Circumnavigating Georgia is a coming-of-age record for Sans Soucis, one that channels their own history with the broader struggles against patriarchy and anti-Blackness, making each song feel like both a personal reflection and a universal call for reclamation.
Born and Italy and raised in London, singer, songwriter and producer Giulia Grispino, who is know professionally as Sans Soucis (a nickname given them by their grandmother as a child) continues their quest for self-discovery and reclamation on Circumnavigating Georgia. It is a fearless exploration of coming-of-age moments weaved with experiences of identity, familial legacy, and liberation from systemic barriers. It's an album that creates an atmosphere as it tells its story, bringing listeners into a space where personal and cultural narratives are filled in with diversity and vulnerability.
Sans Soucis, who uses they/them pronouns, draws inspiration from a spectrum of influences, from the electronic dreamscapes of Little Dragon to the poetic openness of Joni Mitchell. The album taps into the layered realms of alt-R&B à la Solange and is spiked with pop-infused melodies reminiscent of Rihanna’s most powerful hooks. This eclectic blend of styles propels the album beyond scenes and labels, moving with a fearless fluidity that mirrors Sans Soucis’ own journey through the restrictions of societal labels.
The album’s title, Circumnavigating Georgia, might conjure the feel of a travelogue, but this diary is a deeply internal one, orbiting around the core of Sans Soucis’ identity. Beginning and ending at their grandparents' home in Italy, the album traces a path through lived experiences and familial memories, unraveling systemic biases and past pains that breathe life into each beat, chord, and lyric.
With innovative production, San Soucis' sound thrives in the spaces where memories of an unguarded childhood collide with the strength found in adulthood, a balance they skillfully navigate by injecting their music with unguarded honesy. The album’s songs echo with a sense of joy, making Circumnavigating Georgia an invitation to listeners to find the courage to reconnect with their own authentic selves. It’s a bold introduction to an artist unafraid to turn inward and share the results outward, finding freedom and defiance in every note.