Hannah Georgas Gets Remixed
Jul. 14, 2014
Canadian indie pop artist Hannah Georgas put out her self-titled second album two years ago, and is keeping the momentum going with a current run of dates with Sara Bareilles and having a song featured on the HBO series Girls. We spoke with Georgas about her first concert, musical styles she loves but won't attempt, and her current musical obsessions. We're also debuting a remix of her track "Somebody," done by label mate Avenue.
AllMusic: Do you enjoy it when someone gets inside one of your songs and rebuilds it?
Hannah Georgas: I’m all for it, I really like having my songs remixed and hearing them in a different light, so I was happy to do it. There’s been remixes of songs that I end up liking the remix even more, like one by this band called Stars that I thought was originally their song, but it was the remix of the song. I think it’s an interesting way to bring out a different tone in the song, it’s like covering a song but having a completely different take. I really like it.
AllMusic: Are there musical lines that you'd be nervous about someone crossing when tweaking one of your songs?
HG: You can’t really say until you hear it. I have certain things I gravitate to when I listen to music, certain things I really like, based on my style and taste. There could be a crazy death metal version of my song or a remix that goes really house, that could be great, it just all depends on how you go about making it and how tasteful you are, it’s all about taste and serving it the right way. I’m not super precious about it, but I will tell you if I like it or don’t like it. I guess I’m precious once I hear it, and if I don’t like it, I don’t like it. I’m willing to let somebody have their way with it and just see where it goes, I think it’s important to have an open mind and try something amazing, it could turn out brilliant.
AllMusic: Are there styles of music you love but wouldn't want to try to perform?
HG: I think I've always wanted to rap, I’m a huge fan of hip-hop, and I've thought about trying to do some rap, but I have the feeling that won’t happen. I don’t think I’ll be able to do that. I could, there’s no reason why I couldn't, but I just don’t think it would be good. One of my favorite records is Doggystyle by Snoop, and I was a big fan of Method Man and Notorious B.I.G. When I was super young, I loved MC Hammer, and I think that was my first concert that I went to, was MC Hammer when I was 10.
AllMusic: MC Hammer is pretty PG-rated, while the rest of the rappers you named are much less so. Did you have to hide their albums as a kid?
HG: I did, my parents were very reserved and Christian, they’re not down for it. Even to this day, my mom is like, “Oh my goodness, what is this?” So I had to hide it. But my mom was the one who took me to that concert when I was a kid.
AllMusic: Do you find that you have musical dreams frequently?
HG: I always have nightmares about playing live, they’re never good. I always have a dream where it’s my time to go onstage and all my gear is packed up, nothing is even out. That’s a reoccurring dream that I usually have. Or I’ll be playing live and the audience is on their way out the door and not enjoying what I’m doing, it’s never positive. I think it’s just an anxiety dream. It happens leading up to a tour. I don’t have them as much on the road, it’s usually when I’m at home that it starts to happen.
AllMusic: Is there anything that you've been listening to over and over lately?
HG: I get addicted to albums, I’ll listen to the songs over and over again until it’s lost its thing for me. A record that pops into my brain that I’m really in love with is Frank Ocean, Channel Orange, I listen to that a lot. There’s another song I listen to called “Hey Moon” by John Maus, he covers it, I was first introduced to that song by him, and it’s a song that I definitely played way too much. Or “Halo” by Beyonce, I can’t get over how great that song is, how simple it is, it’s a really great pop song.
Want to premiere a video, song or album on AllMusic? Drop us a line: nyyzhfvp_cerff@nyyzhfvp.pbz.
AllMusic: Do you enjoy it when someone gets inside one of your songs and rebuilds it?
Hannah Georgas: I’m all for it, I really like having my songs remixed and hearing them in a different light, so I was happy to do it. There’s been remixes of songs that I end up liking the remix even more, like one by this band called Stars that I thought was originally their song, but it was the remix of the song. I think it’s an interesting way to bring out a different tone in the song, it’s like covering a song but having a completely different take. I really like it.
AllMusic: Are there musical lines that you'd be nervous about someone crossing when tweaking one of your songs?
HG: You can’t really say until you hear it. I have certain things I gravitate to when I listen to music, certain things I really like, based on my style and taste. There could be a crazy death metal version of my song or a remix that goes really house, that could be great, it just all depends on how you go about making it and how tasteful you are, it’s all about taste and serving it the right way. I’m not super precious about it, but I will tell you if I like it or don’t like it. I guess I’m precious once I hear it, and if I don’t like it, I don’t like it. I’m willing to let somebody have their way with it and just see where it goes, I think it’s important to have an open mind and try something amazing, it could turn out brilliant.
AllMusic: Are there styles of music you love but wouldn't want to try to perform?
HG: I think I've always wanted to rap, I’m a huge fan of hip-hop, and I've thought about trying to do some rap, but I have the feeling that won’t happen. I don’t think I’ll be able to do that. I could, there’s no reason why I couldn't, but I just don’t think it would be good. One of my favorite records is Doggystyle by Snoop, and I was a big fan of Method Man and Notorious B.I.G. When I was super young, I loved MC Hammer, and I think that was my first concert that I went to, was MC Hammer when I was 10.
AllMusic: MC Hammer is pretty PG-rated, while the rest of the rappers you named are much less so. Did you have to hide their albums as a kid?
HG: I did, my parents were very reserved and Christian, they’re not down for it. Even to this day, my mom is like, “Oh my goodness, what is this?” So I had to hide it. But my mom was the one who took me to that concert when I was a kid.
AllMusic: Do you find that you have musical dreams frequently?
HG: I always have nightmares about playing live, they’re never good. I always have a dream where it’s my time to go onstage and all my gear is packed up, nothing is even out. That’s a reoccurring dream that I usually have. Or I’ll be playing live and the audience is on their way out the door and not enjoying what I’m doing, it’s never positive. I think it’s just an anxiety dream. It happens leading up to a tour. I don’t have them as much on the road, it’s usually when I’m at home that it starts to happen.
AllMusic: Is there anything that you've been listening to over and over lately?
HG: I get addicted to albums, I’ll listen to the songs over and over again until it’s lost its thing for me. A record that pops into my brain that I’m really in love with is Frank Ocean, Channel Orange, I listen to that a lot. There’s another song I listen to called “Hey Moon” by John Maus, he covers it, I was first introduced to that song by him, and it’s a song that I definitely played way too much. Or “Halo” by Beyonce, I can’t get over how great that song is, how simple it is, it’s a really great pop song.
Want to premiere a video, song or album on AllMusic? Drop us a line: nyyzhfvp_cerff@nyyzhfvp.pbz.