Rising Star Georgia Sinclair On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
Your career is not your life. It is only one part of your life. Don’t neglect other areas if your life (such as your personal life) because you will end up bitter and unhappy. It took me a long time to realize there was a big hole in my life because of that so now I pay a lot more attention to it. I keep saying it but balance is key!
As a part of our interview series with the rising stars in pop culture, I had the pleasure of interviewing Georgia Sinclair. DJ, Comedian and Media Personality Georgia Sinclair is an unstoppable force. Best known for her electrifying DJ sets and hilarious social media content, this witty and talented artist is a true triple threat. With a slate of new music under her belt, Sinclair is one to watch.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
It was a combination of passion, circumstance and allowing myself to evolve with the inevitable ebbs and flows of life. My dream was always to work in entertainment and I have stuck to that dream fastidiously. However, it has not actualized in the way I first imagined. I got into modeling at a young age with the intention of leveraging it to get into television. At the age of 20, I scored my dream job hosting a weekly national TV show for Warner Bros. called “Kids’ WB”. Everything was going according to plan until one day I was diagnosed with a benign but aggressive brain tumor which meant I had to leave my job. I taught myself to DJ as a distraction while I recovered from my illness and subsequent surgery. I never intended for it to become my career but it just sort of naturally progressed. That unexpected career switch was the vehicle for several of my other dreams including moving to America and travelling the world. I have since learned that it is the performance element that I love as opposed to the outlet so I am happy as long as I’m doing some form of that. TV, hosting, DJ’ing, making funny videos for social media — it doesn’t matter! As long as people are entertained and I’m having fun in the process I feel fulfilled.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
Aside from the brain tumor diagnosis, I think the most interesting stories I have are the people I have met through DJing. I remember about a month after I moved to Los Angeles, I received a request to DJ at a private event for a “very special VIP” who had seen me DJ before. It turns out that “special VIP” was Drake and the event was his friends and family celebration for the launch of his album, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” What a night that was! There were a lot of interesting people in attendance including The Weeknd. At one point during the night, I was standing between the two of them DJ’ing. It was a trip!
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Oh gosh I have fallen flat on my face publicly a lot during my career! Probably my favorite story is when we were filming my TV show live and we were having an “egg and spoon race”. The producer forgot to tell us that the finish line ribbon was attached to the film set and not to run through it… My co-host did exactly that and pulled the entire set down on himself. I had to fill 90 seconds of dead air while they helped him out from underneath whilst trying to lose the plot laughing. Fortunately, my co-host wasn’t badly injured. It was a hot mess broadcast live across Australia!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
There are a few! Now that the world is opening up, I am going back on tour with a new show and some new music which I’m super excited about. I have just signed a residency with Las Vegas’ newest super-club “Zouk” at Resorts World and I am also working on a few projects in the Virtual space. I have a very keen interest in VR and AR. I will share more soon!
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
DJ’ing in particular has provided me with so many opportunities to meet interesting, wonderful people. Especially DJ’ing around LA. I have met and worked with a lot of artists including Drake, The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Saweetie. I even wrote a song with G-Eazy that was chosen as the title track of his album, “The Beautiful & Damned.” While it was exciting to meet some of the artists I admire in person, at the end of the day they’re just regular people who have been successful at chasing their dreams and for the most part they all behave like nice, regular people!
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Embrace the word “No.” As a terrible people-pleaser, that was a tough word for me to learn. I have since learned that you get what you want in life by saying “No” not “Yes.” From a career stand-point, people naturally place a higher value on people who know their worth. Say no to everything that doesn’t meet your standards or isn’t a stepping-stone towards your over-all goal. Other opportunities will present themselves. Also, say no when you’re exhausted. Your health comes first! Without it you have nothing.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Persistence and evolution are key. You only fail when you quit. How you market yourself is the most important thing so stay on top of that and learn as much about it as you can. Also, “Your Network is your Net Worth,” so get to know as many people in your industry as possible (without coming across as annoying, over-the-top or needy). Genuine friends will always help genuine friends but remember, it’s a two-way street!
Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Kindly share a story or an example for each.
Set boundaries with yourself and stick to them. It is no secret that I enjoy a fun night out and some Tequila (I am fortunate enough to be a Don Julio 1942 Ambassador), but I am careful to live a balanced life and I listen to my body. I don’t indulge in drinking more than twice per week and I normally stick to 2–3 drinks, I work out 5x per week, I meditate and if I’m tired I stay home and sleep. Setting boundaries with other people and myself has always been challenging but it is the key to living a full, productive and happy life.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- Say no when it doesn’t align with you. There have been a few times where I’ve said yes (ok a lot of times) and I have always paid the price. I was so burned out from traveling and performing so much when we first went into Covid lockdown that I was actually grateful for the time off… I had hit burn-out! It was a valuable lesson.
- Balance is key. Be disciplined with your unhealthy choices (especially if you love Tequila like me!)
- Worry less. Things you are stressed about today probably won’t matter tomorrow. I used to be a stress head before I learned to meditate!
- We are more motivated and a lot more likely to succeed if we don’t take things so seriously and put less pressure on ourselves. Every single audition or performance that I have messed up over the years has stemmed from lack of preparation or nervousness which are both forms of resistance. But what if I just had fun with it and threw caution to the wind? Maybe things would have flowed more naturally! Live your life in a state of play, not pressure.
- Your career is not your life. It is only one part of your life. Don’t neglect other areas if your life (such as your personal life) because you will end up bitter and unhappy. It took me a long time to realize there was a big hole in my life because of that so now I pay a lot more attention to it. I keep saying it but balance is key!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Yes! “This Too Shall Pass.” It means nothing is permanent. Not the good, and not the bad. So live in the present and try to take in the lessons along the way.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Oh so many! There are two that stand-out the most. Firstly, my mother. She has always been my greatest cheerleader. No matter how crazy my idea is, she always encourages me, supports me and believes in me. When I fall flat on my face, she gives me the pep-talk I need to keep going. Secondly, as corny as it sounds, myself. I am grateful to myself for not giving up, even when things are tough and I feel like I’m never going to get anywhere!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I have always had a dream to start a not-for-profit that provides employment and a second chance for displaced people all while helping the planet. I have an idea in the works actually… Stay tuned!
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
I have an entrepreneurial side and I am fascinated by anyone who has achieved great things, especially in business. I would most like to meet Jeff Bezos or Jack Dorsey.
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram — @georgiasinclair
Versus Game — @georgiasinclair
Clubhouse / Green Room — @georgiasinclair
Twitter — @georgiasinclair
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!
