From Santa Maria to the Silver Screen – The Legacy of Lash
In the mid-1990s, four Santa Maria students Jaclyn Pearson (1996), Micaela Slayford (1999), Jessicca Bennett (1999) and Jasmine Evans (1999), came together to form Lash. A few years into the band, Jasmine left and saw Belinda Lee Reid (not a Santa Maria student) join the band as a permanent member. What began as loud lunchtime jam sessions in the College music room soon grew into a grungy, unapologetic sound that captured the spirit of the era.
This story is told through the memories of Jaclyn, who vividly recalls those early days at Santa Maria. Little did she know that their anthem Take Me Away would one day feature in Disney’s Freaky Friday (2003) and, more than 20 years later, be revived in the 2025 sequel, Freakier Friday. Proof that teenage dreams from Attadale can echo across generations.
Where it all began
Commencing at Santa Maria in 1993 as a Year 9 student, Jaclyn’s story began when she first discovered the original music room at the College. Nestled above the Drama Department and beside the staffroom, the room was modest: a small guitar amp, a drum kit, and an upright piano. But for Jaclyn and her friends Alison Marwick, Josie Carpenter, Anna Benn and sometimes Jocelyn Ball, it was a sanctuary.
“Josie, Alison and I were literally in there every recess and lunch time, playing as much as we possibly could and eventually writing songs of our own,” Jaclyn recalls.
It was in this very space that younger Year 8 students Micaela, Jess, and Jasmine began to peer through the keyhole, curious about the noise. One day in 1996, Jaclyn found them in the room, confidently playing the instruments themselves. “They were only in Year 8, already very good and writing their own songs. I remember being so impressed with their skills.”
Soon after, Jaclyn began playing with them, along with Belinda Lee, they started recording songs and shaping what would become Lash. The roots of Take Me Away, Jaclyn says, lie deep in those “typically troubled times as teenagers at school, but also in the years that followed.”
Of course, not everyone was as enthusiastic. “I don’t think the teachers appreciated our loud music at all! Let’s just say, we had A LOT of complaints.”
Inspired by Grit and Grunge
The energy behind Take Me Away reflected the band’s influences – Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole and Silverchair, but also Jaclyn’s love of The Beatles. “Everyone in my year knew how obsessed I was with the Beatles,” she laughs, crediting their relentless work ethic as inspiration.
The result was a song brimming with authenticity, loud, honest and driven by the intensity of adolescence.
A Global Stage, A Humble Heart
Despite disbanding in the early 2000s, Lash’s music endured. When Disney featured Take Me Away in Freaky Friday (2003), it introduced the world to the sound of four Perth teenagers. Now, over two decades later, the track has returned in Freakier Friday, embraced not only by audiences but by the film’s cast and crew.
Jaclyn describes attending the recent LA premiere as surreal: red carpets, Hollywood interviews, and the unforgettable moment of seeing Pink Slip perform their song for the actors.
A Song that Still Resonates
More than twenty years after its release, Take Me Away has found a whole new generation of fans. Thanks to its feature in Freakier Friday, the track has surged in popularity once again, racking up over 10 million streams on Spotify and sparking excitement across social media.
For Jaclyn, seeing the song take on this new life has been deeply rewarding. “It feels absolutely incredible and just really, really satisfying,” she says. “To see all of these people so interested and excited for us, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, the whole Disney crew and our amazing record company, Warner Music Australia. They have embraced the band and our story, and we are just so grateful for the recognition, because we did not have it easy when we first signed a record deal.”
For Jaclyn, the resurgence is not only about the music itself but a chance to celebrate the hard work, creativity and friendship that went into Lash all those years ago. Take Me Away has become a reminder that the voices of young women deserve to be heard, and that their stories can echo far beyond the school walls where they first began.
Life After Lash
Today, Jaclyn is Lecturer and Director of Postgraduate Research at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She leads cutting-edge research into antibiotic resistance, while raising three children and still finding time to lift heavy weights in her spare moments.
Friendship, Courage & Advice
Looking back, Jaclyn’s advice to her 18-year-old self reflects the lessons she learned navigating the music industry: “Get a good lawyer, make your own decisions, and never let anyone tell you that you need to change who you are.” While not every teenager will find themselves signing record deals, her message about protecting yourself, trusting your instincts and staying true to who you are is timeless.
For her, Take Me Away no longer represents just teenage angst but friendship, gratitude and pride. “I feel very lucky to have met them and played in a group with them. We had a great time and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
A Santa Maria Legacy
The story of Lash is one of creativity, resilience and collaboration. It shows how a noisy music room at recess can spark something extraordinary, a reminder to our students that their passions today can lead to global stages tomorrow.
The resurgence of Take Me Away more than two decades later is especially meaningful for Jaclyn. It is not just about a song being rediscovered, but about recognition. Recognition of the talent, courage and determination it took for four teenage girls from Perth to carve out their place in the music industry. For Jaclyn, it represents friendship, gratitude and pride in what they created together.
Lash’s journey is proof that Santa Maria women continue to enrich the world in remarkable ways, whether through music, science, leadership or service. And with Take Me Away now echoing through cinemas once again, the story of Lash reminds us that young women’s voices are powerful, and when they are heard, they can inspire across generations.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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Calling Santa Maria Alumni Golfers for the 2026 CIGS Annual Foursomes Event
The CIGS Annual Foursomes Golf Event for Alumni is a golf day for alumni of participating independent girls’ schools in Western Australia. Santa Maria College alumni are invited to take part on Monday 21 September 2026 at Mt Lawley Golf Club. Players need to be alumni of a participating school and hold a current Golflink number. Register interest with Nina Howie by the end of July.
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Expressions of interest are now open for alumni who would like to join the Santa Maria College Old Girls’ Association Committee. The committee helps strengthen lifelong connections between past students through events and initiatives that build belonging, celebrate alumni achievements, and support the ongoing spirit of the Santa Maria community. Alumni from a range of backgrounds and graduation years are encouraged to apply.
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