Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Olivia Millin

Earliest memory about music?

Growing up with the church choir and singing with my Godmother. 

She was the one who inspired me to start a youth choir and to help mentor the younger kids.

Passion for creating music began?

I got rejected from all acapella groups at my college, and was told my voice was “too unique,” so I decided to create my own path and write music myself, not needing validation from group members to blend in. 

How do you describe your sound to someone who has never heard music?

I’d desccribe my sound as a mix between Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Gwen Stefani, with some aspects of rock. I also use a lot of harmonies in my songs, to give them a fuller and more interesting effect. 

One thing you learned that changed the way you write music?

Sometimes, the content is more important than the rhyme scheme. It’s better to use slant rhymes, or rhymes that don’t match exactly, to have good contextual background, rather than perfect rhymes that don’t make any sense. I learned this through my experiences listening to music, and comparing my own work to mainstream songs. In the end, lyrics have to be meaningful and poetic.

What tools are essential to your creative process?

Logic X Pro, My scarlet box, my Neumann mic, my keyboard and my mac. That’s all I need to create pretty thorough and professional sounding demos (without going to the studio). I love to see my created backing tracks undergo the transformation during production by a producer who understands me. It’s like magic, seeing all the notes in my head come to life. 

Which indie artist/song loving are you loving rn?

I love Beach Bunny at the moment, she’s very 2020’s-esque and I love the vibe her music gives off: just comfy and easy to listen to. 

How has personal experiences influenced your music?

I mostly write from my personal experiences. I draw from the feelings I felt at the moment, and try to make them come to life with lyrics and musical inspiration. As for my artistic vision, I take the opinions of those around me very seriously. I try to incorporate the great advice along with my experiences to make the perfect song that encapsulates the feeling I want the song to convey, and what I think my fans want to hear from me.

What emotions/messages do I hope listeners take out of my work?

I really want my listeners to realize that what they’re going through is probably not uncommon to what many go through. They’re not alone. I write what I wanted to hear during growing up moments. I wished I could have heard more music that inspired me, and gave me a sense of hope and security. So now I feel I get that chance to give not just interesting and unique beats, but lyrics that are meaningful and now relevant to people of all ages maybe going though a hard time or who want to celebrate something great in their lives.

Most important lesson music has taught me?

I’ve learned a few hard lessons, but the greatest realization is having learned how tough it is to succeed in the music industry. I continue to write music because it’s my passion. Sometimes you have to write for yourself because it’s a form of expression and it also serves as an outlet for dealing with emotion- at least for me.There is nothing else I’d rather do with my life, to be honest. I’m looking forward to performing my new album because I think it reflects those lessons I have learned- finding my authenticity and feeling more secure about sharing that side of myself. Like any great poet, musician or artist, it can only truly be appreciated if it’s shared. I think that’s mostly why present and future fans gravitate to social media to see what an artist is all about. Being an artist anymore isn’t just about pumping out good music- it’s about sharing authenticity and generally demonstrating you are a likeable person. I still grapple with that because I still find it hard to share private sides of me to complete strangers, you know? But I also understand the curiosity and wanting to learn more about the artist than just a sound. I’m working on it! 

Dream venue/festival love to perform at?

I’d love to perform at Coachella, and especially the Tokyo Dome. It’s been my dream to perform there since I was a kid, considering I’ve followed Japanese idol culture since I was young and learned to speak the language. Even though I’ve evolved from Jpop style of music, I hope I can foster a community big enough that lets me perform at the Tokyo Dome, and maybe get an opportunity to share a bit of my Jpop history, along with the rest of my upcoming newly branded material.

Collaboration with who/why?

I’d love to collaborate with Katseye. I’ve watched their documentary, Dream Academy, on Netflix, and I was so inspired by the work ethic those girls have. I also suspect that what the documentary covered wasn’t even close to the feelings those girls experienced, so I have potentially even greater respect for them. Aside from their personal stories, I love their music. I think with my writing style, our music could do really well together!

Looking to the future, what’s your dream for your next chapter?

My dream is to get a little more of a following, and to inspire people by being someone they can relate to. I want to help create a community that can be a loving and rewarding place to enjoy music and entertaining at the same time. 

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

I try to come up with songs that are quite different from the last one I created, always trying something different. I try hard not to be predictable, to give them something of a surprise every time I release a new single. More importantly, I hope my listeners discover more about themselves than about me. I want my music to help inspire those around me and to look deeper into themselves and find answers through my lyrics. If I can do that for people, that would be my dream come true!

Link IG, Spotify, Links

TikTok: itsmeoliviamillin

Spotify: