Geo Collins is a British esports broadcast expertise who made a reputation for herself in video games like Overwatch, Rainbow Six and Valorant. In 2022, she misplaced her dream esports job and, in her personal phrases, ‘felt like a failure’.
Now, the 28-year-old from Colchester is responding by reinventing herself as a pop musician. Quite than leaving esports behind, Geo is including to it, by increasing into motion pictures, modelling and music, the place she makes songs underneath the identify aestheno. She’s a performer, a risk-taker, an entertainer who needs to be on digicam and dazzle, whether or not it’s in esports, pop music or past. As she releases a brand new single, Dom Sacco asks Geo about leaving her fears behind, choosing herself up once more, and going laborious in 2025.
Initially of this 12 months, Geo Collins posted a thread on X opening up about one thing that occurred in her esports profession which ‘destroyed’ two years of her life.
Whereas she doesn’t say what this was, it clearly hit her laborious, and Geo subsequently labored in esports much less and fewer after 2022.
“I can’t actually specific how unhealthy it was. The darkest time of my total life and I used to be fully determined. I by no means wished to point out how unhealthy it was bc I used to be terrified I’d be rejected from the business, which clearly made it worse,” she mentioned within the under thread.
However now, she’s discovering happiness once more, reimagining herself with ambitions in music, modelling and films, and the occasional esports broadcast once more, after engaged on the World Collection of Warzone in September 2024.
“2025 is the primary 12 months I’ve began since then that I’ve felt forward-facing and accepting of the way in which issues are,” Geo added.
“I’ve spent so lengthy rebuilding my picture as an artist and character and placing work in. Some individuals assume it’s cringe and that’s okay. I’m a performer at coronary heart and I really feel extraordinarily true to my initiatives in music and modelling. I believe I labored monumentally laborious in esports and was a terrific on digicam character, however I realized to not beg the place I wasn’t wished.
“I’m saying this as a result of typically I really feel unhealthy for posting about music and hockey and my inventive writing, figuring out plenty of individuals [following me] didn’t comply with me for that. Folks ask me extra about music than esports today, however I nonetheless really feel unhealthy typically.”
All of it raises an necessary level about having the liberty and braveness to department out, strive new inventive issues, and never really feel afraid to precise ourselves and our different passions. To not really feel trapped solely inside esports.
KSI, whereas not an esports particular person as such, can also be an instance of somebody who transitioned from being a FIFA/gaming streamer to boxing, music and different leisure.
Geo isn’t somebody who’s afraid to share what she thinks or do what she needs both. However earlier than we get to how she’s reimagining herself, let’s return to the beginning and take a look at how she turned a caster.
From the Disney Channel to theoretical physics and the Overwatch Open
“Rising up, I all the time simply desperately wished to be an actress, or a designer,” Geo says. “I used to be obsessive about performing arts and was principally impressed by the Disney Channel, I’ve to confess (laughs).
“I used to write down music and stuff and I’d play little imaginary video games within the backyard, the place I assumed I used to be well-known! I grew up with a brother who’s of an age that we get mistaken as being twins on a regular basis. I didn’t have sisters or something, so I used to be like rolling round within the mud as a child!”
Her curiosity in performing arts adopted by means of to her teenagers, with Geo studying the right way to produce music and make YouTube movies.
“However I used to be additionally very tutorial,” she provides. “I went to an all-girls grammar college, after which I went on to do my bachelor’s diploma in theoretical physics. I had this inventive aspect and this loopy mathy aspect, and I used to be alleged to go and do my grasp’s diploma in theoretical physics as properly, and I had an internship in enterprise and finance at J.P. Morgan. So I used to be going to be a banker!
“Then I had a extremely huge medical scare within the final 12 months of my bachelor’s diploma, so I dropped out of my grasp’s, I dropped out of my internship, and I used to be like: ‘Okay, properly, I need to go and do one thing on digicam.’
“I had simply thought I used to be going to die on the age of 21, and once I discovered I wasn’t going to die on the age of 21, I used to be like: ‘Properly, I’m going to do that stuff.’
“In order that’s how I really ended up in esports broadcasting, as a result of I used to be a extremely large online game fan, and I had associates at uni who would watch League of Legends. I used to be not concerned about League of Legends on the time, however they have been, so I used to be sort of accustomed to the printed stuff. And I used to be like: ‘Cool, I may try this, I may get into that.’
