Olive Louise is a classically trained musician with an innate pop sensibility. The New York-based artist is a promising new voice in alt-pop, thoughtfully carving her own path through captivating storytelling and refreshing vulnerability.
Louise possesses the rare ability to delve deep into self-exploration and still emerge open-hearted, optimistic, and deeply empathetic. This gift, paired with her natural musicality, is ultimately what has drawn listeners to her. Her poetic-yet-digestible lyrics and haunting, airy soprano are a hypnotizing amalgamation of her classical roots and indie-pop influences. In the short time that she’s been releasing music, she has amassed a passionate fan base that recognizes and appreciates her talent and authenticity.
Growing up in Kings Point, New York (on the very estate that inspired F Scott Fitzgerald‘s novel The Great Gatsby), Louise spent her early years studying piano and violin under the tutelage of her mother, who was the lead pianist of the Long Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Her earliest memories include falling asleep to the sound of her mother’s playing and being allowed to leave for school only after mastering a Vivaldi concerto — inevitably, music is part of Louise’s molecular makeup.
Unfortunately, Louise’s dreamy childhood was cut short by the tragic passing of both of her parents. After this devastating loss, she turned to songwriting as a way to process her emotions, eventually recording a song at a studio in her hometown. The experience showed Louise that while she loved Vivaldi and Mozart, she was capable of creating something entirely her own.
Following a somewhat chaotic young adulthood and various unstable living situations, Louise began to pursue a career in singing and songwriting. After a brief stint at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Louise returned to New York City to finish her schooling at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
After years of formal music training, feverish songwriting, and carefully crafting her unique sound, Louise released her first single, “Fool”, in October 2019. The pop-y self-love anthem introduced Louise as an innovative new voice with a fresh perspective. Earmilk praised the track’s “wistful soundscapes, gliding synths and rich layered vocals.”
With 2020 came the release of “Bad Things”, a catchy confessional exploring Louise’s battles with anxiety. The track’s music video, an Alice in Wonderland-esque depiction of her experiences in therapy as a child, prove Louise’s creative prowess and vision. It also received an outpouring of appreciation from fans who could relate to her struggles.
Now, Louise is ready to move forward into a new chapter. “It feels like I’ve actually processed a lot of things,” she says. “I can still be like, ‘Wow, I went through that’ but it doesn’t make me angry at anyone anymore. It just feels like there’s way more freedom in my writing.”
Louise’s capacity for self-reflection, along with her masterful understanding of her craft, are what make her a formidable voice in pop — one that will surely continue to inspire and uplift fans for years to come.
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