Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Pem
The room changes when Pem plays. Like her idols Joni Mitchell and Vashti Bunyan, there is an ethereal quality woven into releases like ‘Awe’ that instantly alters the ambience. This instantly effectual quality has placed the Bristol-based songwriter Emily Perry on the radars of The Last Dinner Party and Mary In The Junkyard, whom she has been handpicked to support in the recent past.
Now, she’s setting her heights on eclipsing them with her aptly named lofty new EP, Cloud Work. A cynic might tell you that clouds are nothing but elevated wet, but Pem takes a page out of Mitchell’s book and addresses them with a light, poetic dreaminess, creating a unique brand of filagreed folk. As Perry said herself, “The process of creating Cloud Work enabled me to find beauty, meaning and comfort in a very difficult time.”
The recently announced EP was produced by Ali Chant, who is known for his work with Sorry, Katy J Pearson, and Portishead. With Cloud Work, Chant and Perry achieved a layered sound that never once becomes dense. Instead, each new element that bolsters the humble melody-driven tracks simply illuminates the various shades that have been crammed into the tracks. The result is a beautiful set of songs that are as wavering in mood as Perry’s own vocals, and they forecast a very bright future for Pem.
Ahead of the release, we squeezed ourselves into Perry’s busy schedule to fire a few quick-fire questions her way. She told us about her favourite record of the year, a strange encounter with Holly Willoughby, and a bizarre love for peas. Enjoy…
Quick-fire Questions with Pem:
1. What has been your favourite album released in 2024 so far?
“I Got Heaven – Mannequin Pussy.”
2. What is the weirdest gig you have ever played?
“I played in a cat pub in Bristol. It smelled really bad, and I don’t like cats.”
3. What is one internet rabbit hole you have fallen down?
“Watching videos of cats being scared by cucumbers.”
4. Dual question: what is your favourite soup? And what is your favourite comfort movie?
“Pea and mint soup! (I love peas) and my comfort film is The Devil Wears Prada.”
5. Can you recommend a record we might never have heard?
“Tell Me Something Sweet – The Bulky Mule.”
6. Have you ever cried at a concert?
“I often cry at concerts. I wept like a pig watching Gentle Stranger at Unwedding festival last summer.”
7. What is your most prized musical instrument?
“My lil’ fender tele has been a real sturdy companion of mine over the years.”
8. Who would be in your dream four-piece supergroup?
“David Byrne, Moe Tucker, Prince and Vashti Bunyan. Sorry, Kim Deal is out, I’m afraid.”
9. What is the best hangover cure?
“Napping outside (weather permitted).”
10. Have you ever had a weird celebrity encounter?
“Holly Willoughby kissed me on the cheek at a Sugababes concert?”
11. What was the last book you read? And what would you score it out of 10?
“The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh, and I’d give it a 7/10.”
12. You can spend a month in any place during any season. When and where are you going?
“My best friend lives in Granada so I’d love to go visit her right now and eat tapas in the sun for a whole month.”
13. You can have a pint with any musician. Who are you drinking with?
14. Are The Beatles overrated?
“Nooo, I don’t think so.”
