Who is G Flip? | Getting to know Queer Female Artist Georgia Flipo!
Growing up, Georgia Flipo aka G Flip couldn’t find any women in the spotlight who resonated with how she was feeling and who she was becoming.
She was at a loss and the lack of representation meant she put off coming out, despite knowing she was definitely into girls.
Fast forward around 10 years and she is embracing her sexuality in the most spectacular way – front and centre at the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as a headline act.
“It’s going to be epic and I’m excited yet nervous to perform,” she told A Modern Gay’s Guide.
“It’s totally live, on TV and I’ve never done a performance where there’s theatrics and dances. I’m used to smaller stages and band mates where we all play instruments.
“It’s definitely a little different for me but I’m totally excited and wrapped I get the opportunity to do even do this.”
G Flip will be leading the Tik Tok Mardi Gras float at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday March 6.
G will be treating us all to a totally vibe-worthy Touch Sensitive remix of her tune ‘Queen’ on the first ever Tik Tok Mardi Gras float.
Tik Tok, who committed to a month long celebration of pride, even launched a dance challenge specifically for the ‘Queen’ remix which the app’s huge LGBTIQ+ community has jumped on.
The short-form video platform has exploded with colour thanks to the challenge and the best video entries will even be broadcast on huge walking screens as G Flip performs – a nice touch especially for LGBTIQ+ folk who can’t be there on the night.
And as G Flip belts out her new song, she’ll be giving queer women something much more than an absolute banger – positive visibility.
Historically Mardi Gras has not exactly had a long list of lesbian performers over the years so G Flip’s presence is a huge milestone for women looking for more representation at the event.
And this significance is not lost on G Flip.
“I always searched for a [lesbian role model], I think that was what was missing in my life.
“I always wanted to flick on Video Hits or Rage in the morning and see someone who I could identify with.
“Someone who would sing about girls, use female pronouns, or even dress like me.
“So it’s a real honour.”
When G Flip first launched in 2018 by uploading her hit song About You to triple J unearthed she immediately blew up. But she says she’s always kept a particular quote in the back of her head as a sort of guiding compass.
“There’s this quote, create the things that you wish existed.
“I wish I existed for myself as a kid.”
Importantly she also wanted to prove that women don’t have to look a certain way or sexualise themselves to hit the big time.
Her mix and match op shop t-shirts and shorts, snapback caps, Crocs, long blonde hair and glasses and tattoo covered arms serve as an invitation to be bold, ditch stereotypes and dress however the hell you want as a queer woman.
“If I was a kid watching a female identifying drumming, guitar-playing whatever I am, wearing shorts and a T-shirt I would have had someone to look up to that represented who I am as a human being.”
Thankfully queer women are now much more accessible in music and it’s the norm to hear a girl singing about a girl – G Flip gives special mentions to The Internet, Girl in Red, Fletcher, Hayley Kiyoko and Alex Lahey.
But G Flip’s unwavering commitment to authenticity and her “over-sharing” as she calls it puts her in a category of her own.
Yes she is an insanely talented drummer whose fills send you soaring, yes she has an unmatched stage presence and loves a catchy pop hook, but it’s her unfiltered frankness that fans really lap up.
As she sings in “I’m Not Afraid”:
“Don’t care if you don’t like me. You know you’re full of shit. I’m standing on two feet now.”
It’s this uninhibited ‘I am who I am’ attitude that moves countless numbers of fans to write to G Flip and share their stories of self-acceptance.
“Kids tell me stories about struggling with their identity or sexuality and say songs of mine really help them through tough times and help them love themselves.
“It’s just an amazing additive to my job that I’m somehow helping people with stuff I have been through myself. It makes me cry sometimes it’s so heartwarming.”
In fact the queer community often express their gratitude to G by buying her lots of tequila shots if they spot her on a night out – so much so she says her next tattoo will probably just be two words – No tequila.
Although the 26-year-old’s coming out story is beautifully unremarkable – “everyone just went ‘ok cool, what’s for dinner?’” – she can relate to the self-doubt many of her fans face.
Flipo went to a Catholic high school in Brighton, Victoria and didn’t feel comfortable coming out as gay in that environment. She feared being labelled and still had work to do to accept herself.
So she stayed in the closet until after graduation.
“Once I did that it was like 100 per cent authenticity, it made me even more confident. I’ve always been very much myself and confident my whole life but as soon a I accepted that about me it’s when I almost became too confident,” she laughs.
G says she’s relieved young people don’t have to lock that part of themselves away so much now, with more schools becoming accepting of queer youth. She admits her jaw dropped when she recently visited her old school and saw students wearing pride pins and heard a female student mention her girlfriend in front of an entire class.
“I was so proud and almost teary, it just makes my heart explode.”
G Flip, who used to teach children the drums, guitar and piano to fund her music career, clearly has a soft spot for young LGBTIQ+ people and wants things to be better than they were for her.
But Flipo’s magic is really in her wide appeal as she’s just as relevant to ‘veteran’ gays as those starting out on their journey.
Go to any G Flip concert and you will be surrounded by a mix of lesbian couples, girls on first dates or just girls kissing girls. Forget Tinder, you’ll find your next girlfriend at a G Flip gig.
As for the star’s love life, she revealed to a Modern Gay’s Guide that she’s got a new crush (move over Steph Claire Smith).
Indigenous influencer and former Bachelor contestant Brooke Blurton is the lucky lady but G Flip says the Melbourne lockdown in February threw their first date plans out the window.
“We’ve actually only met once and it was at Mardi Gras last year.
“Before the lockdown started we had plans to meet at a AFLW game and then go to a gig one of my mates was playing but COVID changed that.
“But it’s ok, this first date will happen!”
G Flip is also chafing at the bit to make more live shows happen in 2021, make more funny Tik Tok content (aren’t we all) and just see where her “ears take her”.
