Limited Beliefs & Infinite Possibilities, with Georgia Cécile
Georgia Cecile, 'UK Jazz Act of The Year' & 'Vocalist of the Year' (Jazz FM 2022) is a focal point in a new wave of contemporary jazz acts in the UK. Her beautiful debut album “Only the Lover Sings” is out now, while her highly anticipated duet masterpiece (a collab’ with her boyfriend, jazz pianist Fraser Urquart) is due for release 24th February. How sweet! She is also my best friend, so it goes without saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and being able to collaborate in such a way. I hope you do too!
For those who don’t know you, tell us a little bit about your story
I came from a big musical family and music was always part of my family life. It wasn't until I was older that I realised music could be a career path. I left school and went to university to study law but quickly realised that it wasn't for me and changed to a degree in music at Edinburgh Napier University. My mum sent me to piano lessons as a kid and I was always at dance classes so music and performance were an integral part of my childhood and teenage years. I started writing songs as a teenager - poetry and melodies mainly. I then turned them into songs and found a cathartic and expressive way to explore what was going on in my head and my heart.
Did you have limiting beliefs growing up?
Of course, I think everyone does to some degree. I didn't believe that music was something I could do as a job or as a career. I had dreams that you could be a famous popstar but everyone always said that it was a one in a million chance! I didn't consider that there are millions and millions of people who have extremely successful careers in the music industry. Why not focus on those people?
Once I decided to make a go at being a full-time artist I struggled with breaking through and being taken seriously as a young woman in a very much male dominated genres such as jazz. I was on a path of self discovery and learning my craft before I felt ready or good enough to get my music out there.
How did you overcome that and eventually break through?
I found artists particularly other female artists who I looked up to and who were doing what I wanted to do and I looked at their career and their portfolio when I examined the journey and I recognise that that was also full of setbacks and highs and lows and In doing so recognised they are just humans just like me and if they can achieve it then so could I.
Instead of it being one huge daunting dream to be a successful artist, I split it into smaller dreams. For example playing at the major jazz festival or releasing a single or getting some funding to record an album. I split it into manageable bite-size goals that felt less daunting and achievable. From there, I dedicated my life to taking on those goals, persevering and building my reputation and persona in the industry. I isolated myself with excellent musicians and learned from them, and kept faith at the heart of what I was doing.
I love that. Your unwavering faith is something that has always stood out to me. Do you ever experience self-doubt?
Self doubt is an integral part of any success story and the sooner we recognise that we should accept it and embrace it as part of the daily journey then the sooner we realise that it will not be a deterent to us putting one foot in front of the next. I surround myself with people on a team who have other strengths so that we can pull together as a team. That increases the momentum and also the speed at which goals are achieved and builds confidence! Delegating tasks to others and letting go of a sense of perfection has freed me of such self-criticism. I also think letting go of expectations has been monumental for my general happiness!
Letting go of expectations is something we could all benefit from I think. How do you keep going when things get tough?
I just remember to keep joy at the centre of what I'm doing. I like to look at how far I've come and reflect on the things that I have achieved so far. That acts as evidence and allows me to keep trust in myself to move forward.
I remember the effect that my work has had on others and the beautiful connections I have made through it. That is a good enough reason to keep going.
I try to remember that it's the small wins, the small everyday wins, that eventually amount to the huge successes. If I can just keep putting one foot in front of the other then I know that I'm still climbing the mountain and getting higher each time. I also like to keep in mind that as soon as I've climbed one mountain, another appears and the bar is raised each time. I like to keep it joyful and lighthearted and know that I'm in this for the long-haul. It sounds cliche but there really isn't a destination - you have got to have joy in the journey.
What’s the single biggest piece of advice you’d give someone thinking about pursuing their childhood dream?
I think it was Jim Carrey who said this and it really resonates with me. He said: "the time will pass anyway so you may as well spend it doing the thing that you love the most".
Can you relate to having an “expander”*. If so, who is yours?
I think it's so important to have mentors and people that we look up to in our industries. If you can, you should befriend your mentors and even people who seem out of reach, get to know them, speak to them, send them a message- because you will realise they're just human being like you and it makes the dream feel so much more achievable. People also really want to guide you! Some of my expanders are singers such as Cécile Mclorin Salvant, Samara Joy - who just won a Grammy! It's easy to feel a little jealous at times, it's only human, but I have a method of dealing with this feeling. It's a Mantra that goes: "thank you for showing me what is possible". This it quickly changes the energy from lack to gratitude.
*If you missed it in the February newsletter, coined by leading manifestation expert Lacy Phillips, an “expander” is someone who is similar to you in some way, yet contradicts your limiting belief in another way, therefore showing us what is possible for ourselves. It can be anyone - from someone you know, to a media icon. The important element is that they are similar to you personally in some way, therefore have the power to “expand’ your limited belief about yourself.
What are you working towards in 2023?
My words for this year are: command and action.
To not be afraid to ask for what I want and to take action (no matter how small) towards my goals. My goals are:
Recording and releasing new music that is in alignment with who I want to be now
Keep reaching a wider audience with my music
Get a record deal
Sing on Jools Holland, and
Go on tour in Europe & Japan
