Katie Pearl Speaks on New Album

Katie
Originally uploaded by Danny Walker 1.

Taken from http://www.rwdmag.com

Whether it’s on a soulful rhythm or a ruthlessly dirty grime riddim, Paperchase Recordings’ Katie Pearl knows how to hit the right note.






It’s midday (well, post-breakfast and pre-lunch) and SUBWAY’s SUB of the Day is Meatball Marinara at a mere £1.99; I must admit my mind isn’t fully on a work thing. That was until I leisurely (yet-hungrily) stroll into Overtone’s Holborn based studio and hear the first DaVinChe (and Geeneus of Dump Valve) beat. The producer of the moment DaVinChe – the same guy who amazed me live at RWD in Stereo less than a week before – is at the maaaahooooussive mixing desk. Katie Pearl of Leave Me Alone and Kano’s Nobody Don’t Dance Know More (Remix) fame is in the vocal recording booth. Melodically singing over the grimey Wanna Be Your Girl intro, Katie is fearless in her note execution and hits every one – but the music stops. DaVinChe presses one of three million buttons and speaks to Ms Pearl via the studio’s intercom, “Yeah that’s great, just extend the word, ‘ear’ when you sing the intro.” Via acapella the words are repeated with emphasis on the chosen and newly extended ‘ear’; now seemingly ready she then asks for the beat to be replayed into her headphones.


She nails the intro and briefly breaks to talk to RWD. With loads of her fans waiting for her forthcoming album, she explains the longness, “I know, I know, I’m trying to vocal it and do it properly. I want it to come out as a quality product. Please just bare with me and I’ll get it there.” Accepting her apologies on behalf of those waiting I delve into what it will consist of; she updates “it will be soulful and grimey, a real fusion of the two. Obviously I was brought up on R&B and music like that and grime is the new thing (for me), but I love it. You know they call it rhythm and grime, that’s also the right label for what I’m doing.” Grime and soul on the one LP sounds great and she continues, “as you can hear from what DaVinChe and I are doin’ we’re keeping it proper grimey but catering for everyone from garage to other genres.” Not wanting to leave without an exclusive of some kind I press for some limited edition information, “It’s not official yet but it might be called Make It Official.” Job done, instantly a blood hungry journalism bug exhumes me and I press for more, “the reason for this is cos from young everyone’s been saying to me, ‘Katie, why don’t you sing? Why don’t you sing Katie?’ So now, the album is me making that official, but that’s not official yet [laughs].” So when can one expect this promising product? Just before my much-deserved trip to SUBWAY she leaves RWD with, “it will be out this year sometime. I want it to be out for summer in all the cars and on iPods but we’ll see, we might just put out the single. I’m working so hard so keep waiting please; it will be so worth the wait.” RWD definitely will, we’ll put it on the list along with PS3, Spiderman 3, Wiley’s 2nd Phase and a whole other bunch of ‘can’t wait for’ goodies.



Words by (the now full) Danny Walker