PEARLIE PhDJ

PEARLIE PhDJ is a part-time PhD researcher at the Royal College of Music (RCM), where she is the first in the institution’s history to undertake research through DJ practice. Representing the 1% of working‑class women in UK postgraduate study, her doctoral research examines the under‑representation of women‑identifying and marginalised artists, particularly in electronic music.

Stephanie Pearl is also the Digital Heritage and Technology Officer at the Royal College of Music Museum, responsible for the maintenance and expansion of digital engagement, preservation, outreach, and resources. She leads the development of the Museum’s digital profile through both existing and emerging platforms and initiatives, working closely with partner teams and external institutions. She is responsible for digitising the Museum’s 14,000‑item collection, including the creation and management of 3D‑scanned and 3D‑printed models, supporting long‑term preservation, accessibility, and innovative digital storytelling.

Building on her MSc in Performance Science at the RCM, PEARLIE’S interdisciplinary approach bridges psychology and musicology to explore how gendered experiences in music-making reflect and resist socio-political inequalities. Her distinction-awarded MSc dissertation focused on the psychological and well-being experiences of women and non-binary artists working in DJ practice. She also observed and analysed participant engagement in hypnobirthing classes through music psychology, working with a facilitator who is a former midwife with years of experience in Nepal.
PEARLIE is an experienced producer, reporter, and music journalist with credits across the BBC, TED Talks, and major UK festivals. BBC Gold Standard qualified in videography, presenting, production, and journalism, she has produced for BBC West, BBC Bristol, BBC 6 Music, Radio 2, BBC Introducing, and documentaries with Sir David Attenborough. Her portfolio includes a self-produced multimedia project culminating in a 14,000-ft skydive with The Apprentice finalist Brittany Carter. She has also interviewed the first British woman to climb Mount Everest and the only Obstetrics & Gynaecology consultant in the British Military, and writes on gender, sound, and culture across broadcasting and print media.

She holds credits from the University of Glasgow in Playwriting and Dramaturgy, an MSc in Performance Science at the Royal College of Music, a Distinction in Production awarded by the BBC Academy and Bauer Academy, and First Class Honours in Political Performance Art from the University of South Wales.

PEARLIE PhDJ is part of the 29% of women DJs worldwide. She often mixes exclusively women and non‑binary artists, presents at conferences, and produces shows exploring feminist, queer, hauntological, and cultural themes. Through this work, she amplifies underrepresented voices and contributes to research on gender, queer identity, and well‑being in music practice.

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