CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 081: GEORGIA LINES ON ALLOWING HERSELF TO BE HUMAN
Words by Patrick Staveley.
New Zealand artist Georgia Lines has released her stunning new EP Human, featuring the lead single Faith - a fun and funky track which gets everyone dancing. At the time of writing, Georgia was preparing for back-to-back shows in Tauranga and Auckland to promote the EP. I spoke with Georgia days after the release to discuss the EP with her. Since this interview was conducted, her EP debuted at no.1 on the official top 20 albums chart in New Zealand. A huge congratulations to Georgia from the team here at FMM!
FMM: Congrats on the EP release! Very exciting for you I imagine. Have you had much time to celebrate or has your focus just gone straight to your upcoming shows?
Georgia: I mean, I’m a big celebratory person but I don’t feel like I’ve really had a good moment to stop and celebrate. I had a really nice dinner on the Friday night, which was the day of the release while I was up in Auckland which was super nice but yeah it has been straight back into prepping for the shows. Definitely don’t feel like I’ve had my celebratory ‘I did it’ [moment] yet (laughs).
FMM: How long would you say you spent altogether on the making of the EP?
Georgia: There’s two songs on there that have been in the Dropbox folder for like two years now, but in terms of how long I’ve been working on this EP – it’s probably the last year has been foot to the floor working on the EP. Obviously taking the songs (Moon Soda and Leave Behind) that I’d written a little while ago and we’ve [worked out] that the EP felt like the right project for those songs to live on. So yeah, I’d say [it took] the last year.
FMM: Tell me a bit about some of the ideas that came to you and helped you form this release?
Georgia: In terms of the name of the project – I’ve obviously called it Human. I had the songs and with the last few years of covid and the last few years full stop have just felt like I guess a journey for me as a human being in terms of realising I am a human. I know that sounds so weird and so lame, but it’s almost like I felt this expectation that I’ve put on myself for such a long time that I have to be all things to all people and say yes to every opportunity and always get it right. That expectation and that pressure to live up to is actually ridiculous and not realistic and very strange, you know? I guess my realisation is actually saying ‘Georgia you are human, you’re allowed to make mistakes, you’re allowed to grieve, you’re allowed to let go of things, you’re allowed to say no, you’re allowed to say yes, you’re allowed to actually feel what you feel and not have to pretend that everything’s okay or brush over something really quickly and fall in love and experience all the feelings.’ I guess when I was looking at the project – I realised that I’ve really written these songs that have reflected this time for me and really accurately and honestly and very vulnerably painted a picture of the last few years was like and that they reflect what it means to be human and that was the common theme I kept coming back to.
FMM: Can you tell me about the music industry in New Zealand and what your pathways are like to finding success there?
Georgia: Yeah, it’s a big question. There’s so many incredibly talented songwriters and artists and musicians in the music industry. I just feel like I’m a baby in the industry. I love what I’m doing but the industry is full of talented people and yeah, it’s a privilege to be a part of it. There’s this thing called NZ on Air which is an incredible organisation that funds projects in terms of EPs and singles. As an independent artist, they’ve been absolutely incredible for me in helping me fund my projects and gain momentum. Once you’re in the industry you realise how small it is. I think the thing for me is finding people who are supportive and finding a team of people, applying for funding and playing as many shows as I can.
FMM: Is it fulfilling to see how much support you have for your new music with all four commercial radio stations in New Zealand playing your music? This is a first for you!
Georgia: Yeah it’s wild – I was like OH MY GOSH YAY! (laughs). You create music and hope that other people like it but for me it comes back to if I am proud of what I’m doing. If I’m letting go of that question and letting go of my values as an artist and what I want to create then you just get sucked into the whirlwind of trying to do something in order to make someone else happy or in order to get radio play. In terms of getting the radio play from all four radio stations, that’s just so awesome. Faith obviously is the song that they’ve all picked up which is really exciting. I love the song so much. I feel like it’s a really fun representation of me as an artist and where I’m at.
