Aotearoa’s award-winning artist Georgia Lines has today released her impeccable debut album, THE ROSE OF JERICHO, along with its lead single ‘Grand Illusion’.
THE ROSE OF JERICHO is an astounding debut that further cements Georgia Lines’ reputation as an artist with an undeniable talent for capturing vulnerability through songwriting. Magic, nostalgic charm, musical depth and an incredible vulnerability is encapsulated within the album. It’s an immersive experience; sonically creating a unique sense of both old and new, through moments of whimsical strings and soaring melodies, piano ballads and sparkling synths, stacked harmonies and hook-laden choruses. At the centre of it all is Georgia’s flawless vocals; skilfully intertwining raw and honest storytelling, drawn from her own life experiences.
“The Rose of Jericho is a flower that can survive in the desert; it can endure months of dehydration. However, when it is put back into water, it comes back to life. The name felt like the perfect way to signify my journey, one that I will look back on in 20 years’ time and see the collection of songs, The Rose Of Jericho, as the time when I wrote an album that helped me heal, process, and brought me back to life.”
“I have always felt this deep pull, almost a weight or responsibility as an artist to write from a place of honesty and vulnerability,” reflects Georgia. “To create art that comes from a place of depth and meaning, in hope that it would mean something deeply to me, and to those who listen; which is both exciting and absolutely terrifying.”
“The past few years have been some of the hardest years of my life. Ones that have been full of grief, loss and pain. As I have allowed myself to sit in those spaces and brave the fears of voicing the pain, I’ve written this album. Which I am deeply proud of.”
Written over the course of two years and recorded during a four-week period, produced by Nic Manders, THE ROSE OF JERICHO features a careful curation of musicians and producers at the top of their game. Co-writers on the album include Leroy Clampitt, Whakaio Taahi, Ricky Manning, Djeisan Suskov, Teeks, Nic Manders, Drew Pearson, Alex Austin, Lara Frew and Phoebe Sinclair.
“It was such a privilege to work with Nic Manders on this record, and throughout the entire process has always felt like the perfect partnership for this body of work. His care, intention and delicacy that he approached the songs with, paired with his absolute musical wizardry was something that I really loved and admired and was deeply grateful to play a huge part of the record. For both Nic Manders and I, who we chose to collaborate with was a crucial aspect of the album’s creation. We approached each addition to the project with careful consideration, understanding that every person brought into the fold could shift its direction. This wasn’t necessarily a negative aspect, similar to choosing colours to paint with, but rather a deliberate choice to maintain the album’s integrity and coherence. Teeks’ involvement in the duet is a perfect example of this this approach. His presence created a safe space for sharing and writing the song that needed to be written, bringing another layer of authenticity and depth to the project.”
Along with today’s album comes the lead single ‘Grand Illusion’; an incredibly beautiful track with big vocals, strings, and an upright piano. “Grand Illusion reflects on the struggle and desire to create a meaningful life amidst distractions and illusions. All whilst longing for authenticity and finding comfort in embracing both beauty and pain.”
The stunning accompanying video for ‘Grand Illusion’ was filmed at the Auckland Art Gallery.
Of the 10-track debut album, only two singles were released prior: the opening track, ‘Grow Old Without You’, and the heartfelt ballad ‘The Letter’. Featuring on Rolling Stone AU/NZ, The Edge, ZM, More fm, The Hits, Sniffers, Coup de Main, Seven Sharp and more,
Georgia’s success is not surprising, given her impressive track record. She has just won Best Pop Artist at the 2024 AMA’s and was named the AMA Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2022. Her EP HUMAN topped the Official Top 20 NZ Album chart, and her lead single ‘Faith’ held the #1 spot on the NZ Airplay Radioscope chart for four consecutive weeks. Her live performances have also received critical acclaim, and she has opened for international acts and performed at various showcases around the world including SXSW, Big Sound and Los Angeles iconic industry showcase, School Night.
This success was complemented by her electrifying showcase at SXSW, leading to her signing with Wasserman Music. The momentum from this event propelled her Spotify streams to an astounding 8 million. Recently, she completed her first US tour supporting Abraham Alexander in November 2023, and in March 2024, Georgia embarked on her second U.S tour, a 13-date tour across the US supporting Priya Ragu.
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