“They’d been stringing me along for about five years, and now they’re finally releasing an album of my stuff,” she says. “Basically because I’m blackmailing them with a photo I took of a health inspector at one of the factories in Guatemala being bribed. So now they’re making my album.
“I was actually really lucky, because I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. I saw the photo opportunity – it just looked important. I took the photo thinking, ‘I should take that. It might come in handy.’ At that point I was… desperate is a nice way of putting it. Really wanting to get this album released. Whatever it takes, you know? Just to get your dreams to come true.”
While one wonders what Perl was doing in Guatemala in the first place, it’s not about the journey; it’s about the destination. This brings us to Perl’s current status – despite managing to land a record deal, working with The Sugar Co. hasn’t been as smooth as hoped.
“They were liking the jingles I wrote, but all of the songs that I tried to release musically they said they weren’t sexy enough,” she says. “I wrote songs about human rights and they asked ‘Could you make it more sexy?’ I told them ‘Well I can, but doesn’t that detract from the message?’ I think that’s really the kind of demographic that they were kind of going for. I suspect it’s more about them wanting more songs about summer and the beach and hanging out, and less about being gassy or being lonely or eating your feelings.”
Clearly there was a major disparity between Perl’s artistic intentions and the expectations of the record’s suspicious financers, but she worked out a compromise. “A lot of the songs are about how advertising is really bad and sugar is really bad. All they wanted was for me to put their ads on the album for their products,” says Perl. “But ignore the ads, because what I’m trying to say is, ‘Don’t let advertising manipulate you.’ Then you have to listen to a jingle, but ignore the jingle – don’t let advertising manipulate you. You got to take what you can get. This was the best I could do.”
The strange circumstances surrounding Perl’s forthcoming album are enough to label her a sell out. She’s had to come to terms with this fact, and in many ways sees it as more than just a means to an end.
“I’ve heard the words ‘Sell out. You’re living a lie. You’re a disgrace to music and arts,’ and I see what people are saying. For a little while I struggled to look at myself in the mirror, but you have to see it as selling up. I’m giving hope to so many young artists around by saying you can make your dreams come true as long as you’re OK with compromising all of your values in order to get your music released. If you’re happy to do that, then you’re home free.
“That’s my message – all young people who get into performing should be able to see that you can be a complete stooge and do something that keeps people asleep whilst making music that you love. Selling out – I used to hate that term, but I say thank you to anyone who says that. I take it as a compliment. Thank you.”
BY THOMAS BRAND
