George Maple gives us the “80s strip club cinematic” soundtrack we didn’t know we needed
George Maple is an Australian singer-songwriter whose music will remind you of old-school Alicia Keys with a twist. Her smooth R&B influences mixed with snappy beats will have you hitting the replay button over and over again with a fury.
We caught up with George to learn more about who she is, what influences her music tastes, and her viewpoint on intimacy. Read on to learn more.
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How would you describe your music style?
I think I drift between many places depending on my mood, environment, etc. This record I jokingly coined “80s strip club cinematic” as a genre with a friend. I am excited and intrigued by interesting production and I like good pop writing, drama and cinema.
Who inspires your music style?
The world! haha 🙂 I’m very inspired by various forms of energy around me. I’m inspired by experiences, people, colours, moods, more intangible elements rather than direct inspiration from other artists.
What would be your dream collaboration? Who would you want to work with, dead or alive, and why?
Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. I would love to have been in the room when they were making the final decisions on the track-list for Thriller. I’ve heard rumors that they scrapped all the production the night before, that they had 500-1000 songs to choose from. So much history, I would love to hear the stories.
What is your motivation when making music?
Music is a form of creative expression. It’s like therapy, I need to create things to feel alive. This is one form of expression for me.
What was going through your mind when you released your debut album, Lover?
Apprehension, fear, excitement, relief. It was basically like the first day of school
Lorde said in a tweet she heard and loved your music and now you are joining her on tour. What is this experience like for you?
It’s been so crazy, it really was as incredible as I expected and she was everything I could have hoped. Every night was a new city, new energy, new group of lovers. I am very grateful for the opportunity.
In your self-written article “George Maple on The Art of the Interlude,” you mention you are a “huge death of the author” believer. Can you elaborate more on what you mean by this?
The “Death of the Author” was a theory developed by Roland Barthes. I studied it at university and my memory is a little hazy. However, it essentially communicates the idea that the author and their text or what they create are not intertwined and that real interpretation of a text or piece of art is left in the hands of the audience.
In the case of a record, for example, I would set out to create meaning. However, once it has left my hands, it is the audience’s interpretation that remains equally as important as my intention creating it. I like the idea that once I’ve created something, people will absorb it and transpose it into their own imagination.
Intimacy played a big role in the creation of your album. What is the most memorable intimate moment you’ve experienced?
Intimacy is a complex beast. So many positive and negative experiences [are] associated with intimacy. I think the biggest discovery was understanding how to manage the fear I had associated with intimacy, those little voices that were holding me back or encouraging decisions.
How do you define “intimacy”?
A vortex of truth.
Do you have any advice for the readers on how to introduce more intimacy into their lives?
I think rather than introducing intimacy, it’s about acknowledging and learning from our limitations and trying to accept them. This enables us to open ourselves up to love.
What is a random fact about yourself no one knows yet?
I really like boxing 🙂
George Maple’s debut album “Lover” is out now and available everywhere.
Photography by: @NeonFemale
