Hey there, Georgi girl: an Aussie songstress acts up

Georgi Kay has found a leg-up through BBC2's crime drama Top of the Lake

While several of her peers hope to gain recognition via breathy cover versions for saccharine adverts, rising solo artist Georgi Kay (pictured) has found a leg-up through a more credible outlet, BBC2's compelling crime drama Top of the Lake. Not only are a couple of the Australian's sinister tunes set appear in Jane Campion's New Zealand-set mini-series starring Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss, but the musician also secured a minor role.

Born in the Home Counties and raised in Oz, Kay collaborated on “In My Mind” with a pair of Melbourne-based DJs, for a track that became a dancefloor anthem last year courtesy of a remix by Swedish House Mafia's Axwell. By then, a couple of mates had persuaded Kay to audition for the Palme d'Or-winning Kiwi director's new project. Despite having no interest in acting and not knowing who Campion was, she landed Melissa, a maladjusted teen who expresses herself through music and performs an affecting version of Björk's “Joga” at a funeral, proving The Piano director's astute ear remains. “I would never have touched the song otherwise,” Kay admits.

It is a good fit with the upcoming talent's own writing. On hearing her strum some original pieces during breaks while filming, Campion demanded they were used in the TV series. Now they appear on Kay's forthcoming EP, a “stepping stone”, she says, for an album due next year.

'Top of the Lake', tonight, 9.10pm,BBC2