Whether it was the TV or the radio, I don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn't captivated by music. One of my earliest memories is watching Janet Jackson perform on TV. I was so mesmerized by her singing and dancing that I was even watching when she would take a breath! I ended up joining the choir in fifth grade, which I loved, but unfortunately, they did not offer choir at my middle school.
I remember having the lyrics to ‘Love Can Build a Bridge’ by The Judds when this thing clicked inside my head. It was very powerful to have the lyrics sheet in front of me. My love for singing continued even without a choir at my middle school, and I was in the eighth grade when I finally got the courage to sing in front of anyone solo. However, I ended up joining my high school choir and even got into show choir.
My dream was to be on everyone’s radio one day, so I continued to pursue a career as a singer after high school. I tried out for American Idol and other music competitions, but ended up developing the skills to be a songwriter. That led to the creation of my debut EP, Sensitive Material.
Q. Your debut EP, Sensitive Material, received critical acclaim. Can you share the inspiration behind its creation and how it shaped your musical journey?
I learned the art of songwriting in 2009 from one of my producers, Thomas Barsøe. I was taking weekly classes with him, where I developed my skills in songwriting and recording in a studio. We ended up starting a songwriting camp where I would collaborate with some amazing artists.
With a collection of songs growing, we had the thought, “Why don’t I put out some of my own music?”. I started co-writing more and we even created a songwriting camp where I collaborated with some incredible people. The title track, ‘Sensitive Material’, actually came together in the kitchen at Thomas’s house.
I was showing a rhythm idea to my guitarist, Parker Hernandez, I literally was just banging on the table to get the groove across. Jamie Hartman from Ben’s Brother happened to walk by and said, “Do that. Keep that.” That little moment gave me a lot of confidence, like maybe I was onto something. From there, we kept writing and eventually ended up with five really solid songs for the EP.
The writing part came together quickly, but the whole process of recording, finalizing everything, and getting it out the door took about nine months. At the time, that felt like forever, but looking back now, it was all worth it. That EP shaped my musical journey because it was the first time I felt like a professional artist. It wasn’t just cover songs anymore — it was my own music that I could share with people and say, this is my work.
I’ll never forget performing at my EP release party. I sang ‘What’s It Gonna Take’, one of the tracks that we recorded with just vocals and piano to really show I could carry a song on my own. Nobody in the room knew what that song was about — they probably still don’t — but I knew. I knew the grief I poured into writing it.
And when I performed it live, seeing people connect and even get emotional without knowing the full story… that was a defining moment for me. It made me realize that my purpose is to go through things, write about them, share them, and let the music speak to people in ways even they might not fully understand. That moment truly showed me - just keep writing the songs and putting them out.
Q. You've collaborated with the popular band Chicago on The Mermaid (Sereia Do Mar). What was it like working on that track, and how did the collaboration come about?
Working with Chicago was such a full-circle, dream-come-true moment for me. I was born in Illinois — I didn’t grow up in Chicago itself, but most of my family is from there — so it already felt special. Then when I found out the title of the album was ‘Born for This Moment’, it just felt surreal. I literally was born there, so it felt like it was meant to be.
The whole thing started in such a wild way — I was out DoorDashing, of all things, when I got a call from my manager at the time, Jackie Bertone. He asked, ‘What would you think about being on a Chicago album?’ And I was like, Wait, what? I couldn’t believe it. He told me the details — Joe Thomas, an incredible producer who’s worked with some of the biggest names in music, was producing the album.
And then Robert Lamm from Chicago heard my voice and liked it. He had this song that was actually in Portuguese, and I just said, “I don’t care what I have to do, I’m in.” I ended up recording my parts separately because it was still kind of a post-COVID situation, so we weren’t all in the studio together.
But later on, I did get to meet some of the band members when they performed in California. And fun fact — Walfredo Reyes Jr., the drummer, actually plays on one of the tracks on my new album Authentically Me, which we’ll be sharing more about soon. As a Grammy voting member, how do you approach evaluating music across diverse genres, and what insights have you gained from this role?
When I evaluate music — whether I’m voting on it, being introduced to something new, or even listening to an artist I already know — I always go strictly off of feeling. That’s how I write, too. The first thing I ask myself is: ‘How does this song make me feel?’ I don’t get into the technical side of things right away. If a song doesn’t move me, it just doesn’t hold my interest, and to me, there’s not much point in digging deeper at that point.
Of course, sometimes there are sections that catch my ear, and I always pay attention to the lyrics because words are really important to me. But to me, a truly great song is a balance — the music, the words, the tone of voice, and the emotion all coming together in this perfect marriage.
That’s what I believe makes a hit song. But evaluating music doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be a “hit.” It always comes back to feeling — how it connects with you on an individual level. That’s the meter I use to gauge whether a song resonates with me or not. And honestly, I don’t even think of it in terms of good or bad — it’s just about connection.
