Pearl Fontaine shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Pearl, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
August was full of these moments. My band, Post American Gothic, played a few really special shows and took a road trip to Chicago to record a bunch of new songs with a producer and friend of ours we’ve been working with remotely for the last year – so I felt really proud that our hard work has been paying off.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
The best way to describe what I do is that I’m a multimedia performer and artist. My education and professional background span music and editorial writing, but I’ve always been a visual artist in different facets, just because I’ve always felt driven to create. Today, my energy is split between my day job, which includes graphic design, grant writing, and marketing/communications at the non-profit Arts of the Albemarle, and my band Post American Gothic. The band is my passion project and creative outlet, where I do vocals, songwriting, and creative direction, which encompasses all of the visuals, merch, and art.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I’ve been lucky to have many incredible role models, friends, and family members in my life, but one of the most impactful was my voice instructor in high school, Cathy Kreplin. After years of focusing on musical theatre, she was the one who recognized that my musical talent might be better used in other ways, and suggested I audition for Berklee College of Music. I had never even heard of Berklee before that point, and the year I spent studying there changed the entire trajectory of my life.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Nobody is thinking about or criticizing you as hard as you are criticizing yourself. Be kind and patient with yourself, because the sooner you learn to drown out that noise, trust your instincts, and just let yourself exist, the sooner things will fall into place.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Of course! But only part of it. Being a performer and a person who faces the public quite frequently, you have to find a balance between being genuine and candid and protecting your energy. As a relatively introverted person, there are only a handful of people who will get to see all of me. That is something it has taken me years to come to terms with – because when you’re quiet or reserved, people often mistake it as being rude or standoffish, but I had to learn to stop trying to control that.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’ve never liked doing what I was told to do. Every step of my life, I’ve been resistant to societal rules, even if that meant it took me longer to get somewhere—sometimes maybe even to my own detriment. I’m fully committed to following what feels right and seeing where it takes me. Many of the things I am doing today are a product of trial and error, or unexpected opportunities, so I like to think it’s what I was born to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://postamericangothic.com
- Instagram: pearl_fontaine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postamericangothic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@post-americangothic
