We greatly missed her, but Georgia Fields latest release is 100% worth the wait.
Moving from school to school was a difficult reality for much of Georgia Fields’ childhood. Fields put it perfectly on her Instagram recently, describing her childhood friends and how fond she was of those memories that now seem so lost. Originally inspired by those experiences, the grief of childhood lost has now manifested into Fields “reaching out for… lost parts of [her] pre-motherhood-self” with her brand new single ‘Find Your Way Back’.
From her start in 2007 to her last release ‘Afloat, Adrift’ in 2017, we have seen Fields consistently bring out spectacular music and ‘Find Your Way Back’ follows that trend and brings even more to the table. This much-anticipated release shows a new and deeply personal side to Fields.
“‘Find Your Way Back’ had an interesting journey actually. I started writing it about hometowns – specifically, the fact that I don’t have one! And that curious feeling of wanting to return to the comfort of home, but not being able to, because that home doesn’t exist anymore (we moved a lot as kids),” she explains.
“But after my second baby was born in early 2019, I was hit by this huge wave of grief and longing for the pre-motherhood parts of myself. Obviously totally in love with this beautiful new baby, but simultaneously grieving my previous, pre-baby life! And that’s when I wrote the lyrics to the bridge: “it’s a map with no edge, a maze that’s all hedge / forever looking around the corner, over your shoulder”. In a way, ‘Find Your Way Back’ is me reconciling my childhood experiences with this new stage of my life, and wanting to work through that baggage… Through pop music!”
Fields really “wanted a backbone of kinetic group energy on this track”, so the drums and bass (played by Jules Pascoe from bands Jazz Party and Husky) were played live in the main room at The Aviary Studios. It certainly makes a difference to the sound as you’re immediately enticed by punching drums and zigzagging guitar lines provided by Joshua Teicher.
Of course, the standout to me was the use of the Omnichord and the warm and electric coo of a vintage Wurlitzer. To top it off, Fields vocal agility and depth of tone are next level. She evokes so much emotion from her melodies and ‘Find Your Way Back’ turns that up to 11 with its intensity of vocal layering. Oh, and did I mention Fields got a big group of beautiful Melbourne-based female singers into the Aviary for a big backing vocal moment in the bridge. Too good.
As though overcoming intense grief for one’s past self, this track not only dares the listener to take on a new mission, but also evokes you to put “your brave face on.” Fields can connect so clearly with her audience from the first instant of unleashing her earthy and smooth tone – she has true power hidden in those vocal cords and she’s not afraid to use it. That there in itself is a real nod to the powerhouse Sharon Von Etten and the understated clarity of Metals-era Feist.
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Producer Joshua Barber, whose previous work you’ll recognise from the likes of Greta Ray, brings a real sense of journey to this track. It’s an adventure from start to end and has a running theme of yearning and longing throughout.
Excitingly, this is only the beginning from these two, with Fields forthcoming third album Hiraeth (pronounced “hee-raith”) currently in the works. As well as being a total badass sounding title, the meaning behind the name is it’s actually a welsh term with no exact English translation: a profound longing for a home you can’t return to, as it doesn’t exist anymore. Perfectly tying in this track’s sense of purpose and destiny.
As a self-described fan of being a “daggy mum-dancer,” ‘Find Your Way Back’ is the first taste of new music since 2017, in which time Fields has been busy parenting two small children through the pandemic, in lockdown, whilst trying to maintain an indie music career. Knowing she wasn’t the only musician-mother struggling with this, Fields also recently launched her newest project ‘Mother Lode’ earlier this year. Mother Lode is an online community and resource for musician mothers filled with practical answers to difficult questions for mums in the music biz – inclusive of queer, trans and gender-nonconforming parents as we love to see.
Mother Lode is described by Fields as a “place to share ideas, resources and upcoming opportunities; and the website hosts long-read interviews and articles.” This kind of space for other musician-mums has kept Fields head above water mental-health-wise, and it’s incredible to see a space where mothers can feel connected to community during such an isolating few years.
Georgia Fields is well and truly back. A crowd favourite at festivals such as St Kilda Fest, Queenscliff Music Festival, Apollo Bay Music Festival and plenty more, Victoria and beyond are more than ready for Fields return to the stage.
To keep up with upcoming gigs, add Georgia Fields website to your bookmarks and check out her new release below.
