Georgie Najar is a New York City, USA-based singer-songwriter who demonstrates emotional maturity beyond her years in her new EP, Need to Know.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Sophie Elgort

Always drawn to performing arts, Najar began to write music when she became “overwhelmed by the tornado of emotions that come with being a teenager.” She wrote her first song at thirteen and “basically never stopped.” Now eighteen, she’s studying at the Professional Performing Arts School in her home city.

When I first heard her EP, Need to Know, I was struck by its depth. You could tell straight away that Najar had been honing her craft. “Need to Know for me feels so different than my last EP, and I’m really excited for other people to help explore that with me,” says Najar when I ask her about the record.

Her previous EP, Comfort in the Pain, was written with a quite different mindset than Need to Know. “I just wanted people to know how I felt and to understand my pain,” she says. “My feelings and thoughts are much more processed on Need to Know. Instead of trying to get people to hear me, it’s about telling people what I’m going to do about all the sh*t in my life. I’m not going to just sit around anymore; I’m going to be an active participant in my life, and I think Need to Know reflects that.”

‘Active’ is the keyword for the EP. There’s a dynamism to what Najar has created over four tracks. Her cinematic voice is matched by dramatic instrumentals as the record steers musically from showstopper to intimate acoustic ballad. Comparisons can be drawn to modern songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers, Noah Kahan, and Lizzy McAlpine.

Najar considers classic powerhouses like Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks among her influences. “One of my less obvious music influences is Abby Powledge,” she adds. “I’ve been a fan of hers for about a year and a half now, and I really admire how she fully embraces the artist in her rather than trying to fit into a specific image.

“She talks about things in her music that almost everyone has felt but never figured out how to articulate, and she navigates hopeful emotions with more painful ones beautifully and articulately. I really aspire to continue aligning with my values as an artist and as a person, as she has.”

I think it’s fair to say that Najar is doing her influences proud. There’s a braveness to her lyricism that really catches the attention in Need to Know. She grapples with heartache, love, and even empty lust across the EP. Title track Need to Know is a particular highlight from a lyrical standpoint.

The lyrics are deftly delivered by nuanced vocals. There’s an honest quality to Najar’s voice that hints at her character. To that point, she has been candid on her socials about her struggles with chronic illness, a topic we discussed in our interview.

“One of the reasons that being an artist always felt right for me was because I wanted to express myself,” she says. “I want others to understand they are not alone, and I would definitely say people with chronic illness can feel lonelier than most.”

“I only have a certain amount of energy to use every day, which means I have to be incredibly intentional about where my efforts and attention are being directed.”

During the recording of her EP, Najar managed this by devoting some days completely to her music, a photoshoot, or writing and other days completely to rest and recovery. “Dealing with your health is all about a balance; there is no one right way to live,” she adds. “You just have to listen to your body, understand its needs, and decide when you can push versus when you need a break.”

With her new EP out, she certainly deserves a rest. Even so, she’s already planning her next project. “I’m currently in an incredibly busy time in my life as a rising senior in high school, but that never stops me from continuing to focus on my music,” she says. “As I continue to grow as a person over the next few months and years, I plan to have my music grow with me, and I can’t wait for everyone to come along with me into my next era as an artist!”

If you want to keep up to date with what Georgie Najar is doing, you can by heading to her website, and by following her on Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Need to Know is out now, and you can listen to it below.

The review and interview was organised in collaboration with the artist’s PR.