Singer and songwriter Olivia Lunny took some time to talk with us about her breakout hits Bedsheets and Think of Me, which are on our summer playlists, along with Spotify, Amazon and TIDAL’s hot lists!
Check out what she has going on!
First off, thank you for chatting with us today, I love the new single! Where did you get your inspiration when writing Bedsheets?
Olivia Lunny: “Thank YOU! Bedsheets came to life very spontaneously at 1am one of the nights AJ Healey and I were in the studio. I shared an initial voice memo with AJ that sparked the concept for this song. It was “cigarette inside your hand, wish you would hold me like that.”
“After diving into themes and chatting about past “situationships,” we stumbled on the idea of feeling closeness with somebody, while also feeling so emotionally far from them. Bedsheets is about longing for connection and the tough but necessary decision to let something go.”
How would you describe your process when writing a new song?
Olivia Lunny: “My process is more often than not, very spontaneous. When I’m writing alone I’ll usually just pick up the guitar and start strumming chords and humming a melody idea over the top. When co-writing, the ideas usually start collaboratively by exploring voice notes or chatting about life experience/concepts for songs!”
Think of Me has put you on Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’, TIDAL’s ‘Rising Pop’ and the cover of Amazon Music’s ‘Artists To Watch 2020’ playlist, that is huge, congrats! What does this recognition mean to you?
“Having support from those platforms is extremely helpful and I’m very grateful to them for the exposure! At the end of the day the more people you can get your music in front of, the more chances you’ll have at growing potential fans. This recognition means a lot to me and gives me validation that I should keep making music :)”
What was the moment you realized you wanted to have a career in music?
“By grade 11 I had a very clear idea of which paths I didn’t want to pursue. Music was always a casual hobby of mine, and as I began to play more coffee shops and local gigs, it grew into me wanting to pursue it full time! Music is my absolute passion and I can’t picture myself doing anything else!”
What was it like being a part of the Lean on Me rendition for Covid-19 with such major recording artists?
“It was truly an honor to be a part of a project with such incredible artists representing our amazing country. My friend and fellow musician Tyler Shaw helped start the initiative and involved me.
As far apart as we are right now, it’s been so beautiful to come together with others to spread the message of hope. The response to the song so far has been incredible.”
For those who are not familiar with your music, how would you describe your style?
Olivia Lunny: “I would describe my style as fresh pop meets singer-songwriter waves! In my new project especially, I explore lots of different vibes.”
Did you look up to any artists for inspiration before really starting your career?
“From a young age I really enjoyed Norah Jones music. I also really loved Ingrid Michelson- listening to her music definitely inspired me to start writing. Specifically her cover of Radiohead’s Creep.”
Do you have any upcoming projects we can look forward to?
“Yes! I’m super excited about the singles I’ve been releasing & with that will come a full EP. Stay tuned!”
What advice would you give someone who is looking to be in the music industry? What was the best piece of advice someone gave you while coming up in your career?
Olivia Lunny: “Don’t conform to what others suggest you become. Remain authentic, be honest in your music and that’s what will make people truly resonate with you as an artist.”
If you could work with any artist or producer, who would it be and why?
“I’ve always admired Julia Michaels as a songwriter, she’s unapologetically honest in her music and as an artist has made some amazing waves.”
For fun, what’s the most random thing you did, cooked/baked or created while in quarantine?
“I’ve been making tons of healthy ice cream using frozen bananas as the base. It’s SO good! You can add cocoa & peanut butter to it too!”
Make sure to follow Olivia Lunny on her social media!
