After a while, the place you’re comfortable calling home can start to feel inescapable. In those cases, one has to not only get out of the house – but in some cases, the whole country. That’s what led to St.George packing a bag and relocating from The Emerald Isle to one of the most musical cities in the US, Austin, TX. We talked about whether or not it was a culture shock, the reality of change in life, and more – like his debut single, “Honey” and what’s to come.
Kendra: Had you grown up with music constantly on your mind, or was this something you connected to as you got older?
St.George: I always wanted to get into music somehow. When I was growing up I picked up a few instruments, but never really took them very seriously until I got to college. I remember starting my first band without really even being able to play guitar very well, and I had no idea what I was doing. But taking that step really is what kicked off my love of playing/writing. A band really forces to learn fast and get into the scene a lot more quickly
Kendra: You noted that “Honey” is the first song you wrote on your own. Did you ever find it intimidating navigating those waters alone?
St.George: Yes absolutely, as I said getting into bands teaches you a lot, but you also get used to having people around to sort of validate what you’re doing and also tell you when something is crap. It took me a lot longer than it should have to get some solo stuff started, but it’s hard not to get imposter syndrome.
Kendra: Sticking with “Honey,” in it, you sing, “…reconcile what I can’t change.” I think that’s one of the hardest pills to swallow about reality, that whole idea of not really being in control of most things. Do you think that accepting that fact is just something that comes with age and experience?
St.George: I feel like it’s easier said than done, it really depends on what we’re going through. Time teaches you can’t control anything but yourself really, but I don’t think that pill ever gets easier to swallow for things that matter. I’d love to say I know enough to not make the same mistake twice, but that’s just not true.
Kendra: However, if there was one thing you could change about the past year, what would it be and why?
St.George: That’s a question I really try not to ask myself, all the decisions I made got me to where I am today and that’s the best way to look at it.
Kendra: Now you were born and raised over in Ireland, a place I’d die to go to, but you recently packed a bag and moved to Austin. A well-known place for musicians, but was that your first choice on the map?
St.George: Austin happened sort of randomly, I really didn’t think about it too much. I knew I wanted to get a change in scenery after being locked down in my village for so long, and Austin just seemed like a cool place to try and live.
Kendra: Was there any notable culture shock once you settled in?
St.George: There are definitely a lot of things that surprised me when I got here. The fact that I’m Irish was a bit of a novelty to most people I’ve met, which I found funny. A few times my phrases have been lost in translation and vice versa. All in all, it was less of a culture shock than I was expecting.
Kendra: Time for a side note – this month we’re asking everyone to pick a song for our ‘ZO Summer 2023’ playlist. So what summer anthem would you add, and why?
St.George: My summer anthem right now is “Telescope” by Cage the Elephant!
Kendra: Lastly, with “Honey” out now, what else is on the horizon for you at the moment?
St.George: Yes! My second single (which features an Irish artist I really love) has already been submitted to Spotify, so that will be out next month and I will be announcing it pretty soon.