12.07.25
Local Mix 040 —
Georgia Knight
Folk
Soul / Jazz Pop
Synth Soundscapes
Trip-Hop
Electronic / Downtempo
Alertnative / Indie
Georgia Knight is a musician from Naarm / Melbourne, Australia. Primarily composing and performing her songs on an autoharp, Georgia’s stage presence is as timeless as her voice is otherworldly. As she meanders through elements of folk, trip-hop, noise, synth soundscapes, dusty loops and samples, Georgia's songs bloom into a collage of pop music heavily entwined with the avant-garde.
The local release of her 2023 EP, Hell on Bent Street, saw Georgia quickly rise in profile, performing standout shows at tastemaker festivals Dark Mofo, Camp A Low Hum (NZ) and Rising, and playing alongside acts like Blonde Redhead (USA), Mogwai (SCT), Angie McMahon, Maple Glider, Darren Hanlon and more.
Georgia recently made the move to Ōtautahi. If you're in the loop, you might've caught her live supporting Martin Sagadin at Space Academy, on the lineup at Flying Nun for Record Store Day, or playing a secret Port Noise show. To mark her arrival as a new local, we asked her to put together a mix — and answer a few quick questions while she was at it. Keep your eyes peeled for more from Georgia, who is releasing her first single off her new album this Wednesday, 16 July.
Tell us a little about how you approached making this mix — what was your jumping-off point?
It's been a long time since I've made a playlist for anybody but myself. I started with some of the music that informed the making of my new album. And then a few other bits slipped in, and then some which friends have shown me (Amon Tobin's 'Killer's Vanilla' came from my friend Rosie Novis) and then some in-between for lubrication.
Describe the kind of music you usually gravitate towards. Do you listen to the same kind of music that you make or are those things separate for you?
When I was growing up music wasn't much a part of my life; I was really into animals and reading. I liked folk music because it was transporting, and big love ballads from listening to the radio like an iPod, because I felt like I had big dreams to match.
Now when I listen to music everything arrives at equal speed and my judgement isn't based on familiarity — in a way it was lonely because I didn't sing along too much with my friends, but it's also been kind of helpful. I listen to music that I'm working on obsessively; usually, I start hearing things that aren't even there — which connects me to new tastes. Does that make sense?
What are the touchstones that you refer back to that you think inform your sound? (Could be an artist, an era, a place etc.)
For this album I had the movie Babe on my mind. Particularly a scene in the farmhouse where Farmer Hogget is rehabilitating the piglet Babe, and trying to get him to bottle feed. Farmer Hogget sings softly to Babe and it blows up into a crescendo with an orchestra and Scottish tattoo playing, 'If I Had Words'.
That music was composed in 1886 by a Frenchman, then was reimagined in the 70s by a TV jingle writer who came up with the refrain and added a reggae beat. In 1995 it's sung by a farmer to reassure a piglet! Surreal. Westlife also covered it later on, probably as a reference to the movie. The album isn't about pigs, but it is pretty sentimental.
Who would you invite to Friday beers or a Sunday morning cuppa tea... (living or passed, famous or non-famous)?
I've just moved to a new town in a new country; it'd be bold for me to bring anybody along to the pub just yet. I've met someone new every time I've gone out lately, but maybe I'd bring Terry Crews along because he's my favourite comedian. I think he'd get along with everyone really well and probably be good at the quiz. We'd put everything on Terry's tab, then leave without paying and no one would believe he had been there. I'm living in Christchurch but I haven't explored the West Coast properly yet, so Terry and I would go driving out there and see some snow.
The first single from my upcoming album is coming out Wednesday July 16th. It's called 'Desire'.
Follow Georgia Knight on Instagram at @georgiaknightclub