Get the low down on the garage rocker ahead of her show at The Unicorn this Friday.

2017 was a huge year for Sydney’s Georgia June, having returned from New York City where she was mentored by Billboard Magazine. Armed with an arsenal of tasty tunes, Georgia and her band have quickly established themselves as an up-and-coming force of the Sydney live music scene.

The honesty and raw energy of her singles ‘Broke’ and ‘Cool’ capture the indecision and self-deprecation of young adulthood, and have clearly struck a chord with fans around the country, plus rotation on triple j and some saucy festival slots. ‘Huge year’ may be a bit of an understatement then.

We’re predicting even bigger things from the Inner-West rocker, so we thought we’d better catch up with her ahead of her show this Friday at The Unicorn Hotel (info here) and next week’s new single release.

Can you give us a little run down of your time in NY? What were you doing over there?

New York has always appealed to me. It felt like such a hub for music and fashion. I had just started recording and sending my own demos in hope that it could lead to exposure before leaving for my gap year. Luckily, a rep from Billboard took me under his wing and taught me the ins and outs of music life in NYC.

Between that and approaching every music venue, I started playing a couple of gigs a week and met a whole bunch of people, one of which was Joel Wittenberg from the band Surf Rock is Dead. He mentioned he had just opened up Diamond City Recording Studio with his producing partner, Ayad Al Adhamy and asked if I was interested in working with them. This led to the conception of ‘Broke’, ‘Cool’ and our upcoming single, ‘Pressure!’

So you have released two tracks from your NY recording sessions, are they part of an upcoming EP/album? Are they standalone singles?

Following the release of the last track recorded in NY, ‘Pressure,’ we’re planning to record an EP with a brand new set of songs. We have so many unrecorded songs in the live set, so it only makes sense to represent our current sound more accurately.

2017 was a massive year for you, releasing two well-received singles, gaining the attention of triple j and playing some big shows. What were the highlights? What are you most proud of?

Yeah it’s definitely been huge! We are super grateful for all the support! One of the highlights definitely had to be Falls Festival, being on a lineup alongside our favourite acts was surreal. Support from the likes of triple j, Rolling Stone, FBi and FADAR has also been amazing. We have loved performing, it’s the most fun and rewarding part and we’re looking forward to doing more of it this year!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwlD2eZLfA

Lyrically, ‘Broke’ and ‘Cool’ are tongue-in-cheek observations of yourself and the world around you. Why do you think people are relating to these songs?

The lyrics are pretty colloquial, I think everyone feels what the songs are about at one point or another.

Do the guys have much input into the music or is it all you?

Definitely! The live set would not be anywhere near what it is if it wasn’t for the guys. We write collaboratively, I come to writing sessions with the skeleton of the song, chords and lyrics. It’s when everyone’s together the song falls into its place. Because the guys play in a range of other projects, we all bring really diverse influences to the band. That’s why we’re excited to record the EP and capture what everyone brings to the table.

Do you think you have a different experience of the Sydney pop-punk scene because of your gender?

Yes, for sure. There have definitely been frustrating moments in the music industry. I have experienced sexism and an overall feeling of being underestimated at times. I also think that we are living in a more progressive environment that encourages people from a variety of backgrounds to pursue music. I feel pretty lucky to be surrounded by some incredibly supportive people, especially within the band. I love what’s going on in Sydney at the moment, so many great bands and lots of female lead ones especially!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guVrtUS-3RU

On stage, you and the band seem to have a lot of fun which creates a party atmosphere for punters. What makes great show for you guys?

Weirdly enough, broken strings have been a common thread in the best shows for us recently, it’s always funny when we look back and Jack has broken another string (we pack a spare guitar now). Also, having room to move around helps the energy levels, it also stops us unplugging each other’s power. Every show is fun in its own right, but a little Talking Heads beforehand always helps!

What was it like growing up in the Inner-West, do you feel like the scene for live music there is healthy?

Growing up in the Inner-West was always fun. King Street at night has always been always interesting, and there were always bands playing in pubs along the away. As for the music scene, I think it’s pretty well nourished. The Inner-West has always been a great place of growth for young and upcoming bands, as well as older, more well-known bands. It feels that more venues are striving to include live music at they’re weekly events such as the Lansdowne and the Hampshire.

What have you got planned for 2018?

We are hoping to have a full body of work released by the middle of the year, in the form of an EP. It’s an exciting and daunting process to be working as a group, as all the songs are new and people will be hearing Georgia June as a band for the first time. Until then, hopefully more shows, festivals and maybe even a tour! Who knows?

Head image by James Adams