When you hear a song, do you wonder how it was created? Are the lyrics written first, or is the melody step one? For country artist Olivia Rose, the chorus and hook of a song are what she begins with. She thinks of the melody as “where the song should fall” as an anchor for the lyrics. Music has become not only a passion but a career.
Listen to my over-the-phone interview with country artist Olivia Rose here:
Olivia Rose is an up-and-coming local country artist born and raised in Alberta. Coming from the small town of Elk Point with approximately 1,500 residents, Olivia Rose grew up surrounded by country music. She got her start in songwriting at the age of eight or nine and has pursued that passion for the past fifteen years.
When she got her first guitar at age ten, she knew that music was the only thing she wanted to do with her life, but she “didn’t start taking herself seriously” until she was eighteen or nineteen. Before she broke out onto the Albertan country music scene, Olivia Rose joined every “organization set up for artists in Canada” and sought out open mic nights.
When it comes to Albertan country music, Olivia Rose is a well-known name as she has opened for Brett Kissel and Paul Brandt. Over the past few years, she has collected numerous nominations and awards for her songwriting abilities. She has been recognized at the local, provincial, and national levels for her musical talent. Most recently, Olivia Rose received a nomination in the Rising Star category at the Country Music Alberta Awards in 2020.
Over the past few years, Olivia Rose has “hunkered down and spent time co-writing songs” to perform for live audiences. During the pandemic, she “co-wrote with writers from all over the country” and dedicated much of her time to writing original songs.
If you have ever seen country music performed live, you know that stage presence matters in getting an audience to be truly present during your set. But for Olivia Rose, stage presence comes easily during her original singles and when she performs renditions of other country artists’ songs. One of her recent live performances went over so well with the crowd that it resulted in a sing-along encore at The Grape and Olive in Spruce Grove.
Through her songwriting, she hopes to regain the distinction between pop and country music by placing a heavier emphasis on storytelling in her lyrics. Olivia Rose’s music is inspired by the great country artists of the “70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.” She is particularly fond of how original country music tells a story, sometimes disguised to hide a political statement, and allows listeners into the world of the lyrics. Currently, there is “a revival of country music,” pointing towards a shift away from the stereotypical “beer and trucks and fishing” mentality of songs and further towards a lyrical narrative.
Olivia Rose has been releasing original singles since 2019, beginning with “Put it Like That,” which was then followed by “Gold” in 2021 and, most recently, “Truck Boi” in 2022.
Regarding her passion for songwriting and performing, Olivia Rose hopes to release an EP of her music in the near future. This collection of singles would allow her to produce a larger release in the world of country music. She also hopes to tour around Canada following the release of her EP, which could lead to her dream of a debut album.
Olivia Rose often performs at various venues in the Edmonton and Calgary areas. If you hope to see Olivia Rose perform live, you will surely find her all over Alberta singing covers and her original songs. Her next performance will be at The King Eddy restaurant on September 23rd in Calgary, Alberta. You can find more information on her website.
Background music from bensound.com
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