Meet Georgia English

Today we’d like to introduce you to Georgia English.

Hi Georgia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I have been an artist as long as I remember. As a kid, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, all I knew was I wanted to invent a job. Today, as a musician/songwriter/singer/educator/doodler and curriculum writer, I can definitely say that I am lucky to be living my dreams! I grew up in San Francisco, and began playing guitar at 9. I became quickly transfixed in the universe of music, and the way that it involved every part of me in such an all-encompassing way. My most vivid and frequent childhood memory is simply bouncing a tiny orange ball against my bedroom door to the beat of whichever Beatles album I was blasting on my boombox.

My passion for music, and particularly songwriting, lead me to Berklee College of Music. While in school, I began offering lessons to young kids, and developed a songwriting program at the Neighborhood Chinatown Center. The incredibly dedicated staff and safe space that BCNC provided opened my young adult eyes to the power of creative youth spaces.

I came to Nashville in 2014, and began working in early childhood music education at Sound Start Nashville, as well as an after-school job at Creswell Middle Prep in Bordeaux. Serving the incredible kids at this school through afterschool songwriting inspired me to co-found Girls Write Nashville, where I worked from 2016 to 2021.

Currently, I teach private lessons, lead classes at Valor Collegiate Academies and Aventura Community School, and develop music curriculum under my project name You Be You Music Education.

While dedicated to serving the next generation, I have striven to practice what I preach, continuing my own artist journey. Several months ago, I released my first-of-its kind illustrated book album, Pain and Power, which is a full-length record with an accompanying hand-drawn book. It’s loosely inspired by the hero’s journey narrative and chronicles my experiences navigating mental health and my journey back to myself.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think it was the Buddha who said “self-love is a moral issue.” Learning to honor my own boundaries, expect to be treated respectfully by others, and knowing my worth have all been life-long lessons for me. I think this is pretty common for many women and femme-presenting folx, and it’s certainly been true for me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I had put out four albums before releasing my first illustrated book album, Pain and Power. I think that this project, which incorporates both visual and auditory arts (and is meant to be listened to and read at the same time!) finally represents my truest and fullest voice.

The 14-track album follows the narrator through a sonic and visual journey, rich with oceanic scenes, mythological symbolism, and encourages resiliency and hope in the face of devastation. Intertwined throughout the more personal narrative are portraits of current-day America, the end of the Trump era, and a larger exploration of American trauma and its responsibility to heal itself.

In the Fall of 2020 I was spending a lot of time and space treating some intense anxiety. One thing that brought me a lot of peace in that time was drawing. I’m in music full-time (as a music educator and a musician), and I was in kind of a funny place with music where it wasn’t bringing me a lot of therapeutic value, since my work-life had revolved around it for so long. I’ve always felt a playful connection to drawing — I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a very skilled visual artist, so my ego is a lot less fragile for me there than there is with music.

I started spending just about any idle moment I had drawing, blending colors, and just making mess after mess. It was so fun. And at a certain point, I felt myself break through something, and could actually draw the feelings I was having, in the way that I am able to musically. Like I reached a certain level of fluency with my color pencils where it went past directionless fun to “oh shit, my brain is trying to tell me something – I should listen.”

The visual art really ended up feeding my musical voice, and before long a years’ worth of mind-block and frozen words and chords just felt like they were melting.

I am really proud of this project, and the parts of me it’s been able to show.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the camaraderie I feel with so many fellow artists and musicians. Being an educator, I really see the impact of local policies on our youngest community members, especially those in marginalized communities. I feel like our city has done very little to protect our most systemically vulnerable families in the face of Nashville’s big boom. Many of our local public schools have about 40% student turnover rate because families are experiencing such extreme displacement as a result of gentrification. It breaks my heart to see children’s faces carry the weight of adult decisions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.georgiaenglishmusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/georgiaenglish
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgiaenglishmusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/georgiabenglish
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV25rheUmtJ98Gx7j703vpg
• Other: www.youbeyoumusicroom.com

Image Credits
Molly Lins
Jake Faivre