Exclusive Interview: Eliza Bennett Talks “Visit Me in Georgia”, Her Debut EP, and More

Eliza Bennett is a multi-talented artist who has captivated fans with her performances on the screen and in the studio. She’s starred in projects including Sweet/Vicious, The Conners, and Dynasty. She’s also released hit singles including “My Declaration”, “Do You Think About Me”, and “Hate to Love You”.

This year, Eliza is getting ready to drop her highly-anticipated debut EP, Late 20s, a collection of songs that highlight the growing pains Eliza faced during a formidable time in her life.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Eliza about her new single “Visit Me in Georgia”, her upcoming debut EP, and more!

PC: You have a new single out now. Tell us about “Visit Me in Georgia” and the inspiration behind the song.
Eliza: I do! I wrote “Visit Me in Georgia” when I first landed in Atlanta to film Dynasty, and I didn’t know a soul. I was staying in this pretty clinical and cold hotel and was having to do long distance with my husband for the first time since before COVID. Jetlag kept me up until 2 am most nights, so I ordered a keyboard for my hotel room and wrote a ton of music over those first few weeks. I also think there’s something magical about singing about Georgia; the melody of the word makes it juicy to sing.

PC: The music video was directed by Elizabeth Gillies, who you worked with on Dynasty. What was it like getting to collaborate with her again?
Eliza: It’s always great to see Liz direct. She had directed me on Dynasty before, which I loved, as working with an actors’ director is always fun because they’ve been in your shoes, and that often makes them great at articulating notes. This music video was kind of a last-minute scramble squeezed in on a weekend around our Dynasty schedules, but we pulled some of our crew from Dynasty and we made it happen! I knew it had to shoot in Atlanta, and Liz had a great idea of showing parallel experiences of being alone in the city and fantasizing about how the same day would be if your partner were by your side.

PC: “Visit Me in Georgia” comes off your forthcoming debut EP. What can fans expect from Late 20s and what do you hope to say as an artist?
Eliza: I don’t know whether I have the foresight to have an overarching narrative as an artist. I think because acting has always been my bread and butter, I’m actually in a privileged position where I only write music when I feel like I have something to get off my chest or work through rather than because I have to fill an album quota. Maybe that day will come for me soon and I’ll have to get more disciplined, but this EP is really a collection of songs I wrote in my twenties that cover some of the biggest growing pains. The structure of the EP was actually a surprise to me that I stumbled upon. I hope fans resonate with some of these moments or at the minimum, think it’s a good tune!

PC: With this being your debut EP, did anything surprise you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Eliza: Biggest takeaway is that for me, making the music is the most enjoyable part. It’s the most creatively stimulating and electrifying, so next time around I will really cherish those days by the piano or in the studio, especially because I had to do a lot of the vocals and production over Zoom because of COVID, so I can’t wait to be back physically in the studio next time! I think I was surprised by how exhausting I found the social media/release plan side of it. If I could just make the music and then release it the next day, I would, but sadly that’s not the world we live in and we all have to work the system a little bit to get our music out there.

PC: If you had to select a song off of Late 20s that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
Eliza: Oh, wow. That is so difficult to answer! I think I’m really proud of the songwriting on “Visit Me in Georgia”. It’s really the only stripped-back song on the EP, but the chords on that song are some of my favorites that I have ever written. That was the first song I sent to my producer Thom Mak, and we both got really excited about it. I’m not sure the sound sums me up as an artist particularly, but I’m very proud of it as a songwriter.

PC: In addition to writing and releasing music, you’ve also been very busy on the film and television front. How have you been able to manage all the different facets of your talent? Has it ever been a challenge?
Eliza: This year has definitely been a little bit of a challenge, but in the best way, and I’m so grateful for it. They say if you want something done, ask a busy person, and I’ve definitely felt that’s true for me this year. But there are seasons of chaos and seasons of calm and they both bear fruit in different ways, so right now, I’m trying to ride the chaos wave and rinse it for all it’s got. I still love acting so much, so it will always be a major focus in my life; I’ve just been lucky to be able to squeeze my music in around it.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2022 into 2023, what can fans expect from you? Is a possible tour in the works?
Eliza: I will be releasing the rest of the songs on my EP, but right now I’m shooting Sexy Beast, a Paramount+ show, in Liverpool until February, so I’m mainly focusing on that. There will, however, be many more songs written in my hotel room, though, so they will probably start to make the blueprint of a new album or EP, so watch this space!

To keep up with Eliza, follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Her new single, “Late 20s”, drops on November 4th.

Photo Credit: Joseph Sinclair