“So I did! That was it, I simply completed my last exams, I began doing actually newbie degree broadcasts in Overwatch, and inside a few months I obtained signed to my first company and began doing it professionally.”
Geo’s esports broadcast profession started in 2018 as host of the Season 3 of the Overwatch Open Division.
However she quickly determined internet hosting wasn’t for her. As a younger esports broadcast expertise, the place work is aggressive and a few might really feel inclined to simply accept as many provides as potential, Geo did the other.
“I turned down lots of work within the early days of internet hosting, as a result of I actually stood my floor on it,” she says. “In some ways in which’s a superb factor and in some ways in which’s a foul factor, I’m very convicted in what I would like, which could be a blessing and a curse.
“A part of my conviction is, sure I’ve a robust character, I do know what I would like. One other half is the worry that if I don’t try this, then I received’t get to the place I need to go. However closing off alternatives early on is a dangerous transfer. There was undoubtedly a time period the place I regarded again on how I turned down a bunch of labor, and I used to be like, who was I to do this?”
“It’s not that it ever obtained me to a degree the place it negatively affected my profession and in the end I ended up the place I wished to finish up, however there are individuals who I love who’re very humble and so they take each alternative with a lot grace, and provides it their all. Typically I take a look at individuals like that and I’m like, I may take a leaf out of your e book.
“It’s not that I don’t give every thing to each alternative, however it’s that I’ve all the time been fairly selective about what I need to do, and I’ve all the time tried to curate my path to my targets fairly strongly, which isn’t one thing I’d advise individuals do.”
Geo says she obtained into Overwatch at an ungainly time, the place she was barely too late to be within the second technology of expertise, and barely too early to be within the third technology of expertise. Her profession was shifting pretty quick, nonetheless, and she or he wished to be a mainstay on a tier 1 occasion.
So she picked up extra work right here and there, together with at IEM Katowice, and that finally led her to Rainbow Six, the place she made extra of a reputation for herself.
Highs and lows in Siege and Valorant
Geo labored on Rainbow Six Siege leagues just like the ESL Premiership, the EUL (European League), APAC North (a part of the APAC League) after which later the BR6 (Brasileirão).
“I believe, funnily sufficient, Rainbow Six might be nonetheless the sport that I get requested about essentially the most, regardless that it’s not the latest sport that I labored in,” Geo says. “It’s humorous as a result of I used to have this little smug bragging level, the place, as a result of I obtained employed to do some voice performing for the North American broadcast, there was a time period the place I used to be the one expertise who had signed a contract for all 4 main areas. I used to be very happy with that!
“So I used to be in Rainbow Six for fairly a while and that was my first expertise with how genuinely hectic it may be, but additionally a few of my highest highs at that time.
“Like, I felt very inducted into that group. Whereas I obtained lots of shit early on, as a result of I used to be an outsider, and that was fairly new for Rainbow Six on the time, I grew on individuals and so they got here to know me. And I actually felt part of that group.
“I assumed the expertise group in Siege, the opposite commentators and hosts, have been fantastic, they have been extraordinarily unified. So if any hardship befell one member of the group, everybody would rally round them, it was actually nice.”
“It was enjoyable however it was additionally irritating. I had a little bit of a irritating time in the direction of the top of my time on Europe, as a result of I obtained instructed about six months prematurely that I used to be not going to be introduced again for the next 12 months, which actually affected my work within the second half of my contract, or a minimum of I felt prefer it did in my head, like I mentally wasn’t doing very properly.
“I actually wished to go to the North American broadcast, however sadly once I was doing Brazil, the a part of Ubisoft who ran the Brazilian League modified, and the brand new workforce who ran it didn’t need to fund the English language broadcast anymore, in order that’s why I used to be solely there for a 12 months and that’s why I ended up leaving at the start of 2022.
“And I nonetheless get individuals say to me like “Why did you stop Rainbow Six?” And I’m like: “I didn’t have a job anymore, I used to be made redundant!” (laughs)
“However I do look again on that point fondly, as a result of after that, I went into Valorant. I used to be like, ‘oh yeah, that is my sport, that is the place I’m going to retire, , that is superior’.”
