George Alice: The Future Is Bright
This year’s BIGSOUND features a stack of South Aussie talent, including fierce singer-songwriter George Alice. Corresponding with The Note over email, Alice discussed her early years as an artist growing up in the country, her new single ‘SOS’ and what it was like to play the Cranker for the first time earlier this year.
Interview Tobias Handke // Image supplied
BIGSOUND continues to champion Australian musicians each and every year, with the 2025 edition featuring a stack of incredibly talented South Aussie artists. Leading the charge is singer-songwriter George Alice, who recently returned from a two year absence with dance anthem, ‘SOS’.
Growing up in the country, Alice burst onto the scene as a teen in 2019 when she took out triple J’s Unearthed High competition with her debut single, ‘Circles’.
Three years later, Alice released her hotly anticipated debut EP, Growing Pains. Appearances at Laneway Festival and the Australian Open followed, along with support slots perfomring alongside the likes of Yung Blue, Broods, Cub Sport and Tash Sultana.
Several more singles dropped, and with many hoping an album was on the cards, things suddenly went quiet. But after several years of inactivity, Alice returned earlier this year with the mesmerising party starter, ‘SOS’.
The single is the first in what we hope will be many new songs from Alice, who answered a few questions from The Note about her upcoming BIGSOUND showcase and latest single.
Let’s go back to the very beginning. You grew up outside of the bubble of the Adelaide music scene in country SA. What was that like and what challenges did you face as an aspiring musician?
It was never an intentional decision to keep to myself, but obstacles like distance and [the] location of where I was living, out north near the Barossa Valley, made things a little isolating. I was also very young!
What was the music scene like around your community growing up? Were people encouraging of your musical dreams?
My school community was super supportive. I got to attend school less than everybody else to focus on what was then practically a full-time hustle. They never let my grades slip and provided me [with] extra support.
Tall poppy [syndrome] is very real though, especially in small towns.
Your debut single ‘Circles’ took out triple j’s Unearthed High competition in 2019. Do you remember what it was like when you found out you had won? How important was winning that competition in helping you on your journey?
Pretty special. It’s every triple j loving kid’s dream to win something like that. It changed my life and I haven’t really stopped running ever since. Very grateful.
What advice do you have for similar artists living in country areas who want to pursue music?
We all hate it, but social media can be a very useful tool. Try make friends with the other music kids around you, I promise you’ll find them. Don’t lose hope because of location. Things like that play a tiny part in the big picture.
You’ve recently released new single, ‘SOS’, your first new track in two years. What have you been up to during those two years of radio silence?
I’ve been living a very normal life. I hang out with my friends, work a regular job and hang out with my parents. In between the normality, I have written some of my best music.
‘SOS’ is a dancefloor filler made for late nights in the club. Tell us about the track and how it came about.
We wrote it at the grove on a writing camp in 2023. It was such a beautiful place to be. We had a great time and wrote ‘SOS’ on the last day. It was a bit of a piss take to be honest, but turned out to be something magic
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We can’t chat about ‘SOS’ without mentioning the music video. It’s got a bit of a post-apocalyptic vibe about it. What’s the story behind the video and what was it like shooting in Coober Pedy?
I wanted it to feel like kick-ons at the end of the world. Like you’ve woken up from a night out with your girls and accidentally found yourself in a random town. Coober Pedy is so beautiful and it was such a pleasure to be there for this video. The heat was almost unbearable, but [it] all added to the vibes!
How important is the visual aspect (music videos, press shots, etc.) to your music and what you are trying to present?
I’ll be honest, it never really used to be. I used to just throw music out and shit post - looking back, that’s kinda awesome. Now I definitely have a particular trajectory and am looking forward to showing you all the visual world we’ve been creating alongside the music.
You recently performed a special hometown show at the Crown and Anchor to celebrate the release of ‘SOS’. How did the sold-out gig go and what was it like to play one of the final shows at the Cranker?
It was so special just to play a headline show again. Seeing the fans in person is so, so important and special. It’s hard to feel that connection through a screen. I’d never played the Cranker, but it was always my dream.
Does the release of ‘SOS’ mean you have more new music on the way, and if so, can we expect an album down the track?
Lots more on the horizon :)
You’re appearing at this year’s BIGSOUND. How important are events like this to young artists trying to make it in the Australian scene?
I could go on about these things for days. It’s so important to provide space for young artists and emerging talent. It’s a pleasure to be a part of BIGSOUND this year and I can’t wait to meet a bunch of new artists.
What artists are you keen to check out while at BIGSOUND?
Darcie Haven, Redd, That Gurl Bella, Zafty, Ella Ion. So many more.
What does the rest of 2025 hold for George Alice?
Lots of fun things you have to stick around for!
Catch George Alice performing at BIGSOUND 2025 on Wednesday 3 September. Tickets for this year’s event are on sale now via bigsound.org.au.
