Ariel Hartley of Pearl Earl shares her songwriting process and the fruition of her new side project, Earl Hartley and Thrift Star on SoundBite Magazine. She has debuted her new single release, ‘Dream Crusher’ which is available on all streaming music platforms. Hartley spoke to SoundBite Magazine on how she began writing songs from poetry and learned how to play an instrument one late night with her friend that she met freshman year of college. She also shared how she continued her creativity process through the pandemic on her music projects. Earl Hartley and Thrift Star’s EP will be released on cassette through Dreamy Life records on September 24th.

SB: How did your project begin?

AH: “This particular project began as some older bedroom demos I made on Garage Band a really long time ago that I didn’t really think belonged with my main project, Pearl Earl’s material at the time. On my birthday in 2017, I took these songs into the studio with my friend Alex Bhore and Brack Cantrell, whom I’ve previously collaborated with in the past, and a studio EP was born that I would work on intermittently for a few years.”

SB: How did you choose your band name?

AH: “Over ten years ago, someone gave me the nickname Earl and other friends would refer to me as that, so when I started making songs i kind of adopted it as a musical alter ego of mine. When you slur my real name ‘Ariel’ in the South where I am from you get ‘Earl.’ I don’t remember how I chose the name’ Thrift Star’ but I like to think of it as a little thrifted together cosmic cluster that became this project.”

SB: Who collaborated with you on the project?

AH: “The EP was recorded and produced by Alex Bhore at Elmwood Recording and some parts were recorded in Brack’s home studio in Denton, Texas. Brack played drums on almost every song, and also has contributed some bass and synth. I invited Gus Baldwin and John Kuzmick from Acid Carousel into the studio to see if they heard anything extra that we were inspired to lay down and that resulted in some guitar solos, a bass line, and a drum solo! Also, my best friend and bandmate, Chelsey Danielle, laid down some drums on a song too!.”

SB: What is your creative process for recording? How do you record your music?

AH: “For this EP, I showed the Dream Crusher demos to Brack, then we got together and jammed on the songs. He then wrote some of the drum parts. We then headed into the studio with Alex where I laid down guitar, keys, bass, drum machine, and some auxiliary percussion. Also, Brack, Gus, and John filled in some of the gaps on songs that I wanted some collaboration with. When recording demos for a DIY process, I use Garage Band or Logic. I usually start with laying down a drum machine patch to keep time and layer bass first then guitar and synth, and vocals last.“

SB: Could you walk us through your songwriting process for your songs?

AH: “I usually start writing a song on either bass, guitar, or synth by noodling around or messing with chords I like. If I find a riff or chord progression that is neat, I’ll start to hear over other parts and melodies the begin layering it over in my head. I really like using a loop station to jam on sections and build new parts on top of each other with different instruments. Once I find the main hook or verse section, I want to keep it as a blueprint and then I kind of get the big picture of the whole song and its’ different segments I want to have. For most songs I also hear what melody I want to sing over the parts and will hear different words pop through. I keep the ones that stick and write the lyrics around that. I am constantly writing down different song titles, words, and phrases. I have used song titles to help write lyrics. Some songs take a really long time, even years to figure out the lyrics or the whole structure of the song, each song is like a puzzle and when you have a eureka moment you know its complete!”

SB: How would you describe your music to first listeners discovering your music?

AH: “For this project I would describe the music as dreamy, lysergic, and a little rock and roll with some elements of pop and even a bit of psychedelic folk. Something you could enjoy driving through some mountains or by the sea.”

SB: What inspired you to pursue music? Are there bands or artists that inspired you?

AH: “From a young age, I always wrote poetry and would try to ‘sing’ around the house when no one was home. I always was surrounded by music and have a brother who was in bands, It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I had the epiphany that I wanted to pursue music. My friend, Julia Blake, taught me my first guitar chords and I took it and ran with it. I realized the poems I had been writing for years were actually songs! Some of the first bands I was inspired by when I first started making music were Beach House, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Jesus and the Mary Chain, MGMT, David Bowie, Tame Impala, and Air.”

SB: What are your goals or plans for this upcoming year?

AH: “So many plans! I am releasing this EP next month on September 24th with Dreamy Life Records and then finishing the second Pearl Earl record next week with plans to hopefully release in 2022. I hope I will be touring much more next year too! Pearl Earl will be playing Levitation in Austin, Texas in October 2021.”

SB: What are your tips on staying focused during the pandemic and quarantine?

AH: “Honestly it has been very hard to do so. The only thing that truly kept me on my musical focus was knowing that pre-COVID I had already recorded this EP and was ready to record the next Pearl Earl album that I’ve been sitting on. Reminding myself that I would really like to get this material out in the world so I can close these chapters and move onto the next thing. My mantra has been that I have to finish my ’unfinished business’ and to push through. Communicating everyday with friends has really helped me get through.”

SB: What's your advice on learning a new instrument? How did you learn how to play music?

AH: “Listen to your favorite bands and find some of their tabs! My brother tried to teach me guitar in 6th grade, I successfully learned ’Smoke on the water’ and the James Bond theme song. However, when he tried to teach me bar chords, we decided my hands weren’t big enough and gave up. When I was 19 years old, my friend, Julia. started teaching me guitar chords and something clicked in me where I was just obsessed with it ever since. I actually dedicate the Dream Crusher EP to her.”

SB: What are your recommendations on staying engaged with your fans on social media?

AH: “I’m not sure! I don’t think there is a specific formula! Be yourself and speak about what matters to you.”

SB: What are your suggestions on finding band members to start a band that also connect with your musical vision?

AH: “Honestly, I’ve heard Craigslist works! I personally found my bandmates through becoming friends first. Eventually I found out they could play music too and then gradually I showed them demos. I asked if they would play with me, they said yes!”

Earl Hartley and Thrift Star’s single release, ‘Dream Crusher’ is available on all streaming music platforms. Check out the music video for ‘Dream Crusher’ to her single debut. Earl Hartley and Thrift Star’s EP will be released on cassette through Dreamy Life records on September 24th.

Director: @saramosier / Assistant Editor: @mr_dacbiet_worldwide / Song Produced by: @alexbhore / Guitar, synth, bass, vox: @arieola51 / Drums, guitar: @buddygus / Drums, synth: @brackcantrell / Bass: @thecaptaincosmic / Photography: @ellie_alonzo /

For more information and upcoming shows by Earl Hartley and Thrift Star, visit her Instagram: @arieola51 and her other project: Pearl Earl, Instagram: @pearlearlmusic. Catch Ariel perform live with her music project, Pearl Earl, at Levitation music festival in Austin, Texas this Fall.

Coverage by Veronica Potes // Instagram: @veropoteart

Contact for us for Advertising! If you would like to be feature your event, art, music, venue, or business on SoundBite Magazine, send an email to soundbitemag@gmail.com for features and promotional inquiries.

For upcoming events and artists features, follow SoundBite Magazine on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Earl Hartley and Thrift Star's depicts glittery future on sandy beaches with her latest EP release, 'Dream Crusher'