Geo labored a number of Valorant occasions, with Masters Berlin a standout for her.
“That’s in all probability my favorite occasion that I’ve ever carried out,” she beams. “It was a really pivotal time in my life. I used to be actually in awe of the inventive freedom and company that Riot are likely to tackle their occasions, as a result of I had by no means labored for Riot earlier than. To be in that setting the place you noticed how splendidly inventive the persons are, and it helps that they’ve the price range to drag it off.
“It was actually inspiring, since you may say one thing to somebody in manufacturing, and have this concept, and so they’re like, ‘cool, let’s see how we will try this’. And I hadn’t come throughout that earlier than in my profession, in order that was actually eye-opening, and I used to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. And I used to be like, ‘oh my god’. In order that was actually cool.”
Geo made an increasing number of connections at this level, and her profile rose. Her Valorant movies have been drawing the group, and she or he additionally had a Valorant podcast with esports character Thorin, titled ‘Daring Minds’, which began in early 2022.
“That was tremendous enjoyable,” she says, “however it will definitely got here to an finish (in July 2023). It was my choice, as a result of I had stopped working in Valorant for a while after that and had sort of come to simply accept I wasn’t going to be going again to Valorant.
“So because of the time funding of doing that present, we ended up sunsetting that. However I actually felt a correct sense of belonging in Valorant, I felt like I had the fitting character for the sport and I put lots of work into figuring out the sport very properly. I felt like I used to be properly obtained by the group as properly.”
Geo’s last Valorant broadcast was the Twitch Rivals Showdown in the summertime of 2023. This led to a couple years of problem, as she talked about in the beginning of this text, however in the end paved the way in which for thrilling new beginnings.
How aestheno is managing her music, film and modelling ambitions by Discovering One thing To Consider In
Geo launched her first EP, ‘letter to the celebs’, in 2022, and has launched a handful of singles since, on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
Her X bio clearly states what she needs from the following stage of her profession: ‘Be sizzling, make pop.’
However what are her targets?
“At this level I believe everyone seems to be conscious of my transition into music,” she says, “which was a extremely fascinating factor as a result of if you’ve solely been recognized for doing broadcast and then you definitely’re like, ‘by the way in which guys, I’m doing music!’ (laughs)
“Some individuals discover that a bit of bizarre. However I’m releasing an album later this 12 months. I’ve simply launched the primary single of the 12 months, after which a bit of later within the 12 months I’ll be releasing my first album.
“I actually need to get some extra performing alternatives, I really had one thing lined up for this 12 months which I’ve needed to flip down for logistical/administrative causes, sadly, which is known as a bummer. However that’s one thing I’m actually eager to do extra of.
“I’m persevering with to audition for stuff and hopefully we’ll get some performing alternatives this 12 months. I’m about to start out doing dance courses too, as a result of as a performer I really feel like this may be so huge for me, however I’ve all the time shied away from it as a result of I’m a horrible dancer! In order that’s actually enjoyable as a result of I really feel like I’m simply doing all of this stuff to essentially develop this area.
“Then I’ve continued my curiosity within the NHL and hockey. I’ve labored with an NHL workforce, I went and filmed a bunch of stuff with the Anaheim Geese in 2022, I’ve been on NHL-related podcasts. That’s such a ardour mission for me and I actually need to hold doing that, once I’m a well-known pop star I’ll simply pressure my manner onto the the Sportsnet broadcasts (laughs). That’s the plan.
“So I’d like to proceed being concerned in hockey however I’m actually specializing in music, performing and modelling-related stuff, which I all see as very interlinked with one another.”
Whereas Geo has an agent that represents her in broadcast, it’s not one thing she’s on the lookout for in music proper now, till the id of the initiatives she’s engaged on ‘is de facto set in stone’.
She performs and produces all her personal work, selling it on the likes of Instagram and TikTok, with an impartial spirit and daring angle that’s arguably extra akin to punk than pop. And whereas she’s concerned about a number of report labels, she feels that her electropop style is a bit of outdoors of the scope of a few of these she’s checked out.
“[I’d be open to a label] it will depend on who comes alongside,” she clarifies. “If Interscope get on my line tomorrow and say they need to signal me, I’ll be like, ‘oh, properly, when you insist!’”
