INTERVIEW: Georgia Meek — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Georgia Meek

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THE excellent Georgia Meek...

has been telling me about her new single, Pray, and what it is all about; what we can expect from her upcoming E.P., Pop Culture, and how 2018 was for her – Meek recommends a new artist to watch and tells me what she has planned regarding touring.

I was eager to know which albums and artists are important to Meek and how her studio sound differs to that we hear on the stage; the advice she would give to artists coming through – she ends the interview by selecting a pretty cool track.

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Hi, Georgia. How are you? How has your week been?

Manic! I’m currently sitting at my laptop on the Monday of release week, which feels daunting to say the least. Haha.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a singer/songwriter/producer based between Surrey and London. I make Electro/Indie-Pop with a feminist punch.

Pray is your new track. Can you reveal how the song came together?

It was summer...I was working from a shed somewhere west of London. I remember the day I wrote it because it was one of those days last year where the heat was nearly unbearable. We had to keep turning the fan on and off to record.

It was around the time when my boyfriend (now ex-) had been putting me down a lot for going out. He didn’t like the fact that I liked to party and used to get super-jealous and paranoid every time I had a drink without him. It had got to the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ point, where I’d started drinking more to avoid tackling my relationship issues.

I’ll let the song tell you the rest...

I know the track is from your upcoming E.P., Pop Culture. Are there particular themes addressed throughout?

Being the deep thinker that I am, the birth of Pray was the beginning of a multitude of questions and protests within my internal conversations. I started to ask myself, ‘Why am I avoiding all of these issues in my life? I write about overcoming things like sexism and abuse in my past, yet I still can’t seem to get past basic problems like managing relationships, money and my health’.

It then struck me, that, everyone I know my age is in the same predicament. We put so much pressure on ourselves in our twenties to set ourselves up for the perfect life, whether that be finding a partner, getting that dream job or climbing a social ladder.

The reality is, all this pressure is setting us up for failure. We are creating a generation of alcohol-dependant, mental-health sufferers.

Did you know that anxiety and depression in twenty-somethings is literally at an epidemic? In the U.K. in a year there are an average of 360,000 new diagnoses of cancer. Can you guess what the number is for anxiety diagnosis? 8.2 million.

Is there a song from the E.P. that struck you especially hard? Which was the most interesting to record?

Definitely. And it’s a song that directly addresses the route of all my anxiety issues - an uncontrollable and deeply disturbing fear of death. The song is called Bones:

“Cold, like the fragments of my bones

Disintegrating on their own, into the depths of the unknown

Dark, can’t hear the beating of my heart

I beg the lord I’ve left my mark

And disappear into the dark”

How was 2018 for you? Looking back, how important a year was it?

Unbelievable, I’m still pinching myself. The support on Bare was so uplifting, especially from fellow D.V. victims.

I feel like I really found my voice in the industry and have since signed with a label, manager and booking agent – so, if you’re reading this and are someone who streamed/downloaded or followed me in 2018, sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Do you remember the first moment music came into your life? Can you recall the first artist you became aware of?

When I was in reception class at school, there were some cubicle toilets round the corner in the classroom. I sat down for a wee and started singing Away in a Manger because we’d been getting ready for a Christmas nativity. When I finished singing and stood up to flush, I heard everyone round the corner in the classroom start clapping. Can you imagine how embarrassed I was as a five-year-old. Haha.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Now! Signing my first deal! That and waking up one morning to 200,000 streams on my Spotify.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Not a lot of albums on a whole do, but I definitely have three tracks…

Groove Armada - At the River. Because it reminds me of happier, simpler days.

The Jam - English Rose. I lost my dad when I was sixteen and he always used to pick up my acoustic guitar and noodle the riff.

Primal Scream – Loaded. Because it is literally impossible for me to be sad when I listen to it - in fact, I may just put it on now and dance around my kitchen for a bit.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I’m officially Billie EIlish-obsessed, like most other people in the world right now. I really want to give you a cool, alternative answer but this is the honest one. Haha.

And can I put a studio set up on a rider…?

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

HAVE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT. Be organised. But also I’m going to quote myself because I still mean every word of it:

“Trust your own sound and don't let any idiots tell you that you need to change or 'define' it. I was confused for a long time because people would say things like: “I don't really get what genre you are writing in” or: “Who is this music for?” Let your answer always be: “For me and anyone else who fuc*ing well likes it”. Individuality is dying - remember that the next time someone questions who you are”.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I’m at The Slaughtered Lamb in London on 15th February and tickets for my headline show in Guildford go on sale on 4th Feb 4th - that’s on 27th April at The Star Inn.

I’ll also be a headliner at Dart Festival in Plymouth, plus lots more exciting things in the summer that I can’t reveal just yet.

How does your music differ on stage compared to how it is laid down in the studio?

We try to keep the sounds as close to the tracks as possible but there is undoubtedly an added punch that comes with my passion for performing live.

IN THIS PHOTO: Your Smith

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’ve been raving about a girl called Your Smith recently. I think she’s a great writer, super-catchy.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Nope! Hahaha. I think the last time we spoke, I said I listen to other people’s music a lot when I’m not making my own - that’s still true but 95% of my time is spent working on myself.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

As I’m now listening to Loaded by Primal Scream, I think we should just leave it here…I dare you to hit play and not feel a little bit more positive