Georgia Ray shines with limitless warmth and authenticity in her newest single.
The first thing to know about Georgia Ray is that she’s just as infectiously bright and inspiring as her music. Based in Melbourne, the singer-songwriter embraces authenticity in her songs, telling her raw stories of heartbreak, loss and hope.
Bringing together a mix of indie, pop and country influences to create a new and unique sound, Ray has released a string of catchy, cathartic singles that has seen her recognised by the Nashville Songwriters’ Association International (NSAI) as ‘One to Watch’. Now after spending the majority of the last couple of years writing songs and recording home demos, she’s embarking on her most ambitious project yet, and the result is nothing but spectacular.
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An exhilarating indie pop-rock upheaval, Georgia Ray arrives today with her new release ‘Hypnotherapy’.
Released on 28 April, ‘Hypnotherapy’ is Ray’s first release of 2023 and the direct follow-up to last year’s duet ballad, ‘Picture of Us’.
A burst of buoyant indie pop brimming with light and tender feeling, ‘Hypnotherapy’ is a resounding triumph for Georgia Ray, seeing her move in an all-encompassing direction of upbeat, catchy pop-rock.
Laced with irresistible pop-rock hooks and infectious sounds, influences such as Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift and Paramore surge within the release with Ray’s big, punchy chorus and crisp electric guitars. The result is a vibrant and pop-fuelled three-minute journey that greets the ears as not just a simple song but as an enveloping and enjoyable immersive listening experience.
“I listen to a lot of pop and pop-rock artists such as Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift and Pale Waves, and I love the energy their songs have and the way they can pick you up,” Ray explains.
“I wanted to write a song that excites me in that same kind of way, and I also really wanted this song to be poppy and upbeat to counteract the opposite nature of the lyrics. I wrote this song while living alone amid a Melbourne lockdown too, so I think I was really needing some stimulation!”
Sonically, it’s vibrant and infectious. Yet lyrically, it is surprisingly mellow. In ‘Hypnotherapy’, Ray delves into her own experiences.
“This song greatly draws from my own past experiences of heartbreak and loss, and writing it felt really therapeutic as it helped me put those experiences into perspective in a sort of light-hearted, upbeat way.”
Turning the all-too-familiar feelings of loss and challenges of being isolated during a global pandemic into a vivid and compelling track that illustrates heartbreak as she claims in the song that being hypnotised would be the only way to cure her broken heart.
She sings, ‘I think I need hypnotherapy, to get you off my mind because I’ve been loving you for the longest time, I don’t know how to be myself anymore, without you, I want to be set free, I think I just need hypnotherapy’.
“There are times when you can feel so low that you’re willing to try pretty much anything at all to make things better and to move on from what’s hurting you. Sometimes when you lose someone that’s become such a huge part of your life, you can feel like you’ve lost yourself too.
“And there was a time I was so heartbroken that I thought maybe hypnotherapy would be the only thing that could heal me because it might be able to change my way of thinking about that person and the memories associated with them, as well as the loss in general and allow me to feel like myself again.”
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With a dreamy quality to her voice, every word sounds so sincere and graceful. A powerful product of a thoughtful and well-meaning singer-songwriter, ‘Hypnotherapy’ perfectly captures Georgia’s quirky yet relatable style of both music and lyrics.
Recorded at Aviary Studios in Abbotsford, ‘Hypnotherapy’ was woven together neatly with the smooth production from Ray’s brother Kyle Gutterson, who has produced almost all of Ray’s tracks to date.
“Working with Kyle is the absolute best. I’m so lucky to have such a talented brother,” Ray says.
“We started recording some of my super early songs in his bedroom back in 2013, and have been making music together ever since!
“Most of my songs so far have been recorded at his home studio, but this time we recorded at Aviary Studios in Abbotsford, which was such an awesome experience. Kyle also played the drums, bass guitar and some of the electric guitar on this track. He always comes up with cool new ideas to add to my songs, like riffs, different beats and stuff. He totally gets what it is I’m trying to achieve with a song and he does an amazing job of bringing my vision of them to life.”
With a sonic shift representing intentional creativity, ‘Hypnotherapy’ is well-developed in its lyrical depth, validating a very specific set of emotions with lyrics equally satisfying as they are relatable. Ray’s intimate, vulnerable lyricism, stunning vocals, and enchanting production have set her apart as a fast-rising musical sensation and ‘Hypnotherapy’ in particular leaves the listener ready for more, come Ray’s release of her forthcoming EP, due out in October this year.
“My upcoming EP will be a little bit of a mixed bag musically, but I think this single still represents it pretty well as a whole. The theme of heartbreak and moving on is predominant throughout but from the different stages of the healing process.
“‘Hypnotherapy’ is probably poppier than the other songs, but there are a couple of power pop ballads in there, as well as a hint of dreamy pop, and maybe also a tiny hint of country pop because sometimes I just can’t resist!”
We’re all for it, and ready for more.
See Georgia perform the new single at The Merri Bar in Preston on Saturday, May 13.
Stream ‘Hypnotherapy’ here, and keep up with the latest from Georgia Ray here.
