“Gemini”
Jorge Wilson doesn’t do things by halves. The Stoke-on-Trent indie pop artist spent years playing in a band before deciding he’d rather bet on himself — and hasn’t looked back since. Writing, performing, and producing much of his own material under the personal mantra “Listen to nobody,” Wilson has carved out a sound he calls “modern vintage”: nostalgic textures and forward-thinking production colliding into something that feels both timeless and distinctly his own.
Drawing from the worlds of Mac DeMarco, Steve Lacy, and The 1975, his debut solo chapter has already earned him airplay on BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio USA, coverage in The Sentinel, and playlist placements across the board. His new single “Gemini” — recorded with producer Steven Griffiths (The Editors, Mothica) at Dead Door Studios — is a groove-led, infectiously warm track about duality and the thrill of letting someone truly see you. We sat down with Jorge to dig into where it all came from.
“Gemini just fell out of the sky — I picked up a guitar and those chords became everything.”
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“Gemini” has such a unique blend of retro and modern sounds. Can you walk us through the moment of inspiration that sparked the track?
Jorge Wilson
Of course! Gemini just fell out of the sky when I was writing it. I was at my friend’s studio in Stockport and I picked up this new guitar he’d just bought and out of nowhere I played these chords that then became the chords to Gemini. I was listening to a lot of Steve Lacy and Alfie Templeman at the time and immediately got those vibes the second I played those chords. Long story short I took a quick video note of the progression, got back home, loaded up Logic and began demoing the track — and that was that!
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You’ve described your sound as “modern vintage” — what does that phrase mean to you creatively, and how do you balance nostalgia with innovation?
Jorge Wilson
Modern vintage to me means the perfect blend of old and new that then creates something completely fresh and unique. I love nostalgia, it’s such a weird feeling so I wanted to involve that into my songwriting whilst also keeping things fresh — put the two together and you get what I like to call modern vintage.
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The guitar solo in “Gemini” is a real standout. You’ve mentioned being inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” — what drew you to that particular energy?
Jorge Wilson
Thank you, it is a beast I must say! I clearly remember my friend Adam was round mine one day tracking drums on the demo for Gemini and I got to the bridge of the song. I was thinking about what should go next, and instantly I could hear the guitar solo melody in my head. As soon as I heard it I knew I wanted it to sound really gnarly and gritty — something like Michael Jackson’s Beat It.
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You’ve taken full creative control of your solo project — writing, performing, and producing your own music. How has that independence shaped your sound and identity as an artist?
Jorge Wilson
It’s helped me to learn an incredible amount in such a short space of time! Before I even found my sound I knew exactly how I wanted everything, from the guitar tones to the synth sounds — which I think paved a clear path for me. I’m still learning so much too. Before I started this project I knew next to nothing about production but now I’ve managed to produce plenty of demos and I’m learning more and more from working with Steven Griffiths on these tracks.
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After years of playing in a band, what pushed you to go solo — and was there a specific turning point when you knew it was time to branch out on your own?
Jorge Wilson
The main thing was creative freedom and the desire to achieve more. I felt I’d done everything I could in my previous band and I had grown into a very different person compared to who I once was — so I decided to take the leap of faith and go solo. I’ve always wanted to be a solo artist, and it felt right to make that jump when I did.
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There’s a strong theme of duality in “Gemini” — letting someone see your true self. How personal is this song for you, and did writing it teach you anything new about yourself?
Jorge Wilson
This song is incredibly personal — as are pretty much all I’ve written so far. Every song I write I use my emotions, and with Gemini I really tapped into the spiritual side of things. I knew I wanted it to be a strange and quirky track so I decided to dive into the astrology aspect and use the term Gemini as a metaphor for someone’s other side you begin to understand once you get to know them. Gemini is probably one of my proudest lyric-wise — I really feel like I told a story with this track. Whatever that story is, the listener can decide.
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You cite influences like Steve Lacy, Mac DeMarco, and The 1975. What elements of their artistry resonate with you the most?
Jorge Wilson
Every one of those artists broke through with their own thing. All of them have their own unique sound and originality which is massively inspiring for me. There’s a lot of DIY and experimentation between these artists too — which as an independent musician gives me the confidence to do the same. I just think if they can do it, I can.
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Your music has already caught the attention of BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio USA. How does it feel to be gaining recognition so early in your solo journey?
Jorge Wilson
It feels great to be honest — it’s always nice to have a little boost like that, especially when you work so hard at it. Getting airplay in the US has been amazing, I feel like people really dig my sound over there. Although I haven’t heard much from BBC Introducing recently, so intro sort it out instead of playing AI artists…
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Working with producer Steven Griffiths (The Editors, Mothica) on “Gemini” — what was that collaborative process like, and what did he bring to the track?
Jorge Wilson
Me and Steven have a great creative bond — he’s a really dry guy in the best way possible and says exactly what he thinks. Steven took the reins on producing the tracks I recorded with him and with his honesty and straight-to-the-point mindset we absolutely smashed the sessions and came out with some amazing sounding songs. He helped elevate my music from demos to pristinely produced tracks. He was also incredibly patient — ensuring we got the very best we could out of the sessions. P.S. Nice one Steven.
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Looking ahead, what’s next for Jorge Wilson? Can we expect more singles, an EP, or perhaps some live shows in the near future?
Jorge Wilson
Who knows eh? But what I do know is I’ve got plenty more bangers up my sleeve — an EP would be nice wouldn’t it… I’m working real hard on trying to get a band together for live too, so fingers crossed I’ll be back on a stage next year!
