Photography: Frances Carter.
When Georgia Lines stands in her Mount Maunganui home, suitcase half-packed for a relocation to the US and a to-do list still looming, she knows one thing for sure – it’s time to go. Chatting to Woman’s Day, the award-winning singer-songwriter says she’s nervous but excited to be joining the creative buzz of Nashville, Tennessee, even though the move’s been an inevitable one.
“I’ve always felt this pull to the States,” the Made For Loving singer explains.
“With Nashville especially, there’s this bigness there, like anything can happen. You never know what might be waiting around the corner.”
A big decision at 30
It’s not a decision she’s taken lightly. Georgia, who turns 30 this week, has been building her musical career from New Zealand for years, releasing pop tracks that have earned her legions of fans, and multiple awards and nominations. But now, with a visa in hand and a brand-new EP out in the world, the timing feels right.
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“I’ll still be back for Christmas,” she reassures us.
“This is the next step. It’s scary but in a really good way.”
While Nashville may be best known for its country roots, for Georgia, it’s about finding a place to grow.
Recalling her time there on a songwriting residency last year, she adds, “It was like walking into a room and realising, ‘Oh, this makes sense.’”
The EP that started it all
Since then, the idea of a full-time move has been slowly simmering. And now, with her new EP The Guest House turning heads and hearts alike, she’s ready to see what the world has in store.
“It’s not just about playing shows,” she explains.
“It’s about putting myself in a place where creativity can stretch and grow. Nashville feels like the place to do that.”
The Guest House refers to both the places Georgia stayed while making the EP and a metaphor for something much bigger. Surprisingly, it was a chance encounter with Chris Martin that gave the record its name.
During Coldplay’s Auckland tour stop last year, Georgia was invited to a private artist meet-up with Chris. It was a night she describes as “completely surreal”.
A deflating moment
She recalls, “I played my song and Chris didn’t say much, so I left feeling kind of deflated. Everyone else got this amazing feedback and I was sitting there like, ‘OK, what did I do wrong?’”
But later at an after-party, which she almost didn’t attend, Chris found Georgia again. In a corner, away from the noise, the two struck up a deep conversation about life and grief.
“He told me about a poem called The Guest House by Rumi,” Georgia explains.
“He said it changed his life and that I should read it.”
Finding the guest house
The moment stuck with her. The poem’s message was about welcoming all of life’s emotions, even the painful ones, as visitors, which mirrored the very themes she’d written into her songs. Months later, in a London guest house, the project finally had a name.
“It was like the puzzle pieces all came together,” she shares.
“The songs, the visuals, the feeling of transition… It all lived in The Guest House.”
Of her milestone birthday, Georgia says, “I used to think I’d have everything figured out by 30 – I’d have a house, a plan and all of it. But I’ve seen so many people around me just get better and more grounded as they get older.
“My twenties were hard. I’m looking forward to what comes next.”
A lighter, maturing sound
That sense of maturity comes through in the EP, which feels lighter than her earlier work.
“It’s definitely less heavy,” she nods.
“There’s still depth, but there’s more space. It reflects where I’m at now.”
Though the US move is major, Georgia’s doing her best to keep things in perspective.
“I’m breaking it down into small bits,” she admits.
“Like, what pillowcases do I bring? I’m just trying not to be overwhelmed.”
Confident in a new city
Fortunately, with friends already living in Nashville, including fellow Kiwi singer Kaylee Bell, Georgia feels confident she’ll find her feet.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but that’s part of the excitement,” she enthuses.
“I’m ready to be surprised.”
Georgia Lines’ new EP The Guest House, with singles Julia and Wonderful Life, is out now.
