This time, we have a special meeting with the incredible Olivia Dolphin — a singer, songwriter, and pure indie pop voice from Providence, Rhode Island. Olivia draws attention with her music, warmth, and the sincerity with which she speaks to the audience about self-acceptance, perseverance, and the search for inner balance. Recently, Olivia released her second album, “Better”, a musical exploration of transformation and self-discovery, enriched with the sounds of alternative rock, witch pop, and orchestral motifs. Olivia will share about the creation of this album, her inspiration, and what connection with the audience means to her.

photo by Maurisa

Hello, Olivia! We are very excited to meet with you again. In May, we introduced your single “No Perfect” to our readers, which became part of your second album. And now, on September 20th, the long-awaited release of “Better” took place. Congratulations on this important event!   But tell us honestly, did the album “Better” become a step forward for you creatively, or is it more of an experiment with your musical identity?  

Thank you! It’s been such an exciting time. “Better” as an album was a bit of both. It was really fun work with the producer on this project Emma Newton at Big Nice Studio. Emma had an incredible way of taking our song arrangements and pushing them even further. I am loving this dark pop/indie rock sound we are finding and can see us to continue to experiment in this space. 

In the album “Better,” you raise the important theme of self-acceptance. But here’s the question: was it easy for you to accept your uniqueness as an artist and as a person? 

Knowing yourself is half the challenge, I feel. Once you know yourself and name the darker parts of yourself, I think you can start to recognize when those traits come up in yourself and your relationships. I’m a storyteller — that’s great for my lyrics, but not so great when I’m making up stories in my head that build on my anxiety or nerves. It’s a trade off sometimes, the things that benefit my artistry sometimes spill over into my personal life in tricky ways. We’re working on it. We’re not perfect! 

You share many personal experiences in the album, but if we’re being candid, which song is the most “bare” for you in terms of vulnerability and openness?  

My song “Not Perfect” probably fits that bill. The lyrics are the most blunt and straightforward, where a lot of other tracks on the album may deal with tougher subjects but leaves room for interpretation. There’s really nothing to hide behind in “Not Perfect”, it’s all right there!  

The emotional depth of your songs is felt throughout the album, especially in tracks like “Once Again” and “Wanted.” How difficult was it for you to openly share your inner feelings in such a candid format?  

It was certainly a new experience, but I’ve been a poet and writer for a long time. What makes songwriting so vulnerable for me is that I’m pairing melodies and arrangements on top of the words. I want people to be enveloped by an entire experience when they listen to my songs and I hope listeners can appreciate the musical risks we took with the tracks. It’s super scary to put an entire work out into the world with so many layers to it. 

Orchestral rock is truly bold and not something everyone can pull off. How did you decide to take such a step by adding these elements to your album?  

Ah, thank you!! I’ve been a fan of classical music since my dad put on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in the house. Something really captured me with the driving strings and solo lines. I started playing the flute in 4th grade as well as piano. I studied classical music in college, so it’s no surprise so much of the album is inspired by orchestral moments. 

photo by Maurisa

Creating a new project is always a team effort. I know that many professionals were involved in the recording process of the album. Did you ever feel that you had to make compromises with colleagues to maintain your style?  

I am so lucky that the members of the band and I have similar tastes, but know how to push each other. Our process right now is I’ll bring a piano+vocal demo to the band and then we’ll start to layer on the other instruments. Everyone brings something so unique to the arrangements and I’m often surprised where the tracks end up. It’s so nice to be challenged and surprised by the works – it’s truly collaborative. 

You’re from Providence, Rhode Island, and you’re the inspiration behind the Well-Versed community, which has revitalized the local music culture! How do you manage to maintain such a creative spirit in the city?  

Providence, Rhode Island is known as the Creative Capital! It’s so easy to be constantly inspired by all the different artists in this city. There is always something going on and I’m honored to be supported by so many other wonderful musicians and artist. My event series “Well-Versed PVD” is an attempt to blend different genres of art and music. It’s so important we weave a strong web of creativity – so it’s my attempt to help Rhode Islanders become more “well-versed” in the artist community right here at home.  

You create a sound that is unique and irresistibly captivating. Your live performances fill the atmosphere with inclusivity. How do you achieve that feeling on stage?  

Thank you! I really want everyone who comes to a show to feel seen and heard and welcome. I want shows to be a place where the audience can express themselves! I love seeing how something like the Eras Tour or Chappell Roan shows have become a fun “dress-up” moment or event in people’s lives and I want folks to know you can get that same feeling from local artists too for a $10 door cover! Everyone is welcome at my show in sparkles, glitter, and whatever makes them feel more like themselves. 

I learned that you have two pets. Tell us about your furry friends. Do they inspire your music-making, or do they distract you from creativity?  

What a fun question – actually yes. At times my two cats do inspire my music! In my song “Home” I wanted to honor that feeling of having lived somewhere for a long time and having so many memories in one place. While there’s no direct mention of cats in the lyrics, I hope the song paints the picture I was hoping. That home can look like so many places – and if that includes a cat, dog or other pet, then I hope they come to mind while you’re listening to that song. 

Creative people are always searching. I think that after the release of “Better,” you’ve already started working on something new, right?

We’re always up to something! We are continuously writing, planning shows, and we’re looking for what cities we should play in next year. We’ve got people listening all over the country and world right now and I want to meet listeners in person! We’ll have to see where 2025 takes us. 

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