realised she feels most inspired when she’s catching the train or walking around Melbourne, stating that she now always keeps a little notebook on hand.

Pearl is not the only creative at home. From her mother’s artistic skills to her father’s eye for photography, and even Pearl’s younger sister, Bonnie, who is at university studying film; it’s something that runs in the family. Bonnie frequently photographs Pearl at her gigs and recently filmed the music video for her latest single, an experience that was effortless. “We’re both so comfortable with each other,” Bonnie states, “[filming the video] was almost like a codependent relationship… we both bounced off each other really well.” As an artist herself, Bonnie is most inspired by Matilda’s determination and passion for her craft. “She puts so much energy into what she does… I think that’s really influenced me.” Additionally, it’s Pearl’s unapologetic outlook that has motivated Bonnie to strive for her own creative goals as well. Now, having both moved out of home together, the pair often collaborate in their apartment, helping each other out from creating song lyrics to crafting melodies. “We’ve tailored [the apartment] to be an environment where creativity blossoms,” reflects Bonnie.

Despite the challenges that Matilda Pearl has faced in becoming an independent singer, her determination to keep creating on her own terms remains unshakeable. After her hiatus, she’s not just returning to music, but reshaping it, with a renewed sense of control and clarity over her sound. She hopes that her music can give to others what her favourite artists have given to her: “an accepting and welcoming community.” With her new EP set for release later this year, Matilda Pearl is certainly one to keep an eye on, living up to one of her singles, SUPERSTAR.

Photography by Bonnie (@bybonnielila)