Q. Your single I Am Woman is a powerful anthem. What message did you aim to convey, and how has the audience's response influenced you?
My single I Am Woman was written back in 2016 with my friend Marcus Miles, who’s an incredible songwriter. He came over to my house, and I told him, ‘I want to write a song like this.’ I had a little hook and a clear idea that I wanted to create a female empowerment song. At the time, that wasn’t really something we were hearing much on the radio, so I was really fortunate to have Marcus — he has such a deep appreciation and respect for women, and he helped bring that vision to life.
We bounced ideas back and forth and came up with some really strong hooks. Honestly, the song didn’t take long to write because we had a lot to say. But then, I sat on it for five years. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t, but that experience taught me an important lesson: write the song and release it. Don’t wait forever trying to find the “perfect” time.
When I finally did release I Am Woman, so many women responded positively to it. I think part of the reason was that it wasn’t about being aggressively masculine — it was about a manifestation of strong, yet sensual feminine energy. You can really feel that in the music video too. Even though it’s simple, we used textures and visuals to convey that feeling, and we were intentional about having it shot by a woman, Stefani Rose Martin, to make sure that energy was authentically captured.
There are lyrics in that song that come directly from my own experiences as a woman in the music industry. Writing them was therapeutic for me, but I also felt like those things needed to be said so other women could feel seen and recognized. The response to ‘I Am Woman’ rekindled something in me — it reminded me of the power of words and music.
It also taught me the importance of putting your work out into the world and not sitting on it for years. Beyond just releasing a song, it sparked something bigger. Women started reaching out, wanting to know who I was because they connected with it. I was invited to sing it at conferences and other empowering events. And what’s beautiful is that while I was hoping to fuel and inspire them, their response ended up fueling me.
Q. Being a first-generation Sri Lankan-American, how has your cultural background influenced your music and artistic perspective?
Being half Sri Lankan and my Mother’s side from Kentucky is just parts of the equation for me. There’s so much more that shapes who I am — being a woman, being raised by an Italian Catholic Grandfather from Chicago… I really feel like I’m a melting pot of influences, experiences, and ideas. I think that diversity gives me a deeper interest in culture than I might have had otherwise.
It makes me more receptive, more curious, and it pushes me to look at things from different perspectives and to step into other people’s shoes. That said, I’m still on a journey when it comes to understanding my Sri Lankan heritage. I would love to travel to Sri Lanka and India one day to really get a boots on the ground vibe of what it means to be connected to that part of my identity.
I know my father came over having faced things like malnutrition and the realities of growing up in what is almost considered a third-world country. So for me, it feels like there’s still a part of myself I haven’t fully met yet. And I really look forward to meeting that version of me. It’s a beautiful chapter of my life that I’m excited to unravel and share with everyone as I go.
Q. You've performed at prestigious events and for notable figures. Is there a particular performance that stands out as especially memorable or impactful?
One performance that really stands out to me is when I performed at the Grammy after-party with Andy Fraser, the bassist from the band Free. That night ended up being his last live performance ever, because he passed away unexpectedly about a month later. We sang together, and the final song we did was such a beautiful, spontaneous moment.
‘Natural Woman’ had actually been cut from the setlist, so everyone had already started packing up. But Andy turned to me and said, “Let’s do that song.” He started playing bass, and one by one, each musician began plugging their instruments back in and jumping in the song. I’ll always cherish that moment — not just because it was the last time he performed, but because in that moment, he knew how much I wanted to sing that song.
I had accepted that we were cutting it, but Andy was always someone who championed others. He wanted to see me shine and was always willing to help make that happen. That moment was so true to who he was — this “let’s just go for it” spirit. I think that mindset is a big part of why he had such an incredible career, from starting the band Free at just 15 years old to becoming a global sensation.
It’s one of those memories I’ll carry with me forever. Another special moment was at the vinyl release event for Trisha Yearwood at The Grove in LA. I went just expecting to meet her, get a record signed, and that was it. But somehow, I ended up getting to sing with her.
Trisha has always been one of my idols, so it was such a surreal, “shoot your shot” kind of moment. I think it’s those unexpected experiences, the ones that ask more of you; the ones that ask you to step up and be bigger than you thought you could be that burn in your memory. Those two moments are definitely etched in my heart.
Bio
Joanna Pearl is an award-winning singer-songwriter whose powerful vocals and emotionally raw songwriting blend pop, soul, and R&B. Her breakout EP Sensitive Material earned Hot AC Album of the Year at the LA Music Awards, with critics praising its lyrical depth and vocal strength.Beyond the stage, Joanna is a dedicated humanitarian and founder of Make Music Temecula, a nonprofit supporting music education and access. Her work has been featured in film, viral holiday songs, and international projects.
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