Clearly, each the esports and music industries are extremely aggressive. Each will be brutal, too, however they’ve very completely different routes to development. Many well-known artists have spoken about that one tune they wrote, or breakthrough second they’d, or particular person they met. It comes right down to expertise, certain, but additionally likelihood. How will Geo get to the place she needs to be, a well-known pop star?
“I like this query as a result of I believe {that a} actually huge factor I’ve mirrored on is that in broadcast, you type of learn to do issues formulaically,” Geo explains.
“If I need to pitch myself to a distinct broadcast, what are the important thing issues to hit? The easiest way of promoting your self to a producer goes to be sort of the identical every time, and clearly you will be distinctive and have your individual aptitude on broadcast, which is what makes you in style. However the precise sort of route of development is pretty mappable in music. I really feel prefer it’s fairly completely different.
“Everybody who’s making an attempt to promote you one thing needs to say that there’s a formulation for making it in music. However I believe the true factor is it’s important to be very obsessive about and actually related to the artwork that you simply’re making, and hold making it the way you need to make it. And finally the those that it resonates with will come alongside.”
“That may be a report label, it may be a path to virality, no matter it’s. As you simply talked about there are such a lot of completely different ways in which individuals can pop up in music, however I believe the true key to it’s you’re very genuine to what artwork it’s that really invigorates you to make.
“It’s a extremely fascinating shift in strategy. I really feel like when you’d have requested me this query at the start of my broadcasting profession, I in all probability may have given you a 10-step plan. For music I don’t actually have that.
“I’m releasing this album, certain, and if we’re speaking like actual end-game, I desire a Grammy, I need to play at Lollapalooza and Austin Metropolis Limits, these are my two dream festivals to play at. I need to star in a film, a full-budget characteristic film. And my absolute aim in modelling is I need to be on the quilt of Sports activities Illustrated Swimsuit. That might be the dream!
“These are nice targets. However the very first thing is indulging within the artwork I’m making within the universe that I’m constructing, and permitting the individuals who need to be part of that to be part of it.”
Geo has additionally flirted with DJing and home music, however feels she ‘totally belongs’ in pop.
“I really do receives a commission to DJ, however that’s not like what I see myself as,” she says. “After I was producing music all through my teenagers and early 20s, I used to be all the time like, ‘yeah I make EDM, I make electro home music, that’s my factor, I’m a home producer’. And so once I began doing music extra critically from 2022, in my head I used to be considering I’m going to make home music.
“Besides, every thing I’ve made is pop music. It took me a extremely very long time to understand that the factor I had fallen in love with was pop music. So I don’t see myself as a DJ as a result of now I totally belong in pop music, that is clearly what makes me actually completely happy.”
“I like digital music, it’s all the time been a extremely, actually huge a part of my life, and I like home music and just about any style of digital music, I’m loopy in love with it.
“Once in a while, for enjoyable, I’ll do some dancy remix of one thing cos , you possibly can take the woman out of dance music however you possibly can’t take the dance music out of the woman!”
Geo has even remixed some Okay/DA League of Legends songs.
“After I determined I used to be going to start out engaged on this album final summer time, I knew that meant I wasn’t going to be releasing something for a very long time,” she provides. “And so once in a while I’d simply go on stream and make a random flip of a tune on the stream. And this Okay/DA remix was one in every of them.”
That was enjoyable. It was a really like 2012 type complextro/glitch hop type of vibe. I discover doing stuff like that may be creatively difficult and enjoyable, and I believe that if you’re like engaged on an precise mission like an album or an EP or no matter, you can begin to take your self actually critically.
“The method can develop into very daunting, and so having these little moments of reprieve, the place it’s like, ‘okay, immediately I’m simply going to work on a remix and it simply doesn’t matter the way it seems’. That may be like a breath of recent air.”
Okay/DA is a well-liked alternative in cosplay circles, too. So with regards to modelling, and given Geo’s background in esports, has cosplay crossed her thoughts? What’s her modelling ethos?
“I’m not concerned about cosplaying,” she states. “My curiosity in modelling by no means got here from gaming.
“A couple of years in the past I used to be fairly critically making an attempt to use for lots of massive modelling businesses, after which a load of hectic stuff occurred in my life and my pores and skin broke out and no matter, and I used to be like, I can’t be sending images to modelling businesses the place I’m like coated in zits!
