A Quick Chat With Georgia Scarlett and Joel Spence

Georgia Scarlett and Joel Spence join forces once again on Honey Let’s Go, a warm country folk release that cuts through the noise of modern life with a simple reminder to hold onto the people who matter. Following their previous collaboration The Wise Folks Say, the Queensland artists blend uplifting acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, and heartfelt harmonies as their vocals move through a conversation between two people searching for connection amid the pressures of everyday life. As the track grows from an intimate arrangement into a rich full band sound, Honey Let’s Go finds hope in relationships, friendships, family, and the connections that keep us grounded. We caught up with Georgia and Joel to talk about the single, working together, and what’s next.

You’ve teamed up again for ‘Honey Let’s Go’ following ‘The Wise Folks Say’. What keeps bringing you back together creatively?

J: In my opinion Georgia and I share a love of honest storytelling. We both care about the song first and aren't afraid to be vulnerable in our writing. There's a lot of trust in the collaboration, and after working together on The Wise Folks Say, it felt like there was still more ground to explore.

G: It’s really refreshing to work with someone else across the full creative process, from writing and recording right through to releasing and promoting the music. Joel and I found very quickly that we have a really natural creative chemistry and work incredibly well together, so coming back together for another song felt like a very easy decision.We actually wrote both ‘The Wise Folks Say’ and ‘Honey Let’s Go’ within the same week of co-writing, and there was such a strong connection between the two songs that we knew pretty much straight away that we wanted to release them together. They each have their own personality, but they came from the same really special creative space. It felt like they deserved to be heard, and that was a big part of what brought us back together.

‘Honey Let’s Go’ is about stepping away from the noise of everyday life and reconnecting with the people who matter. What inspired that idea?

J:  I think a lot of us are feeling overwhelmed by how fast life moves. We all realised we spent more time looking at a screen than properly connecting with the people around us, and that was a bit of a wake-up call. The song grew out of that feeling. At its heart, Honey Let's Go is a reminder that the relationships in our lives matter more than the distractions competing for our attention.

G: The song really grew out of the experience we were having at the songwriting camp where we wrote it. The camp gave us an opportunity to step away from our day-to-day working lives and get back to the simple things: sitting down with a notebook and pen, writing songs, and being surrounded by some pretty wonderful people. The whole week was about disconnecting from the noise and reconnecting with what actually matters to us, and I think that feeling was very present when Joel and I sat down to co-write. ‘Honey Let’s Go’ naturally came from that space.

How does the songwriting process work when you’re collaborating? Do you each naturally bring something different to the table?

J: Absolutely. Georgia has a wonderful ability to connect with the emotional centre of a song, while I'm often drawn to the narrative and broader story. We all bring ideas, lyrics and melodies to the table, and then it's really about listening to each other and finding what best serves the song.

G: We definitely all bring our own perspectives and strengths into a co-write, but I think the process is different every time depending on who is in the room. You might walk into one co-write feeling really confident with lyric ideas, while in another you might naturally take more of a back seat, listen, and then contribute through melody or a different perspective. For me, the people in the room and the energy between them really shape how the song comes together. With ‘Honey Let’s Go’, it was a really natural mix. Joel and I were both throwing out lyric ideas, building on each other’s thoughts, and then singing everything out loud to find the melodies and phrasing that felt right for both of our voices. There was a lot of back and forth, and I think that’s what made the song feel so natural in the end.

There’s a real conversational quality to the track, particularly in the back-and-forth vocals. How did the song evolve from the initial idea into the finished recording?

J: From very early on, we knew the song needed two voices. The idea felt less like a solo perspective and more like a conversation between two people trying to find their way back to what matters. As the arrangement developed, we leaned into that dynamic and let the music grow alongside the story.

G: The original recording we made on the day of the co-write was chaotic in the best possible way. There were a lot of people in the room, and the call-and-response nature of everyone jumping in gave the song this really natural, conversational energy. We knew we wanted to carry that feeling into the studio recording, even though the final track was just Joel and I. Rather than trying to recreate the whole room, we built that sense of conversation through our two voices. We layered the vocals, brought in harmonies, and gradually built the arrangement so that the vocals become bigger and more immersive as the song progresses. That vocal build was really important in creating the climactic feeling at the end while still keeping the intimacy and back-and-forth that was there from the very beginning.

You both come from different musical backgrounds and experiences. Who are some of the artists who have shaped your individual approaches to songwriting?

J: I've always been drawn to songwriters who tell honest stories. Artists like Johnny Cash, Chris Stapleton, Zach Bryan and John Williamson have all influenced me in different ways. I'm also a big fan of writers & performers like Dave Mathews band who can find something universal in everyday experiences and take it next level musically.

