Break our hearts. We’ll make it an anthem.

Joy and the Wildfire is a female-fronted New York indie rock band making emotionally fearless, arena-sized music for fans of HAIM, The Beaches, Paramore, Lucius, Maggie Rogers and Florence + the Machine. Led by Samantha Joy Pearlman, a professional performer for two decades with a voice described as “if silk and fire had a baby” (Illustrate Magazine), the band pairs deeply personal songwriting with massive hooks, killer musicianship and an explosive live show.

Starting a rock band in your thirties isn’t the conventional origin story. But how else is a millennial raised on girl-power optimism supposed to grieve the world she was promised? Joy and the Wildfire turns that reckoning into songs you can scream along to.

They were the pre-show party for Heart at the historic Bethel Woods in Summer ‘25. They’ve played Musikfest, Steel Stacks Levitt Pavilion, Maplewoodstock, Ladybug Music Festival, as well as all over the Northeast US in esteemed venues like Mercury Lounge, The Crown at The Queen (DE), Arlene’s Grocery, Rockwood Music Hall, The Bowery Electric, The Bitter End, Dogfish Brewery and The Wonder Bar. They have opened for Indie Pop/Acoustic Sondheim Artist Eleri Ward and Pop/Rock Artist Calista Garcia.

Now they’re gearing up for album two and bigger stages. Come for the music. Stay for the curls.

“…a band to watch out for [and] inevitably fall in love with” CLOUT Magazine

They are available for acoustic and full band shows.

Their debut album “Aftershocks” dropped February 14th,2025. It was mixed and produced by Jonathan Jetter of Right Angle Recording (Frawley, Loote) and mastered by Nomograph Mastering (Sabrina Carpenter, St. Vincent, Taylor Swift, Bleachers)

Press for “Aftershocks”:

“Joy and the Wildfire have set the world ablaze with Aftershocks, equal parts raw emotion and stadium-ready anthems. Frontwoman Samantha Joy Pearlman leads the charge with a voice that’s rich, textured, and utterly captivating—like if silk and fire had a baby…This band is carving out a space where indie grit meets arena-rock grandeur.” - Illustrate Magazine

“This is the kind of debut that doesn’t just introduce a band—it cements them as a force to be reckoned with. Whether you’re here for the fiery anthems or the soul-searching ballads, Aftershocks delivers. Joy and the Wildfire have arrived, and they’re ready to shake things up.” -Haymai.com

“Joy and the Wildfire, the New York-based rock band led by the magnetic Samantha Joy Pearlman, has arrived with their debut album, Aftershocks, and it’s a seismic shift in the indie rock landscape. This 12-track album is a masterful blend of raw emotion, sharp storytelling, and dynamic instrumentation. With influences ranging from Paramore to Talking Heads, the band delivers a sound that feels nostalgic and refreshingly modern.” - MusicEarShot.com

“Samantha also does an amazing job in emulating the energy of legendary frontwomen such as Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde with charm and eloquency, bringing a certain nostalgic element to the Wildfire’s music.” -LT1TF

“Hear me out: there are a ton of records out there made by young, precocious talents still in their teenage years. Often those records sing about themes that appear too premature to have been experienced yet. Well, in the case of Joy and the Wildfire, the opposite happens; vivid, meaningful and nuanced songwriting penned by people with a story, experiences, and something interesting to say.” - Gabriel Mazza

“With their catchy, memorable, engaging songs, they break all the rules and shapeshift the boundaries of so many different but complementary music genres, showcasing how alternative and indie music can still sound fresh, unique, innovative, versatile, exciting, and entertaining. Therefore, you should place this gem on your music radar.“ - Djordje Miladinović

“Their technical skill and songwriting chops are undeniable, and they execute each stylistic pivot with confidence. It’s a promising debut[…] wherever they go next, they’ve already proven they can pull off just about anything they attempt".” - Dan Weston