It can’t be easy to leave behind a band that rose to such prominence as Chris Pearson’s old band Barefoot did, but it didn’t stop him from forming a new, and equally impressive sounding band called Sleeperstar. Pearson started Barefoot in High School with friends and saw the band rise in popularity rapidly. The band landed a record deal in 2005 with Geffen, and signed a management deal with Joe Simpson (yes, that Joe Simpson). The band had two songs featured on the AA Top 20, including the top 5 hit “Rain.” Unfortunately, just as fast as the band rose, they fell. The band parted ways with their label and management in 2006, and in late 2007, decided it was time to call it quits. “We just kind of came to that point where we had kinds pushed it and turned in every direction we wanted it to go, and it just wasn’t going to push off like we wanted it to,” Pearson told Alternative Addiction. “One of the guys wanted to just stay home, and another guy was getting ready to get married…it was a good time to just let go.” Pearson said that while leaving the only band he’s ever known behind was hard, he knew it was time to move on. “The truth was…I think we all just come to different points musically, and I was always pushing for new music and new songs, and some of the other guys just wanted to play the old barefoot tunes. We were creatively at a different point musically,” Pearson explained. Before the ashes of Barefoot even had time to settle, Pearson was hard at work on his next project that would become Sleeperstar. Pearson formed the band with friends he had met in college, and started writing with them in 2006. While both bands might fall under the same genre, Pearson was quick to point out Sleeperstar draws from totally different influences than Barefoot did. “In Barefoot we really appreciated the four part harmonies, in Sleeperstar we like a little more of the British sounding rock,” said Pearson. “We draw influences from The Killers, Third Eye Blind, and obviously U2, and Coldplay. Sleeperstar is a little more melodic and the lyrics go a little more in depth, which is what I really was passionate about. Lyrics are what solidify a really timeless song.” Sleeperstarr’s debut album “To Speak, To Love, To Listen” is on sale now at the band’s webpage at www.sleeperstar.com, you can hear a track off the new album below.