FMM: You have a really beautiful, natural voice – really great to listen to. Can I ask how your voice has developed over the years in regards to training?
Georgia: Thank you. I didn’t start singing until intermediate (year 7-8). That was really the first moment for me in terms of singing and I guess the unfolding journey for me since then was starting to write songs and starting to play guitar and play piano – learning chords and I went on this journey where I learn that I really enjoy [these things]. I started to train vocally under this incredible, incredible woman who passed away last year ; Cheryl McLeay. I felt like my voice drastically changed in terms of learning how to control my voice, learning how my body works and my muscles and how it all works together and how to look after your voice. She basically taught about the workings of the larynx and how your body works while you sing and how to have the longevity and sustainability within your craft. I studied under her for about five years. I felt like that was a real turning point for me in terms of my voice and learning how to use it as an instrument. I can actually sing way higher than I ever thought I could because now I know how my body works and I can tap into those parts of my voice.
FMM: How does you natural talent and passion to perform transition itself into the ability to song-write?
Georgia: I really enjoy writing because I feel like as an artist I want to say something. I feel like I really enjoy writing and the creative process that goes into writing a song. In terms of me being an artist, I love performing, I love the stage, I love telling stories and talking way too much and sharing my songs. I love that I get to (tell stories) – that I get to write these songs that mean something to me and can translate those into my performances.
FMM: Talking about your EP now and of course the lead single Faith. It’s so much fun, it’s funky and gets the body moving. It’s kind of a throwback to the 80s. It’s a song with so many layers and it diversifies itself across a few different genres in a way. Where did the idea for this song come from?
Georgia: I wrote this song with another writer/producer called Joseph Farris. We’d been trying to write together for ages but eventually when we got in a room together we were having this conversation about when you’re feeling the frustration when you’re in a relationship and you’re waiting for change – you’re waiting for something to change or to shift or behaviour or a habit. (When you’re) banging your head against the wall (thinking) “Just give me something. I’m waiting for this to change but the change isn’t coming and I’m running out of faith. I need you to give me something.” So that’s the conversation we were having and we ended up writing this song about that conversation and creating a narrative around that. In terms of musically, we both wanted this really rhythmic vocal. We wanted this 80s-90’s feel to the production – this big Prince vibe which I feel comes through so there were definitely those inspirations musically. I’ve had a few people say to me that when you take away the music, the lyrics are quite intense and then you’ve got this really upbeat song – it’s a bit (juxtaposing). I think it’s so fun, I love that it’s not just another ballad because I could write ballads for days – happy to sit in my feelings (laughs).
FMM: Speaking of ballads, I don’t like to alienate the rest of the EP but I found ‘Save Me’ to be my favourite song of the release. Just listening to it, it’s an emotional experience. The piano is gorgeous but you’re singing over the top is so powerful and it cuts right through. Who are you asking to save you in this song, and is it as emotional to perform as it is to listen to?
Georgia: It was (emotional to perform). I feel like you could feel the emotion in it. You could interpret it however you like which is what I love about song-writing in terms of how a song to you might mean something completely different to me or another listener. I’m saying ‘save me from myself.’ When you’re tired and emotional and it’s often late at night and your emotions are through the roof and the next day you’re like ‘I wish I didn’t say that’ or ‘I wish I didn’t act on that emotion.’ I guess it was this really vulnerable conversation that I was having (of how I was feeling). It’s very raw – it comes through on the recording. I’m kind of saying save me from myself whether it’s this internal dialogue that’s happening or I’m saying to someone else save me from myself. Sometimes it changes from internal dialogue to sometimes saying to someone else ‘help me! Save me from what I’m about to do or not do.’
FMM: Can we expect to see you some time in Australia too?
Georgia: Yes you can!! I think we’re hoping October, fingers crossed doing a show or two in Australia but it’ll happen.