Odette

Odette crafts soulful yet intelligent pop as an English-born singer/songwriter now based in Sydney, Australia, where her work has earned both critical praise and commercial traction in her adopted homeland. The 2018 debut To a Stranger fused confessional piano-led balladry with spoken-word poetry, opening the door for the bolder sonic experiments of Herald in 2021.

Georgia Odette Sallybanks was born in Bath, England, and spent most of her upbringing with her mother in Sydney’s Inner-Western suburbs, taking up piano and songwriting during primary school. Her teenage years drew her toward distinctive voices including Joanna Newsom, Laura Mvula, and later Kate Bush and Björk. While still in her teens she first attracted notice through Triple J radio’s Unearthed portal, prompting EMI to sign her after hearing promise in her uploaded tracks.

She issued the striking single “Watch Me Read You” in 2017, pairing a soulful vocal hook with distinctive spoken-word passages. The following year brought her full-length debut To a Stranger, which spawned further hits such as “Collide” and “Take It to the Heart”; the album climbed to number 13 on the pop chart and earned the artist two ARIA Music Award nominations. Reuniting with producer Damian Taylor, she shaped Herald around themes of growth and mental health. The album arrived in early 2021, extending the rhythmic poetry and piano approach of her debut with more experimental production and electronic textures.