George (Georgia Lines) Photo: RNZ
Back in 2014, Georgia Lines, aka George, won the school music competition Smokefree Rockquest.
Since then, the Tauranga singer-songwriter has been travelling, writing music at her home studio in Mount Maunganui and "finding her feet as a human being".
She plays Vacant Cities and chats to Jesse Mulligan in our Auckland studio.
The 2006 film High School Musical was a big inspiration for George as a teenager, she tells Jesse, and towards the end of high school she got more and more into playing music.
At the Smokefree Rockquest final, George played electric guitar for the first time – and went on to win with her song 'Wannabe'.
Since leaving high school, George says she's been trying to "find her feet as a human being", figuring out what her musical style is and working out where she wants to go.
"I'm looking for something real and looking for something that is me."
She particularly likes exploring human nature.
"Why do I do what I do? ... We build these cities inside of us – success and whatever it may be – and I don't want that thing to be empty."
You can find George on Instagram and Facebook.
Listen to her conversation with Afternoons host Simon Mercep ahead of the 2014 Smokefree Rockquest finals here.
