Cutting-edge indie shapeshifter, Georgia Fields wows once again with her latest single, the bold ‘Holding My Hands Out’, which is out now.

A magnetic showing of fearless art-pop and searing vulnerability, Holding My Hands Out marks another sublime insight into Georgia’s upcoming third full-length album Hiraeth. The new track is accompanied by a bewitching, kaleidoscopic music video – in which we see Georgia ominously expel moths from her mouth – firmly reflecting thematic notions of rebirth, and the dark depths of the subconscious.

‘Holding My Hands Out’ is less an indie-pop track than a carefully layered piece of sonic art. Each addition of an instrument is a brush stroke, creating the picture of the need to be embraced. The backbone of a haunting Fender Rhodes (which gives off Portishead vibes), and unconventional beat (comprising of an utterly unique snare sample, which includes layered half-broken children’s toys and vintage wood percussion), and Georgia’s vocals, ranging from a caring, breathy caress to soaring dominance, and at points cleverly layered to sound like a mellotron; these are all sculpted together, with additional sparkles of extra sound grabs. There’s plenty of Peter Gabriel and Laurie Anderson nods, with touches of Gotye sneaking in, all boosting Georgia’s vision of this song. It’s completely off-centre tracks like ‘Holding My Hands Out’ that make you appreciate music as a legitimate art form.

The song dazzles in textural dexterity, powerful melodics, and the compelling vocal stylings of Georgia herself, along with the addition of Georgia’s string quartet Andromeda, it’s little wonder the end result is otherworldly, immersive and lush; a perfect adjunct to the single’s inspiration and narrative content, as Georgia elaborates:

“It’s a song about that primal desire we all have to be held. It’s about reaching your hands out for comfort, but grasping at shadows. From a songwriting perspective, I was inspired by the simple yet anthemic choruses of artists like Sarah Blasko, Weyes Blood and Sharon van Etten. I was also hugely impacted by the novel Islands, by Australian author Peggy Frew. There’s something about Peggy’s writing that cuts straight to my heart – I’ve found all her novels deeply affecting. Holding My Hands Out is partly written from the perspective of her character June, as well as June's mother, Helen.”

The video for Holding My Hands Out features the eleventh collaboration between Georgia and independent director and cinematographer Rohan Spong. Georgia emphatically stands front-and-centre, embodying the poignant lyrics and oscillating emotives, styled in striking, statement sleeves by iconic Australian label Sass & Bide and a custom piece from Anna Cordell Clothing. As to the video concept and final mesmerising end result, Georgia shares:

“Something very special happens when I hand a song over to Rohan. His visual interpretation of my music always reveals a deeper understanding of my own songs back to me. I rarely present a video concept; I’m always keen to hear what the song sparks in his mind’s eye.”

“For Holding My Hands Out, we wanted to play with light, colour and shadow, referencing the lyrics ‘you move like a shadow’. Rohan had this idea that I could cough up moths, and they would swarm above me like a cloud of unspoken menace. I loved this because moths represent transformation and rebirth, but also disguise, our hidden nature, and the night – the realm of the subconscious. To create that feeling of non-space, or the internal landscape (similar to The Void in Stranger Things), we filmed in both the cyclorama and black room at DCF Studios in Thornbury.”

Since emerging onto the Melbourne music scene in 2010 with her critically-acclaimed self-titled debut album, Georgia has continued to sonically surprise her audience. Her solo show sees the genre-defying trailblazer swap between electric guitar, vintage keyboards, and textural live looping. Georgia is also regularly joined by her 4- piece band of multi-instrumentalists, and frequently collaborates with the Andromeda String Quartet in an ethereal, art music / chamber folk crossover. In 2020, she launched Mother Lode: an online community for self-employed musicians who are mothers.

For now, take in ‘Holding My Hands Out’, before the release of Georgia’s next album, ‘Hiraeth’, which is due in November 2022.

‘Holding My Hands Out’ is streaming now on all digital platforms.