Pop artist Olivia Lunny releases her self-titled debut album today. Upon first listen, it feels impossible not to be hypnotized by the beats that Lunny has put out. Synths, 808s, bouncy keys, and kicking guitars come at you every which way, falling together to create flowing tracks.
For the most part, the album is filled with sophisticated, yet vulnerable pop tracks with touches of funk. Lunny shows range not only in her vocals, but in her lyrics and productions. The first few tracks are pop-centric, building listeners up and giving evidence of Lunny’s unique style and honest storytelling. “Crazy Love“ might give one Ariana Grande vibes with Lunny’s angelic falsetto vocals. Dominoes” somehow manages to sound just like its name with clicking and clubby production. “Who Could Say No” has a psychedelic groove, perfect for getting ready for a night out on the town. Other tracks like “Cold Coffee” and “Sad to See You Happy” will have you in your feelings, but still tapping your foot to the beat. Olivia’s vocals in every track are chill and bright. “The Walls” creates an end for her story with the help of an acoustic guitar and echoes vocals, closing in on the candidness of Lunny’s style.
Below, Lunny digs into a track-by-track breakdown so fans had something to read with their listening pleasure. Not only does she provide personal background info, she also gives out little life lessons and mantras.
WORTH IT
The 80/20 rule. I think I was mistaken and practiced the 20/80 rule a few too many times when it came to my past relationships. Things are euphoric when you’re with that person, there's not a care in the world, but then you’re apart… and the overthinking sets in and the lack of communication drives you MAD. Worth It is a confession to myself of being a hopeful romantic. […] Feelings aside, I’ve grown so much through those seasons in my life and hope this song can give someone the lending hand through their own journey with this crazy thing we call love.
CRAZY LOVE
I think 99.9% of human beings one of our biggest desires is to experience love. Love from our friends, from strangers, within our families, it’s such a powerful thing. Crazy Love is about the longing for romantic connection with somebody. As an empath myself, sometimes I feel that I experience emotions on a deeper level than others. This song is about the desire for mutual connection. Shoutout to Tyler Shaw for bringing a ukulele to this session and inspiring the vibe.
THE WALLS
Our minds control our realities, but infatuation in most cases can bend those realities a little too easily. Often we romanticize and idealize situations. “The Walls” is about how our intuition speaks to us and pushes us towards harmony. […] It’s easy to confuse yourself with who you want someone to be, and who they genuinely are. This song captures the beauty and bittersweetness of a very specific moment in time.
COLD COFFEE
I had jotted down the words “cold coffee” on my phone and forgotten about it. Fast forward 2 weeks and I’m in a sessions with Boi-1da, Heartbeat (Tally & Mandee), and YogiTheProducer and I recall this note. The beat we had was the perfect mix of guitar and 808’s. This is one of my favourite songs on the record because it fuses together different styles of music so well.
DOMINOES
If we’re lucky, we find out what’s waiting at the end of the path. The collision of many people, places and events eventually lead us to our destiny. “Dominoes” Is about finding that one person “they all fell for except for you”. This song came to life through my first ever zoom writing session […] with Tommy Brown, Mr. Franks, Melanie Fontana and Whitney Philips […]. This song has undeniable energy and groove, and I’m thrilled for listers to hear this new found sound.
WHO COULD SAY NO
“Who Could Say No” is a song about being in the moment. It’s also empowerment and having the confidence to pursue what you need. While I usually draw heavily from heartbreak and the spiralling emotions that come with it, WCSN is a departure from that as it’s playful and upbeat!
SAD TO SEE YOU HAPPY
As humans, there's a fault in our programming. We know we shouldn’t be with someone, but when we see them happy with someone else, we feel like we're missing out. “Sad to See You Happy” is a very fun, vibrant song at first glance, the lyrics however, are subtly darker and reminiscent. The contradiction of these two make for a unique combo, and will hopefully leave the listeners intrigued and dancing along!
MODERN LOVE
We are living in a social world. As interconnected as we all are through technology, It can ironically leave us feeling lonely and disconnected. “seconds turn to hours when I’m laying by myself looking at the ceiling searching for a meaning” I distinctly remember playing guitar on my bed and opening my phone to write down this lyric and having my phone die. I put my phone down and had a moment of “wow, what were times like before social media?” especially in the context of dating. This jotted down thought led me to a session with AJ Healey and Shaun Frank where we completed the song.
