Music > Interviews

Olivia Dean

31/07/21

Ahead of her tour, EP release and upcoming appearance at Wild Paths Festival, we spoke to up-and-coming singer songwriter Olivia Dean about personal growth, performance, festivals and the vitality of lyrics to music.

Hello! How are you!

I’m doing very well, thank you!

At the time of talking, your EP is out in a couple of days. Are you excited for that?

I’m very excited yeah, it’s been quite a strange year and making music has been a very interesting journey, but I’m excited to close that chapter and have this music out in the world for everyone.

It seems like almost quite a good time to be releasing music, things are starting to (maybe) get a bit better. Especially for the music industry.

Yeah exactly, I feel like it sits with the theme of the project which is about growth, new beginnings and moving into a different headspace, so I think you’re right, it’s quite a good time.

You said your EP is about growth, I just wanted to ask whether the EP was a process of growth, or kind of a guide to growth? Or maybe something more vague, or all of these things?

I think it is a mixture of all of those things. I think at the beginning of the project, with the single Being My Own Boyfriend, to the last track, they’re two different headspaces and two different approaches to love and loving myself so I think yeah in the process of writing it, I think I grew a lot and learnt a lot about myself. I think everyone maybe did over this last year.I think it’s just about that really, I think it’s just about growing and learning about yourself better.

Did you find it hard to move from writing quite a lot about breakups and creating something more positive, especially with what was going on. It hasn’t been the best of times for a positive mindset?

Yeah, no it hasn’t. I think in some ways I didn’t feel very inspired for quite a while with everything that was going on this year. It was kind of difficult to write, and I think I definitely covered breakups in my last EP. And I was like ‘Well.. what am I gonna write about now?’ But I think life always brings you new experiences and you just have to document them. So yes and no. It was hard, but also things happen naturally, they always kind of do.

You’ve got a couple tour dates lined up in early August. Are you quite excited to get that back out there on the stage? Or are you a bit nervous

No I love live performance so much, I’m just quite full of excitement! I think last year was the first time I would be doing festivals and doing support. And I haven’t done any of that yet, and so it feels like a really long time coming and I actually just cannot wait. So I’m just excited.

You did a few socially distanced gigs in June, if I’m right? The Jazz Café?

Honestly those two nights were the best two nights of my life I think, that’s what I keep telling people. I think the last thing I played was this place called Off the Cuff which was this little sort of Railway Tavern, and from going from there to the Jazz Café and having all these people singing my lyrics at me, it was so overwhelming.

When was that first gig, the one at Off the Cuff?

That would’ve been March 2020. Literally just before Covid really hit. I remember people saying like ‘I’m not really sure if I’m going to come to your gig Olivia, because there’s this thing, Covid.’ I was like ‘Ohh OK, that’s fine’ thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal. But then it was the last gig I did, and it’s been mental.

I think lots of bands have a kind of have a breakthrough moment, or at least people say ‘this is the moment’ but for you it has seemed quite drastic. Going from quite a small gig to people singing your lyrics back at you, and also having a real shift in how people consume your music.

Yeah, it’s consumed in isolation. And it’s bizarre. I’m quite an old soul and I don’t really love social media but I’ve kind of had to you know, adjust and get my music out there to people in different ways. And push myself out of my comfort zone. But it seems like things are falling back into place and I’m just kind of excited to see people again.

You mentioned about festivals, had you played many festivals prior to now?

None at all, I played the socially distanced Wild Paths Festival and that was like amazing. And yeah, Wild Paths I’m playing again this year and I’m super excited. Just being at festivals is where I’m my most natural self. I think playing at them will be a big thing for me.

When is your first one?

This weekend, on Sunday, Rock Oyster Festival in Cornwall. I’m going to go and have some oysters, which I’ve never tried before.

How important are lyrics are to you, obviously you’re a lyrcisit, a songwriter so it figures that they’re probably pretty central. So how important are they to you? Both in writing but also in terms of listening to and enjoying music?

I think they’re probably the most important, I think it’s the basis of where every song starts for me. I don’t think I would put a song out if I didn’t believe in the lyrics or I didn’t think there was at least one line in a song that captured a moment in time of my life, or really made me emotional when I wrote it or when I’d sing it.
I think whatever you release, I mean, I think quite deeply about stuff, maybe too deeply. But whatever you put out there is there forever. Like my Grandkids will listen to it, so it has to be honest, and it has to be real otherwise I’m not really interested. But the basis for everything is the lyrics, and everything else kind of follows.

Are there any lyricists you really idolize, or consider influential?

I think Carole King, she was a really big influence on me. Amy Winehouse of course, her lyrics just feel so easy and real and honest and raw. And I was really intrigued by her when I was growing up.
I really like Paul Simon. I love Graceland, when I discovered it I was like ‘OH MY GOD’ and those three are my main I’d say, but like I really love Laura Marling too, I think she’s a really great lyricist. Those are the ones that are coming to mind right now.

Personal growth runs quite central to the EP? Do you have any tips for growth? Apart from listening to the new EP that is!

Apart from that, I wouldn’t say I’m the oracle on it, I’d definitely say I’m still learning. I think it’s really important to learn to enjoy your own company and figure out you know, when no one else is around, what really makes you happy and putting time aside for yourself to really do those things. Riding a bike is good too!

Beyond the EP, what lies ahead?

Beyond the EP and touring, I guess starting to write my album now. Which has been a long time coming and I’m really excited about. But other than that just more gigs and general happiness and smiling.

More growth!

Yeah exactly, we’ll always grow.

Thanks for talking to me!

Thanks!