SINCE she was 10-years-old, Gawler singer-songwriter George Alice – real name Georgia Mannion – dreamed of playing iconic music festival Splendour in the Grass.
Last Wednesday, it was announced the 16-year-old would fulfil her dream just six months after winning the triple j Unearthed High competition last August.
Georgia said she wanted to attend the festival as a punter, and cried when asked if she wanted to play instead.
“I’ve been saying in every interview since Unearthed High that I wanted to play Splendour one day,” she said.
“With the booking, it doesn’t go through me, it goes through my management, so I don’t find out first hand.
“They rang me and said ‘do you want to play this festival, it’s completely up to you’ and were beating around the bush with it.
“Then they said ‘yeah it’s just Splendour’ and I just lost it on the phone and started crying.”
Watching videos online of world-famous artists and Australia’s biggest musicians playing to crowds of more than 30,000 people spurred on Georgia to follow her music dream.
The festival regularly attracts more than 40,000 people and sells out within hours of tickets being released.
Georgia will join Australian producer Flume, indie rock legends the Strokes and American rapper Tyler, the Creator on the line-up, with the festival to take place near Byron Bay in July.
She said knowing she was playing the festival is still sinking in, but her focus would soon turn to preparing for what will be the biggest stage so far of her young music career.
“I’d love to whip out some new things to make it a really big moment because I feel Splendour, for me, is such a massive moment,” she said.
“It’s probably the biggest thing I ever wanted to do in my career. It was a massive milestone for me to get to, so I feel I need to reflect that in the show.”
This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Georgia, as she prepares for some overseas travel to further her career and to support Australian dance group Crooked Colours on a national tour.
“It’s going to be full of new music, lots of international travel and tours,” Georgia said.
“I’m going to be growing into the George Alice project and morphing into what it’s become post Unearthed High. I’m trying to keep it really organic and authentic.
“It’s still a whirlwind and I think it will always be a whirlwind from now on, so I’m just getting used to life in the chaos.”