Freya Ridings is one of those artists I do not listen to casually. Her songs move in, rearrange the furniture, and then reappear weeks later when one line suddenly decides to ruin your day in the best possible way. So yes, Mother of Pearl comes with big expectations, because I have been waiting for this album since Blood Orange.
Pressing play on a new album by an artist you adore comes with its own tiny panic. You want growth, but not distance. Surprise matters, but so does recognition. Mother of Pearl gets that balance right, and hearing Freya sound this bold and ready to take up space is a complete joy.
A Freya Ridings Album With Fresh Air In Its Lungs
Starting with ‘Euphoria’ is a brilliant choice. It kicks the door open with something that feels fresher for Freya Ridings, sharper around the edges and more willing to chase a pop rush. The beat gives the song forward motion, but her voice still gets the whole room.
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That opener instantly changes the temperature of the album. There is confidence in the production, with the chorus arriving cleanly rather than creeping in. Freya does not sound like she has wandered away from herself. She sounds like she has found another door into the same fire.
Then ‘Wild Horse’ arrives, and that is the one for me. It has grit, movement and a restless heart. The way it opens out feels made for repeat plays, like a song for the car, a train, or a too-fast walk down a street.
There is a bit of final-scene energy to it. Not in a cheesy way, but in that “I need to hear this again right now” way. ‘Wild Horse’ gives the album a charge I keep going back to.
Wild Horse And The Songs That Give The Album Its Pulse
Part of the fun is how much space Mother of Pearl gives her. Nobody comes to a Freya Ridings album hoping she will keep things small. Still, this record has bite and momentum, so the drama never feels trapped by its own size.
‘I Have Always Loved You’ brings out the classic ballad side, and it lands because Freya can make direct writing feel enormous without adding clutter. The piano gives the song its spine, then the vocal does the rest. She can take a simple phrase and make the whole ceiling lift.
Elsewhere, ‘Undefeated’ has the glow of someone deciding not to fold. ‘If This Is A Dream’ gives the album one of its softer pockets. The title track adds the deeper pull, with Mother of Pearl shaped by pressure, family memory and beauty formed the hard way.
The Moments I Keep Going Back To
The best thing about Mother of Pearl is that it sounds like a Freya Ridings album without settling for the safest version of one. ‘Euphoria’ gives it a bright opening spark, ‘Wild Horse’ gives it its runaway centre, and songs like ‘I Have Always Loved You’ and ‘Strength In Me’ remind you why her voice can still stop everything around it.
As a fan, I love that this does not feel like an attempt to remake a past success. Freya has taken the piano-born ache, the sky-high vocals and the big choruses, then pushed them through a wider pop frame. That is exactly what I wanted from this chapter.
Most of all, it makes the wait since Blood Orange feel worth every impatient minute. After Freya Ridings announced Mother of Pearl, I hoped this chapter would carry more scale without losing the ache that made her music hit in the first place. It does that, and it does it with songs I already want to live with for a long time.
Follow Freya Ridings on Instagram and listen to Mother of Pearl here.
