Bacchanalia Magazine

by Reb Jordin

On February 23rd Hope Waidley, under her new persona Pearl, released her single ‘No Man’ after high demand from fans for this anthem of positive female rage. After becoming extremely popular on social media, surfer girl rockstar Pearl is taking the world by storm with a vocal range hailing from the likes of Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, this artist is certainly one to watch.

Pearl has said this is a song she wishes she had heard when she was twenty and trying to navigate what a healthy relationship should look like. ‘No Man’ feels like a cacophony of freedom, girl-power and sisterhood, a recipe for the perfect coastal soundtrack. The single feels like driving to the beach on the hottest day of the year, with the salt-aired breeze blowing your hair wild and your best friends waiting for you on the scorching sand.

‘No Man’ is a protection spell for the young women of today, a guide to living a free life away from toxic masculinity. Pearl’s single is also a celebration of how far she and her listeners have come and healed without having this powerful and supporting song as a guidepost when they were trapped in their problematic relationships. As the song opens Pearl sings the lyrics, ‘some steal the stars some sit and stare, you got the glow he can’t find anywhere, but by your side’ which teaches the listener that although the person you love may try to ruin and possess you, ultimately they need you more then you will ever need them so go and enjoy that gig or that sunset because you really don’t need to limit yourself by staying by their power-hungry and insecure side.

The single feels reminiscent of a groupie icon in the 70’s who cared only for the music, not the men on stage who believed they were so smart and special for creating it. As the listener enters the chorus they are enlightened with lyrics like, ‘I just wanna to sway to the band, I just wanna dance, I don’t wanna worry ‘bout no man’ which further emphasise that you won’t find any joy with someone who is soul crushing, you’re better off cherishing your youth in the absence of the curse of a toxic partner. ‘No Man’ is a kaleidoscope of pounding drums and killer guitar notes, swimming with Pearl’s powerhouse voice that together transport you back to a summer’s day in the 70’s, a beautiful escape from the harsh realities of today.

The song closes with Pearl’s gravely vocals alone, reinforcing the message behind the carefully crafted lyrics. ‘No Man’ is for the girls that need reminding that life doesn’t need to be a constant struggle of emotionally supporting a toxic relationship. It is your life, and you need to start living it.

So go and give ‘No Man’ a listen now and be uplifted by its strong meaning whilst we anticipate what comes next in the world of Pearl.