Paris, France — French-Malian artist Pearl Matador has released “Neurotic,” the first single from his upcoming album Black Magic, arriving this November. Known for blending alternative rock and bedroom pop with raw emotional honesty, Pearl Matador uses “Neurotic” to explore the restless, dreamlike chaos of the mind while introducing the sonic world of his most ambitious project yet.
The song’s inspiration traces back to a film that left a lasting impression. “I think the inspiration behind the track was an old Korean movie called The Empty Dream,” Pearl Matador explains. “The whole movie is based on a hypothetical relationship while the characters are sedated, and it all takes place in their dreams. Since you can’t really express psychedelics with color in that film, the director had to focus on very expressive visuals. That really inspired me. I also loved the idea of a hypothetical relationship—when I saw that movie, I thought, ‘Okay, that’s my love life theory.’ So I made a song out of it.”
The title came just as naturally. “‘Neurotic’ felt obvious. A lot of my songs are told from the point of view of a kind of crazy person,” he says. “When I was younger, I considered myself a little bit crazy, a little bit weird, and I think I try to express that in all of my songs. As soon as I finished the instrumental, I thought, ‘Okay, let’s call it Neurotic,’ and then I wrote all the words very quickly.”
Musically, “Neurotic” captures Pearl Matador’s wide range of influences. Growing up, his parents’ love of classic rock exposed him to The Beatles, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Later, he immersed himself in the SoundCloud rap era, citing artists like XXXTentacion and Lil Peep as heroes. “I think I’ve tried to mix those two influences into what I call ‘bedroom rock,’” he says.
Though sonically complex, creating the track wasn’t without challenges. “Mixing and mastering—mainly mastering, since I do everything myself—was the hardest part,” he admits. “Sometimes it’s good to have another person give their perspective, but I try my best. Of course, there were plenty of bad songs before, but that’s part of the ups and downs.”
With Black Magic, Pearl Matador feels he has arrived at a new level of artistry. “Before, I was searching for the right sound and for my identity. With this album, I feel like I’ve found it. It’s definitely a step up. I don’t feel like a beginner anymore. Now I want to be a real artist, build a community around my music, and share it as much as I can.”
Visually, Black Magic takes its name partly from the Blackmagic camera, a nod to his cinematic approach. “For Neurotic, I used imagery from the film that inspired it,” he says. “For Black Magic, I wanted it to be my most visual album, very cinematic.”
That sense of building something larger is deeply personal for Pearl Matador, who grew up adopted and struggled to find a sense of belonging. “My parents are white, and so is my whole family except my sister. I never fully felt part of their community, and I also didn’t feel part of the Black community either. That made me feel very alone, and I try to express that loneliness in my music,” he says. “I think loneliness is very generational too—my generation feels very alone despite all the connections we have online. That’s why I want to create a community through my music.”
Black Magic will be that bridge: “The album will be like a path—from soft, dreamy songs to more energetic ones. It’s much more advanced and polished than anything I’ve done before,” Pearl Matador notes. “To me, it’s my best work. I can’t wait to hear feedback, better myself, and keep making more albums.”
“Neurotic” is out now on all major streaming platforms. Black Magic arrives in November 2025.
About Pearl Matador
Pearl Matador is a French artist with Malian roots whose music blends alternative rock, bedroom pop, and diverse influences ranging from Pixies to The Weeknd. Since launching his project in 2024, he has built an independent and authentic path defined by emotional intensity and genre-bending creativity. His discography includes Apollo (2024) and three EPs—Boiling Resort (2024), Softer (2024), and Disaster (2025). With his upcoming album Black Magic, Pearl Matador continues to establish himself as one of the most promising voices in the independent scene.
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