Hannah Georgas – Living the Dream

Cultivating Creativity
Hannah Georgas – Living the dream
By Greg Ceci

Although Hannah Georgas draws inspiration from a wide range of musical influences—including The
Cranberries, Annie Lennox, Fiona Apple, and Sinéad O’Connor—her first and most cherished musical
mentor was her father. Raised in a home filled with the sound of piano and the joy music brought her
dad, it was no surprise when her parents enrolled her in lessons at the age of five. Her first teacher also became a significant influence, and at her mother’s insistence, Hannah completed her conservatory and theory exams for piano.

Soon after she began formal training, Georgas was writing her own songs and competing in piano festivals. She reflects, “I think my dad influenced how I felt about playing music. I saw how happy it made him when he performed and entertained people. I think it rubbed off on me. I remember feeling at a young age that writing and singing my own songs felt natural and made sense.”

Describing her sound as “magisterial indie-pop for introverts,” Hannah has enjoyed a steady climb
since the release of her debut EP in 2009. That same year, she won CBC’s Bucky Award for Best New Artist and took home first place in a Songbird-West songwriting contest in British Columbia. Her song You’ve Got A Place Called Home was picked up by Walmart for a national ad campaign, and an earlier version of the track was featured in TV shows Defying Gravity and Flashpoint. In 2010, her song Chit Chat was included in the Cyberbully soundtrack, and by 2011 she was nominated for both Best New Artist and Songwriter of the Year at the JUNO Awards. She earned two more JUNO nominations in
2013—again for Songwriter of the Year and for Best Alternative Album—and performed her song
Robotic at that year’s televised ceremony.

Her 2014 album I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care won Pop Recording of the Year at the Western
Canadian Music Awards, and her song Millions was featured in season three of Girls.

When asked about her songwriting and production process, Georgas shares, “I’ll think of a phrase or a
lyric that I really like and that will inspire more ideas. I’ll find an instrument and start playing around
with different melodies. Sometimes songwriting is really quick and other times it takes a while. Once I
figure out a song idea I’ll record it at home and then start thinking of production. It’s important that I’m
involved in the production of my music and I really believe in collaboration. Over the years, I’ve
realized that I enjoy bouncing ideas off of other artists and working with musicians, engineers, and
producers in the studio.” Georgas has toured internationally and opened for acts like City and Colour and Sara Bareilles. She’s also performed as part of Kathleen Edwards’ backing band. With two EPs and four full-length albums to her name—and another on the way—Georgas has built a distinctive musical identity and an impressive discography. Offstage, she’s the kind of person who knows the joy (and challenge) of raising a puppy, believes deeply in kindness, and affectionately describes her fans as “the loveliest little sweethearts.”

While many artists dream of turning music into a full-time career, Georgas has made that dream a
reality. Still, she remains grounded and focused, navigating an ever-evolving industry with creativity
and savvy. Her advice for aspiring musicians is simple but wise: “Surround yourself with people you
trust and take your time finding the right team. Be brave, don’t let other people make you feel dumb
and write from an authentic and genuine headspace.”

With hard work, natural talent, a persistent mother, and an inspiring father, Georgas’s dream has become her life. The sky’s the limit for this gifted Canadian songwriter—check out her music and merch, and keep up to date on new releases and live shows.

hannahgeorgas.com

ALSO! Hannah Georgas and Sean Sroka (Ten Kills the Pack) have organized a Downtown Belleville
music festival called “Beautiful View” on September 13th. For tickets and info, visit beautifulviewfestival.com

This article was previously published in the Summer 2025 Vol. 34 No. 2 issue of Umbrella.