Five minutes with British soul-R&B artist Geo Baddoo

London-born, Somerset-raised soul-R&B artist Geo Baddoo has dropped her second single of 2025. Named ‘Look At Me’, the track is quietly defiant, turning vulnerability into fuel. Written in the reflective afterglow of a trip to Los Angeles, the single pushes back against performative culture, opting instead for integrity, stillness and self-belief. Produced with Germany-based beat-smith Tytanium (Joeboy, Moelogo), its palette folds deep house pulse into soul, jazz and R&B textures, letting Baddoo’s raw, unadorned vocals and layered harmonies do the heavy lifting. “I don’t wanna hide anymore… I’d shine like a star if you let me,” she sings, framing the track as both a personal affirmation and an act of cultural rebellion.

In conversation with HUNGER, Baddoo traces the roots of that resolve back to her father’s home studio in the Somerset countryside and a lifelong love of songcraft, shaped by influences from Sade and Tracy Chapman to Bowie and Al Green. She unpacks the delicate balance that defines her work (soft in sound, bold in spirit), speaks to the LA moment that sparked the song, and breaks down how she and Tytanium built its intimate-but-expansive world. From the line between authenticity and performance to the quiet confidence running through ‘Look At Me’, Baddoo shares how she channeled tenderness and strength in equal measure, and what stories, sounds and feelings she’s reaching for next.

‘Look At Me’ feels like both a personal affirmation and a gentle rebellion. What moment or feeling sparked the writing of this track?

This track came from a feeling of real clarity and security in myself. The sun was shining in LA when I heard the music, and in the UK when I got home. I felt pretty untouchable, had total conviction in myself and backed all my recent choices. A great version of Geo — love her. That energy really shaped the conviction behind the song.

You’ve described the song as a celebration of being “in full bloom”. What does that phrase mean to you right now — in your life, your music and your identity?

‘Look At Me’ definitely captured me in a moment where I felt in full bloom, and I’m kind of always aiming to be the version of me that wrote the song. It’s the perspective of someone who feels aligned, sure of themselves and their direction, and ready to take on whatever may come. I’m not a machine, so I fluctuate. Maybe I’m not feeling in full bloom right now but everyone goes through phases where they need recentering. I always find my way back to that place, though, because everything’s a cycle.

After your trip to LA, you mentioned feeling surrounded by performance, online and in real life. How do you personally navigate staying grounded and authentic in such environments?

I just try my best to stay focused on my individual direction because I really do believe in myself and my vision. Getting caught up in comparison is such a heavy feeling, so I try to steer clear of it. It takes a lot of strength to do so, actually, and it’s the constant test that comes with pursuing this path. I just try to get into the habit of closing an app when it’s giving me a bad feeling. The fact that I’ve learned this truth makes it easier for me to bring myself back to myself when I start to lose it. 

The production on ‘Look At Me’ is delicate yet rich, blending soul, jazz, deep house and R&B. How did your collaboration with Tytanium come together, and what was it like building this sonic world with him?

The way this track came together was a very new experience for me. I’m used to being hands-on, in the studio shaping the music. But in this case I received the first version of the instrumental, instantly connected with it and was able to write the song with ease. The instrumentation and the warm energy has really helped me channel my own glowing feeling. I was also literally in the sun. It was just a matter of restructuring it to fit what I was hearing after that — it didn’t take too much deliberation or back and forth. 

You sing, “I’d shine like a star if you let me”. Is that line speaking to an external limitation, or something more internal? How do you define what it means to shine on your own terms?

I think there’s a double meaning here. On one hand, the lyric speaks to my awareness of my potential, and my deep desire to fulfill it. Visibility is a challenge for artists and there can be a lot of walls around us, so this line does also acknowledge external validation. To define shining on my own terms, I’d say it’s about moving with complete honesty and sharing what I believe in with intention.

There’s a quiet, unshakeable confidence in your voice. Where do you think that inner strength comes from — and has it always been there?

I love songwriting and I craft my lyrics, so I sing them with a lot of intention. The words mean everything to me, and are purely me expressing myself. so that’s probably the core reason. I’m just really feeling it when I sing my songs. That’s why it’s called soul music! 

Growing up in Somerset with access to your father’s home studio clearly left a mark. How did those early experiences shape your approach to songwriting and storytelling today?

Growing up in that setting exposed me to an unbelievable amount of music, and a huge variety, so my reference points are quite unique. When I’m writing and producing, influences can pop up out of nowhere from the store of music I’ve got in my subconscious. It makes me laugh how rogue some of them are. Willie Nelson and Destiny’s Child live side by side in my head.

Your work often walks the line between softness and strength, tenderness and power. How do you channel that emotional duality into your writing and performance?

I’m actually learning that these two emotions aren’t necessarily opposites. Songwriting is where I resolve a lot of my issues, so that requires both softness and strength — vulnerability and authority. Spirituality is central to that resolution, so I’m always pushing towards my higher self in music. I’m a storyteller, and I know what kind of energy I’m trying to put into the world, so I’m grateful for my ability to channel that naturally.

You’ve been praised for your vulnerability and introspection. Does that openness come easily to you, or has it been something you’ve learned to lean into over time?

As I touched on in the previous answer, it does come completely easily to me when it comes to music. I don’t even know what I would do if I didn’t have that outlet. It’s so healing for me, and is something that does flow from me. In other areas of my life, maybe not so much. I feel like that Nina Simone lyric a lot: “Please don’t let me be misunderstood”. But that’s why I have this gift! 

As you look towards what’s next, what kind of stories or soundscapes are you excited to explore further — and what do you want your listeners to feel when they hear ‘Look At Me’?

I haven’t really shared any love songs yet, but there’s one coming very soon! It’s an uplifting, pure one with no toxic vibes, rest assured. I’m excited to let people see that side of me. Beyond that, I’m exploring stories and soundscapes that share the different stages of my experiences. I feel like my recent releases have come from a place of having faced something and learned the lesson. I’m in a new chapter now, so I’m writing from within the process. I want to show that real time discovery, not just the polished end point.

Listen to ‘Look At Me’ here.