Inspired #275 - Beren Olivia
Having already racked up over 4.5 million streams on just a few singles, Gen Z bedroom-songwriter Beren Olivia is back with her new single ‘Hurt Again’. The track is taken from her upcoming debut EP, which is produced by Halsey and Simple Creatures producer Dylan Bauld. She took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Taylor Swift and her lyrics lyrics lyricsss. The way she captures and creates entire atmospheres with every line she writes. She takes you on a journey, emotional rollercoasters, with every song and people relate on every level. That is what I strive for with my music. Coldplay is also a huge inspiration. Their music feels so cinematic and anthemic. It’s the kind of feel good, no matter what time of the day or night, no matter who you’re with, you can’t help but put your arms in the air and sing. Their music fills entire stadiums and unites people - that’s something so special. H.E.R. - her musicality is insane. Her melodies are superrr catchy and her voice is so rich. I listen to her on the daily. Endless inspiration.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
It’s not a film, it’s a series, but I’ve grown up watching Greys Anatomy. The drama is next level but the way Shonda Rhimes and the other crew/cast members of the show are able to tell story’s and display different emotions when the characters interact is so intense. I’ve written so many songs inspired by events/emotions from that show.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Not ‘one’ city jumps out as being the most inspiring. At the risk of sounding so cheesy…if feel like inspiration is everywhere. You can literally be anywhere at any time of day and find something. People are always going through something or feeling something. You just have to watch and listen.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
The most inspiring person in my life was my Nana. In the little time I spent with her, she taught me to see life differently. She had this crazy sense of adventure and she was always there for people. She gave so much of herself to the people around her and I hope to one day be remembered in the same way
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
The first lyric I had going into the session was “people say I have a type, this time it’s you” and this immediately set the tone for the entire song. I find it interesting how people say they have a ‘type’ because that would mean they’ve dated multiple people that are kind of similar and each time it’s never worked out. Like, if that’s the case then maybe you should find someone different right? But I feel like we naïvely hope for the best and hope to be ‘proven wrong’ instead. That’s the mindset behind ‘Hurt Again’.
How would you like to inspire people?
Since releasing my first song last year I feel like my music has created a little community on my social media. I’m not really sure how it came about but we call ourselves ‘a tribe’. Music has this beautiful way of bringing people together across the globe. It’s that universal language that everybody loves. Complete strangers can connect to a song and all of a sudden they have this common thread between them. I just want to inspire people to be themselves, be good and kind to one another and most importantly, be there for one another. Hopefully as this ‘tribe’ grows, this continues.