“So I ended up placing a pause on that, sadly, and I’d love to do this once more. I’d like to attempt to do it correctly, however the way in which I see it now could be that I see it as like an appendage to the stuff I do in music and performing and broadcast and every thing on digicam. So when you envision any feminine actress or pop star or no matter, who you see modelling for a model or one thing, you sort of don’t see them as only a clean face or only a only a mannequin. They’re nonetheless very a lot hooked up to their model or persona that they get from their different work, and I believe that’s extra sort of how I envision modelling now. That it’s nonetheless inherently hooked up to the opposite issues I do.
“So meaning lots of the sort of initiatives that I plan in modelling or I become involved in have my music or the remainder of my persona in thoughts. However I do need to get to a degree the place I can do larger and greater initiatives there.
“So no, I’m not likely concerned about cosplaying or something. My curiosity in modelling by no means got here from gaming.
“I’d by no means need to be a runway mannequin both, however as we’ve established I like being on digicam and I like the connection between a photographer and a mannequin. I actually like working with photographers who’re very vocal and really directive, as a result of I like that collaborative feeling.
“I don’t actually adore it once I get right into a studio and a photographer doesn’t discuss to me, . Like, that is our child, this isn’t simply me driving this ship.”
‘I like ladies, however I’ve by no means actually gone by means of my profession being like, “I’m right here to be a champion for ladies”
The subject of girls and marginalised genders in esports has had a much bigger focus lately. We now have extra ladies’s leagues, from ESL Influence to Valorant Sport Changers, the Equal Esports Cup and extra.
What does Geo consider this, and being a girl in esports and the leisure area proper now?
“That is really a subject I may go fairly into depth in – it’s one thing I’ve mirrored on lots. I’ve by no means actually gone by means of my profession being like, ‘I’m right here to be a champion for ladies,’ she states.
“I like ladies, I like assembly ladies who do the identical factor as me. I would like extra ladies in my social circle. In recent times I’ve felt such a need to be surrounded by extra ladies, as a result of I’ve all the time carried out very male dominated issues. I’ve a level in physics after which I labored in online game broadcast proper, so I’m surrounded by lots of males. However I used to be by no means doing issues particularly for ladies, I sort of all the time simply noticed what I did as impartial. And I believe lots of that comes from going to an all-girls college for seven years.
“This may occasionally maybe appear a bit of contradictory to somebody who hasn’t been by means of that earlier than, however if you go to an all-girls college, your womanhood is the least fascinating factor about you, as a result of everybody’s a girl. So it’s only a trait that goes unnoticed, and so having that background implies that I’ve by no means actually taken inventory of my womanhood as being an fascinating factor, or like a notable or fascinating trait. And so every thing I’ve ever carried out has had that in its blind spot. I simply don’t even give it some thought, actually.”
“There have been a few factors in my profession the place it’s been made my drawback, however to not an extent that I really feel deserving of some sort of pedestal to speak about points with sexism. We’re speaking about one-off issues that you’d expertise in actual life.
“I’d say I’ve not systemically skilled sexism from the individuals above me. I haven’t had that subject from my co-workers or like my bosses or something, and yeah, there’s the odd arsehole on-line, however I meet the odd arsehold in particular person as properly! (laughs)
“I do know that individuals have [experienced systemic sexism], which is why I are likely to keep away from the topic, as a result of I don’t need me saying I haven’t skilled it to be taken to imply that different individuals don’t. It’s only a impartial proven fact that for essentially the most half, no, I haven’t.
“I believe it’s been actually cool how the presence of girls in esports has actually grown, as a result of I got here into esports in 2018, the place it was like this cusp of individuals beginning to need extra ladies on their broadcasts. That was again when broadcast would particularly rent a girl as a result of they wished a girl on the printed. By 2020 there have been sort of sufficient ladies coming by means of organically that that type of went away.”
“These days, when you don’t see a girl on a broadcast, it’s not like a political factor, it’s only a bit bizarre as a result of there’s a lot range within the workforce that you simply’re unlikely to organically discover that.
