Today, rising artist Pem unveils her spellbinding new single ‘awe‘, a deeply personal exploration of loss, yearning, and the complexities of grief. Produced by the acclaimed AliChant (Sorry, Katy J Pearson, Portishead) and released on his Fascination Street Records, ‘awe’ showcases Pem’s hauntingly rare husky vibrato voice and signature sound; a mesmerising blend of smoky music hall serenades and ethereal alt-pop. Today she also announces a London headline show taking place at The Lexington on 14th June (more dates below). Pem has been garnering recognition for her silencing live performances, receiving long listings for 2023’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent and Greenman Rising competitions and securing support slots with The Last Dinner Party, The New Eves and Mary in the Junkyard. Inspired by luminaries like JoniMitchell and ElliotSmith, Pem’s music invites listeners into an enchanting world of unflinching emotion and honest storytelling.
Pem remarks: “I wrote ‘awe’ a few weeks after my Dad died. I rushed my grieving and threw myself into a new city to build a new life. Everything felt surreal and unfamiliar, I struggled to relate to my new relationships. I was yearning for closeness but was so terrified of more loss that I felt stuck on loop, like I was moving constantly but never getting closer. That’s why the chords are so simple and repetitive. I was trying to stay still but I just couldn’t shake the sense that I was supposed to be somewhere else. For me ‘awe’ illustrates the tension between a fear of letting go, a fear of gripping on and a fear of staying still.”
Pem is the outpouring of Bristol-based, multi-disciplinary artist and songwriter Emily Perry. Her songs blend confessional lyrics with swooping melodies, transporting listeners into a world of vulnerable introspection. This powerful intimacy was first unveiled with her 2022 debut EP, Songs About Hands, which was written during her intensive psychotherapy training and explores themes of memory, connection and disassociation. With ‘awe’, Pem plunges into an even deeper exploration of vulnerability, continuing to captivate and deeply move her audience.
This summer, Pem will embark on a UK tour supporting Febueder and will be gracing the stages of renowned festivals like Ritual Union and Bristol Sounds Festival. With a headline show at The Lexington on the 14th of June and more support dates across the UK and Europe to be announced soon, Pem is poised for a breakout year.
Pem’s Live Dates
16th March | London, UK – Village Underground – Supporting Febueder
19th March | Manchester, UK – YES (Basement) – Supporting Febueder
21st March | Oxford, UK – Jericho Tavern – Supporting Febueder
22nd March | Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds – Supporting Febueder
23rd March | Bristol, UK – Ritual Union – Supporting Febueder
27th March | London, UK – Sebright Arms – Supporting Mylar
14th June | London, UK – The Lexington
30th June | Bristol, UK – Bristol Sounds Festival
Photo credit – Sandra Ebert