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Just days after their sister Sammy proposed to her fiancé on stage at Brisbane’s Laneway Festival – and it was Sammy on one knee in front of her partner – critically acclaimed Australian musician G Flip (real name Georgia Flipo) was waiting for the call.
“How cute are they?” G Flip muses to GRAZIA. “She did tell me before she proposed. We were on family FaceTime calls every few days in the lead up to it. Sammy was so nervous! I love Sam and [her fiancé] Tas so much and am so excited for Tas to be my bro-in-law!”
G Flip is touching down later this month for their set on the on the 4th March, part of Johnnie Walker’s Walk Proud @ Kinselas events – an inclusive space for queer, gender fluid, gender diverse and non-binary people to celebrate all that they are.
A proud partner of Sydney WorldPride, the whisky company will host over 40 events this Pride Month with the likes of Queer Folk-Pop artist Alex The Astronaut, Australian Pop Band Cub Sport, and Gomeroi woman, Trans and First Nations advocate and solicitor DJ Crescendoll. It’s all in the hopes of inspiring people to Keep Walking Proudly towards a more inclusive future for every member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“When I heard about the Walk Proud @ Kinselas event, I was excited to hear that Johnnie Walker was creating a safe and inclusive queer space,” G Flip says. “Queer spaces are f**king fun and I can’t wait to play a DJ set while I’m there!”
Below, G Flip discusses the anxieties around coming out (and then the exuberant euphoria), and why everyone should take the time to embrace who they really are before loving anybody else.
GRAZIA: Firstly, congratulations on all your success. We have loved watching your ascent to international recognition. How are you?
G FLIP: I’m great! I’m living in LA and playing music every day, it’s pretty sweet.
GRAZIA: What drew you to become involved with Johnnie Walker’s Walk Proud @ Kinselas event?
G FLIP: I was so excited to get to celebrate queer stories with some of my best mates! I’m a fan of everyone that is a part of this campaign and we had heaps of fun at the shoot. When I heard about the Walk Proud @ Kinselas event, I was excited to hear that Johnnie Walker was creating a safe and inclusive queer space. Queer spaces are f**king fun and I can’t wait to play a DJ set while I’m there!
GRAZIA: What does it mean to you to be called in to fly home to represent the LGBTQIA+ community at an event like this? What does it mean to you that people really look up to you as a role model?
G FLIP: Playing WorldPride has been on my bucket list for a long time and the fact that it’s in Australia makes it even more special. I can’t believe I’m co-hosting and playing at Rainbow Republic – I’m so stoked! To even be thought of as a role model is very emotional to me. Growing up, I struggled to find a role model or someone to look up to. Queer, non-binary musicians weren’t on TV or radio and when you’re a child you’re searching for someone that you can see yourself becoming. That space wasn’t filled yet. My whole project is based on being that role model that I never had, being a voice for the LGBTQIA+ community, to educate people on gender identity and show kids that there is a spot for them in the world, no matter how they identify.
GRAZIA: A lot of young people in the LGBTQIA+ community experience a lot of fear in coming out. In the lead up to telling your father you were a lesbian, and in the lead up to announcing you are non-binary, were you anxious or afraid? And if so, how did you get through that?
G FLIP: I was definitely anxious but after I came out, I felt an overwhelming sense of euphoria and all of my anxieties went away. Everyone’s journeys are different but I just encourage everyone to do what makes you happy, whatever that means to you.
GRAZIA: Pride is all about accepting and empowering the queer, gender fluid, gender diverse, non-binary communities. But it’s not always an easy path in life. What advice do you have for people who may be having a hard time at the moment?
“Be patient with yourself. Everything flows in waves, there will be hard times but there will also be beautiful times.”
G FLIP: The journey to being your authentic self is never easy with the world’s judgement, but just stay true to yourself, because you’re beautiful.
GRAZIA: You’ve spoken (and sang) about your anxiety. Do you still experience it and if so, how does it present/how do you manage?
G FLIP: I always have little pockets of anxiety-filled moments but in 2018/2019, it really hit the worst. The last few years I’ve worked out how to manage it better by going to therapy, and through fitness, sleeping enough hours, drinking water and having healthy relationship[ dynamics.
GRAZIA: What’s a hard yet formative lesson you’ve learnt about love?
G FLIP: That you need to love yourself before you can love anyone else. Loving yourself is such a long, deep, and complicated journey but it’s really the key to having a healthy dynamic. And you also need to be able to care for yourself before you care for anyone else. Co-dependency ain’t sexy.
GRAZIA: What are you most proud of in your life?
G FLIP: The joy and happiness my job brings to my friends and family is my favourite thing in the world. Like, bringing my parents to festivals and seeing them smiling and partying together. Brands sending me clothes and sneakers and me giving them to all my friends and seeing how stoked they are about it.
“Having enough money to surprise my nan with a stretch limo on her birthday. There’s so many ways that my job brings little bursts of joy and fun into my favourite people’s lives.”
G FLIP: So, I’m proud of my younger self who had this dream and I never gave up on it. I rehearsed and rehearsed and closed my eyes and imagined thousands of people, and in grinding so hard, I now have the reward of seeing all my favourite people have so much fun. What a blessing.
GRAZIA: What can we expect from you this year music-wise?
G FLIP: I’m working hard on new music and hope to share it soon!
WALK PROUD @ KINSELAS: RUNS FEBRUARY 17 TO MARCH 5, 2023
FURTHER INFORMATION, THE COMPLETE LINE-UP AND TICKETS CAN BE FOUND AT WALKPROUD.COM.AU.
Always drink Johnnie Walker responsibly.
