spotlight: Pearly Drops.

Some artists take time to grow on you. Maybe it starts with a single song in a recommended playlist, one you like but don’t think too much about. Only later do you realize how much their music stands out. Pearly Drops turned out to be one of those bands for me, and looking back now, it makes perfect sense why.

discovery and return.

I first came across Pearly Drops around 2022 through their track Bloom For Me. It appeared in a random Spotify playlist and was surely a slow burn. At the time, I did not realize just how much it would stay with me. I liked it enough to save it to my library, but it did not fully sink in until a few years later. It was one of those songs you file away in memory without knowing it might come back later. But everything clicked in around May of 2025, when I found myself digging into their discography and becoming obsessed nearly overnight. A Little Disaster especially pulled me in and made me realize how unique they are.

but who are they?

Pearly Drops is a Finnish duo consisting of Sandra Tervonen and Juuso Malin. Before focusing entirely on their own project, they worked behind the scenes as producers and songwriters for other artists like ALMA, Nightwave, and Inga Copeland. For their work, they earned gold and platinum records and even the Teosto Prize. They’ve also collaborated with newer names like Nourished by Time and Vitesse X.

As Pearly Drops, Tervonen and Malin have carved out a distinct lane for themselves. Their music is dreamy, left-of-center pop that feels as nostalgic as it does futuristic. You can tell their songs have the polish of studio veterans, but the heart of independent creators. This makes their work feel both carefully crafted and deeply personal.

what makes them stand out.

What strikes me about Pearly Drops is how they build songs that feel alive. Their melodies are not just catchy; they unfold with intention, carrying a sense of movement that stays with you long after the song ends. The production is layered and thoughtful, with details that reveal themselves the more you listen.

Kiss Away The Pearly Drops might be one of my favorite songs of all time. The way the slap bass hits you in the face, you cannot help but move with it, while the synths dance around you. It is playful yet immersive, and it captures exactly what I love about their sound: the ability to pull you into a world that is equal parts groove and dreamscape.

That balance runs through much of their music. The vocals feel delicate and intimate, but they are paired with beats and textures that demand your attention. Pearly Drops create soundscapes that do not just wash over you; they surround you, like you have stepped inside the song itself.

a little disaster (2023).

Their 2023 record, A Little Disaster, is where Pearly Drops completely locked me in. The album has been described as drawing inspiration from arthouse indie films, horror, fashion, and digital culture, resulting in a hypnotic, cinematic sound. For me, that comes through in the luminous synths and echoing guitars, sounds that make you feel like you are living inside an adventure in an unreal dream.

It is not just background music. Each track feels like a self-contained world, carefully produced so that the melodies and textures do not simply blend together but interact, almost like characters in a story. That is what makes this album stand out to me: the balance between the dreamy vocals that draw you close and the upbeat, sometimes jolting energy that keeps you moving forward.

why they deserve more attention.

Knowing their background, it makes even less sense to me how small Pearly Drops appear to be, at least when it comes to their social media presence. These are artists with gold and platinum records behind them, experienced producers who know how to build a sound that feels massive, the kind of music you would expect to fill a festival crowd. Yet they remain tucked into a corner of the music world with only a modest following.

At the same time, it makes sense that they built all of this experience first. That foundation gave them the ability to craft their vision into what it is today. It explains why their music sounds so polished from the start. Even their 2020 debut record carried a confidence and quality you do not usually expect from a first release. Pearly Drops were not learning as they went. They already knew how to shape a sound, and that shows.

What excites me most is how their sound is still evolving. Their 2025 Pillow Face EP leans further into glossy, ethereal textures while adding a layer of narrative depth. It has been described as part of an autofiction project that explores surreal experiences in Los Angeles. Tracks like Ratgirl bring a playful, dance-driven energy, while the closer Mermaid with Cub Sport slows things down into something more reflective and emotionally raw. It is proof that Pearly Drops are not standing still. They are expanding their world in ways that feel both experimental and deeply human.

closing thoughts.

What I admire most about Pearly Drops is that they have built on top of their passion. They have given themselves room to grow, and it shows. It takes more than just raw talent to thrive and succeed. It takes effort, time, and energy to reach the point where you are consistently releasing music that feels this intentional and this well-crafted. Pearly Drops is already there, and the fact that their sound continues to evolve with projects like Pillow Face only proves they are not afraid to push themselves further.

That is why others will eventually notice and stick around. When artists put genuine care into their work, it resonates. It may take time, but the quality speaks for itself. Pearly Drops is proof that sometimes the most rewarding discoveries are not the loudest, but rather the ones quietly shaping something unforgettable. I hope Pearly Drops continues to find the spotlight for years to come.