Review

By Cheyenne Tyler Berry | 04/06/2026

Freya Ridings released her third studio album on May 29th titled, ‘Mother Of Pearl’. This eleven-track album combines incredible vocals and themes of family, grief, and love stories. 4 years since her last album Freya said on her instagram that, “it’s the most proud of an album I’ve ever been in my life. Created through such joy but also emotional rawness and vulnerability which truly helped me find the strength in songs again once more.” Since her groundbreaking debut track ‘Lost Without You’ released in 2017, Freya has solidified her place as one of the most powerful and emotional vocalists in the UK. Pictured in a black lace gown, arms crossed and knees bent, the cover art features Freya led ethereally in the centre of a rustic black oyster shell, embodies the mother of the pearls. Including imagery of the ocean and water not only on the cover but throughout her album in her lyrics, the title track ‘Mother Of Pearl’ features sea inspired lyrics alongside a singular gentle piano melody and is an extremely personal track that reflects on missing someone who’s passed away and being resilient like a pearl. In the year of the fire horse in the Chinese Zodiac, the lead single fits perfectly with the passionate and free spirit themes of the year ahead. ‘Wild Horse’ captivates the feeling of breaking free and running wild like a wild horse. Freya connects this powerful animal being restrained herself and her response to the doubt that others have had in her and her career, showing that she is back and vowing that they will continue to hear her. ‘Dancing In The Kitchen’ opening lyric encapsulates the entire album, “Mama said ‘It’s the grit that makes the pearl,” using the creation of a pearl as inspiration. A pearl is shaped when an oyster uses the strength inside its hard shell to turn a parasite into something gorgeous, highlighting Freya’s resilience through difficult personal circumstances and lyrical genius by beautifully connecting her struggles to the natural courses of nature creating one of the most emotional songs on the album. Soulful and quicker paced songs include ‘Euphoria’, ‘Battleship,’ and ‘Wicker Woman.’ All three are cinematic and goosebump worthy songs that spark a fire inside of all of us that Freya has used to create this emotional and magical album. Freya has been compared to Florence Welch in the past but ‘Mother Of Pearl’ shows the tenacity and talent that Freya possesses and that there is room for both powerhouses on your playlist