No Drama, Just Love: Geo Baddoo Pays Tribute to Lovers Rock
- Drew Townsel
- 24 hours ago
- 4 min read
With her infectious new single "Silver Lining", British soul-R&B artist Geo Baddoo steps into uncharted territory, delivering her first true love song — a bold and tender tribute to the purity of love, inspired by the timeless sounds of '70s Lovers Rock.
Following the success of her empowering anthems like "Look At Me" and "My Turn", the London-based artist pairs her signature soulful voice with lush instrumentation, evoking a sense of warmth and optimism. In this exclusive interview, Geo reflects on the inspiration behind "Silver Lining", the musical influences that shaped the track, and how her journey towards self-love has led to the creation of a song about love that’s steady, grounded, and free from drama.
What inspired you to write “Silver Lining”?
I hadn’t really dabbled into love songs much. I think all music has a time and place, but I definitely feel like as a society we do love a bit of drama and chaos in our entertainment. I wanted to create an idealistic love song, a concept of a simple love after turbulence. I wanted to create a song that shines a light on love as something pure, honest, and attainable - the kind that comes when you’re ready for it, rather than chasing it out of longing or fear.
Why have you chosen to pay tribute to ‘70s Lovers Rock?
In my journey so far, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with a lot of Caribbean musicians, including 1st and 2nd generation Windrush musicians such as Michael ‘Bammi’ Rose (Cymande), and original Jazz Warriors members Alan Weekes and Kenrick Rowe.
These experiences have taught me so much about music. The bond between Jamaica and the UK has brought so much greatness, and, as a UK R&B/Soul artist, paying homage to Lover’s Rock feels important. It’s played such a big role in the evolution of the genre. In the themes too, Lovers Rock has totally inspired the romance, warmth and optimism of "Silver Lining." The world will always bring chaos and hardship, but we have to create moments of beauty and love. I hope people feel that light and idealism when they hear it.
This is your first love song—why now?
I want to face all sides of the human experience in my music. It’s a big subject and has so many angles. I’ve definitely written some songs on the turmoil side of love, but the more I’ve grown into self-love, the more I understand about relationships. Writing "Silver Lining" felt like proof of that growth - I wasn’t ready to sing about this kind of love until I was in the right place personally.
How was it working with Steve Marshall?
Steve has a wealth of experience but also a very open-minded, collaborative approach. It was just the two of us, and we built the track around the vocal melody I brought in. Certain things were clear immediately - the structure, the backing vocals, the steel pan-esque tones, the need for lyrical, lush guitar. Steve is an amazing musician and he performed all the instrumentation himself, with additional congas from Reuben ‘Sleepy’ White.
Steve produced 3 albums for Lee Scratch Perry so he really understood my vision of blending Soul/R&B with Caribbean textures. He brought in a lot of key details - like the congas, the atmospheric pads, the ‘herald’ synth riff - that gave the song a lot of soul. The process involved a lot of trial and error, throwing things at the canvas and then taking away what wasn’t necessary and refining what was.
What message do you want listeners to take away from “Silver Lining”?
Love doesn’t have to be messy or dramatic to be powerful - it can be gentle and steady too. I hope people feel uplifted and connected when they hear it, and maybe shake a leg.
How does this track show another side of you as an artist?
Aside from "Love Don’t Lie", my releases have mainly explored my personal transformation, with a focus on introspection, independence, and resilience. "Silver Lining" shows a different side to me by taking things beyond just my experience to a universal message. The track has a naturally playful, loving, and celebratory energy, which is reflected in both the visuals and the behind the scenes process. Also, musically, it shares more of my influences and background and highlights a side of my artistry that’s all about movement and connection.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences right now?
I’m always carrying my early inspirations around - Motown Soul, 90s Neo-Soul and R&B, singer-songwriter storytellers from the 70s. There’s a lot of current stuff that’s inspiring me at the minute too - the UK females are killing it. I’m enjoying Greentea Peng a lot. She’s such a unique artist and I really appreciate her perspective and honesty. I love how she blends spirituality, vulnerability, and rebellion in her music, as well as blending genres beautifully. I’ve been getting into Olivia Dean too, she’s an amazing songwriter and has an honest energy that I appreciate.
How has growing up between Somerset and London shaped your sound?
I grew up in a small village and had 1 brother, who’s six years older, so I spent a lot of time in my own world. To be honest, I still carry that sense of isolation with me now, but not in a negative way. It gave me space to build a strong inner world and really learn how to be inside myself - that’s where my creativity comes from.
At the same time, because of my parents’ creative jobs, I was always surrounded by different cultures and creative perspectives, even in that quiet setting. Then moving to London added another layer - the city has a very sink-or-swim vibe about it. I’ve had to really tune in to the beat of my own drum, stay rooted in my foundation, and keep focused on my purpose as an artist.
What’s next for you after “Silver Lining”?
I can’t wait to do some shows and share my music with live audiences! There’s nothing like that exchange so I’m very ready for that.
I’ve also got an exciting collaboration on the way with an iconic international legacy artist and an amazing UK artist. It’s a really beautiful meeting of worlds with a universal message, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Stream "Silver Lining" now below.