Forget needing a few albums to find your footing: Auckland pop singer-songwriter Georgia Lines decided to just go ahead and nail it on her warmly received 2024 debut album, The Rose of Jericho.
The accolades arrived thick and fast upon its release, with the accomplished collection of emotive, piano-led pop debuting at No. 1 on the New Zealand charts, ultimately leading to Lines scoring Best Pop Artist at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards. (Lines’s stunning No. 1 single “The Letter” was also a finalist for the coveted Silver Scroll Award last year, an acknowledgement of her exceptional songwriting skills).
Granted, the hype started before the album dropped, but Lines’s trophy cabinet now contains a total of four New Zealand Music Awards, including Best Breakthrough Artist in 2023. She’ll be hoping to add to her haul at the upcoming 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards, where she’s nominated for multiple awards including Album of the Year.
All of the acclaim Lines receives is for good reason: she deftly jumps between soulful ballads and joyful pop with an expertise that belies her age, pointing at even greater things to come. —James Jennings
Read an exclusive interview with Georgia Lines below. Check out the full Future of Music 2025 list here.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How was 2024 for you? What were your biggest achievements and favourite moments?
Georgia Lines: 2024 was a whirlwind year filled with so many magical moments. Releasing my debut album, The Rose of Jericho, was a huge milestone – just bringing that body of work into the world felt like such an achievement for me, and it had been a long time in the making. One of my favourite moments surrounding the release was hosting an immersive listening and dinner party with my closest friends, family, and everyone who contributed to the project. It was honestly one of the highlights of my year – and such a special way to mark a big moment with so many of my favourite people.
Beyond the album, I had the absolute honour of opening for Brooke Fraser – an artist who shaped my love for music growing up – at her Spark Arena show and on the forecourt steps of the Sydney Opera House. It was an experience that still doesn’t feel real and easily one of my favourite shows to date! Earlier in the year, I also toured across America with Priya Ragu, which was another major highlight.
All in all, it was a massive year, and I’m so grateful for every part of it.
Music is an increasingly crowded and competitive field. What’s one thing that makes you stand out from other artists?
To be honest, the competitive nature of the industry is something I struggle with deeply. There are so many incredible artists creating inspiring, deeply impactful art, and at times, it can feel overwhelming trying to carve out a space – especially from all the way here in New Zealand.
But I continue to remind myself that my perspective, my voice, and the way I create music are uniquely mine. No one else can tell stories exactly as I do. Instead of getting caught up in the noise, I try to focus on staying in my lane, doing what I do best, and trusting that what’s meant for me will find its way.
What’s coming up for you in 2025 and beyond? Any big shows or notable releases?
There’s so much in the works for 2025, and as always, it feels like everything is happening at once! Right now, I’m in the middle of finishing a new EP, which I am so deeply excited about. It feels like the beginning of a new chapter for me in so many ways, and I can’t wait to start sharing it with the world later this year.
Alongside that, there are plenty of shows and amazing plans coming together, so it’s shaping up to be another big year