G: We definitely have our own influences shaped by our different experiences with music. I come from more of a folk-inspired background, which has gradually been leaning further into country. When I describe my own music, I often say it’s for fans of artists like Courtney Marie Andrews, Waxahatchee, Missy Higgins and Joni Mitchell. But I don’t think there’s ever been one particular artist who has shaped the way I write. I’m constantly inspired by the people around me, the music I’m listening to, and the experiences I’ve had along the way. I think my songwriting is really just a strange little collection of all the things I’ve heard, seen and felt over time. It’s that combination of influences that has shaped my approach, rather than any one artist or sound, especially because I am also such a big supporter of local music!

What do you think makes a great country song, and is that something you consciously think about when writing?

J: For me, a great country song tells the truth. It doesn't have to be autobiographical, but it needs to feel believable. The best country songs take simple ideas and reveal something deeper about being human. I don't usually sit down trying to write a country song. I just try to write something honest that I’m feeling.

G: For me, and I know this is something Joel and I both share, it always comes back to the story. We care deeply about what a song is trying to say and whether there’s something real and meaningful at the heart of it. I think country and folk music have such an important role as storytelling traditions. As songwriters, we’re not only telling our own stories, but also giving a voice to other people, experiences and perspectives. There’s something really powerful about being a storyteller in that way. That’s especially true of the more traditional country music that has heavily inspired these collaborations. We’re drawn to songs that have a strong sense of place, character and narrative, songs that make you feel like you’ve been let into a little piece of someone else’s world. That’s definitely something we think about when we’re writing together.

Having now released multiple songs together, is there another collaboration you’d both love to explore in the future?

J: I'd definitely love to keep writing together. Every collaboration reveals something new, and I feel like we're only scratching the surface of what we can create. Georgia’s a good egg. I think we complement each other vocally.  

G: Who knows what the future holds! Excited to see where these two songs take us!

Queensland has a thriving country and roots scene. Who are some local artists people should be checking out right now?

J: Queensland is producing some incredible artists right now. Georgia is obviously doing fantastic things, and there are so many talented songwriters and performers building genuine audiences through hard work and great songs. One of the things I love most about the Queensland scene is how supportive and community-focused it is.

G: This is such a difficult question because Queensland has an incredible country, folk and roots scene! I’ve been hosting my own country, folk and roots radio show, From the Roots, on 4ZZZ for the past three years, and I’ve had more than 160 artists through the studio doors, the majority of them local artists. So I’ve had a pretty close-up view of just how much talent is coming out of Queensland, and I honestly couldn’t narrow it down to just a few! Instead, I’m going to send people over to @fromtheroots4zzz on Instagram, where they can discover some of the incredible artists I’ve had on the show and hopefully find a few new favourites.

There’s so much happening in the local scene at the moment, and I think people should absolutely be paying attention to it.

‘Honey Let’s Go’ is partly about slowing down and enjoying what really matters. What does switching off look like for each of you outside of music?

J: For me, it's time with family. Spending time with my wife and kids, getting outdoors and having conversations without distractions helps keep me grounded. Those moments remind me what's important and often end up inspiring the songs I write.

G: This year has been a pretty big transition for me. It’s my first year out of university after graduating, and it’s also followed the release of my debut album, Rhythm of Life, and an Australian tour at the beginning of the year. So I’ve really been learning how to refocus and give myself permission to pick up some of the hobbies that can get pushed aside when music takes over. I’ve been sewing and quilting, baking up a storm, and playing some social AFL after absolutely loving my time playing in the Reclink Community Cup this year. They might not sound like the most relaxing activities, but I’m a very much a “doing” person, I actually like being busy! For me, switching off doesn’t necessarily mean doing nothing. It’s about doing something that gives my music brain a break and lets me focus on something completely different for a while.

What’s coming up next for you two, both individually and together?

J: I'm always writing and working on new music while continuing to perform around Queensland and beyond. I also spend a lot of time delivering free community songwriting programs and supporting young people through music education, which I'm really passionate about. This is along working as an academic researcher in the arts health space. As for Georgia and I, I’m really excited to see where Honey Let's Go takes us, and certainly open to more collaborations in the future.

G: The beginning of August really marks the start of the crazy few months of the year, festival season! As someone who wears a few different hats in the industry, I’m about to be everywhere all at once, performing, MCing, interviewing artists, creating content and attending events. First up is the Gympie Music Muster, where I’ll be performing as a finalist in the Mothertone Talent Search, performing alongside Joel in The Song Muster showcase, MCing, and creating social media content with Ringers Western as one of their ambassadors. Then I’m heading to BIGSOUND, where I’ll be interviewing more than 20 artists for From the Roots, before jumping into a whole string of festivals and events through to the end of the year. Musically, I’ve also just jumped back into the studio with my band following the release of my debut album, and we’re starting to work on the next chapter of music and getting it ready to share. So there’s definitely a lot happening, you’ll be hearing plenty more from me towards the end of this year and into early next year!