Freya Ridings Discusses Career Reclamation and New Album Mother of Pearl

British singer-songwriter Freya Ridings has detailed her journey to reclaim artistic control after professional setbacks. Following her 2018 breakthrough with Lost Without You and a Brit Award-nominated debut, Ridings faced challenges during the creation of her 2023 album Blood Orange, citing pressure to work with unfamiliar producers in male-dominated environments. After being dropped by her label, she independently financed a trip to Los Angeles to collaborate with producer Jen Decilveo, leading to a year of writing that formed her upcoming third album, Mother of Pearl. The record, set for release on May 29, 2024, was created with producers Sam De Jong, Fraser T Smith, and Toby Gad under her new label BMG. Ridings previewed the material through intimate Los Angeles café shows and recently toured Australia with OneRepublic.