“There’s a pure fandom to Valorant Sport Changers that includes each women and men and gender non-conforming individuals, and that’s actually cool. I like that it’s simply there. That’s what’s actually cool to me – I like that there are extra ladies round as a result of I like being round ladies. However I like that it’s simply an natural factor. That makes me actually completely happy.
“It’s so fascinating as a result of I’d describe myself as a really female particular person, sure I’ve carried out some male-dominated actions and I grew up with a brother who’s of an age that we get mistaken as being twins on a regular basis. We discuss to one another like twins and now we have a really twin-like relationship. I didn’t have sisters or something, so I used to be like rolling round within the mud as a child!
“I really feel like in my entire life I’ve had a really balanced expertise of “female and male actions and pursuits”, so for me meaning I like embracing each of these issues, however I don’t assume very a lot about my place inside them as a girl. Which is maybe a results of luck on my finish, however it does make me completely happy to see issues changing into extra balanced.”
The pen, the puck and performing arts
Other than her esports work, Geo can also be concerned about one bodily sport particularly: ice hockey.
As she mentioned earlier on this interview, she’s filmed work with the Anaheim Geese, has been on varied NHL podcasts, and produces her personal ‘Puck-cific’ movies about hockey on her Geo Collins YouTube channel.
On prime of this, she enjoys writing, and has a Substack known as ‘The Aesthenoverse’.
“I’ve been operating a aspect YouTube channel speaking about stuff in ice hockey and NHL stuff, and I’ve been speaking to a few publications about varied work that I can do for them within the NHL medium,” Geo says.
“There are a pair locations on-line the place I write. I’ve a Substack and I additionally write on my aestheno Tumblr lots. I’m sat at my desk proper now and I can see 4 completely different journals that I write in, like, I write lots.” (laughs)
Is writing one thing she you’d contemplate going into as a profession?
“I imply I’ve written for publications earlier than and I actually get pleasure from inventive non-fiction writing,” she solutions. “For me that’s my finest writing. So when you really learn one in every of my articles, whether or not it’s an editorial piece or an opinion piece, you’ll discover it’s obtained lots of inventive aptitude to it, as a result of that’s simply how I get pleasure from writing.
“I completely love writing. I don’t assume I’d do it as a substitute of performing some sort of efficiency, as a result of I simply get pleasure from being in entrance of individuals a lot. However I like writing and it’s one of many few issues I believe I’m very naturally good at, so I’ll all the time intend to proceed writing alongside no matter I’m doing.”
Our dialogue additionally meandered into UK esports, the rise of co-streamers like Caedrel, the monopoly of the Esports World Cup, the concept the web is changing into retro, and IRL and community-focused initiatives probably changing into extra prevalent sooner or later.
And whereas Geo is clearly a flexible being, all these new ambitions don’t imply she’s turning her again on esports, both.
“There’ll nonetheless be some thrilling stuff in broadcasting, I had some wonderful broadcasting alternatives final 12 months,” she remarks. “I labored on the World Collection of Warzone, which is like the most important Warzone match in the entire world, in order that was extraordinarily cool and I’d like to get to do this once more this 12 months. I hope to proceed engaged on broadcasts this 12 months, I’ll be going laborious on every thing.
“If somebody provides me one thing [in esports] and it’s cool, I’m not gonna be like, ‘no!’ (laughs)
“I’m simply constructing on every thing I’ve carried out and increasing into new areas.”
As talked about earlier, Geo has huge targets in music, motion pictures and extra. However proper now she’s clearly having fun with in “indulging within the artwork I’m making within the universe that I’m constructing, and permitting the individuals who need to be part of that to be part of it”.
That’s greater than being sizzling and making pop. That’s a press release, a reminder to dwell within the second, and a push to anybody with a dream to chase it.
Observe Geo Collins on her Linktree right here
Dom is an award-winning author and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Yr 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth College with a 2:1 diploma in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller within the late ’80s, he has written for a variety of publications together with GamesTM, Nintendo Official Journal, business publication MCV and others. He labored as head of content material for the British Esports Federation up till February 2021, when he stepped again to work full-time on Esports Information UK and provide esports consultancy and freelance providers. Observe: Dom nonetheless produces the British Esports publication on a contract foundation, so our protection of British Esports is all the time saved easy – often simply protecting the occasional press launch – due to this battle of curiosity.
