“It’s unusual to hear this kind of musicality in a pop song” ‘Black Magik’ by Olivia Rose Wallace

This song sets off in a strong direction from the offset. The expressive creativity in those opening instrumental bars is superb, it makes you smile and move your body without even realising it, and that’s a wonderful way to present the true power of music. The bass line in particular is sensational; it’s unusual to hear this kind of musicality in a pop song or r&b inspired track (these genre references hinted at perhaps only melodically and lyrically speaking).  The playful way in which the bass is put forward enhances the whole thing immensely, as does that stylish and quite gripping guitar solo riff – the repetitive swirl of it, even in it’s simplistic role, is hypnotic.

The thing that builds the general effect up in the end is that the song playing on top of or alongside of all of this musical individuality seems to fit in perfectly with the overall ambiance of the moment. The leading vocal has been beautifully performed, it’s one that is easy to listen to, yet confident enough to really pull off something that is slightly left of the expected – it’s great to listen to.

The production has been done brilliantly, all of these individual moments seem to shine in their own unique way – nothing is overshadowed by anything else. And finally, the actual substance of the song – the writing, the structure, the melody, the hook; everything really does just fall into place quite perfectly within this track. It stands out from the majority of its surrounding releases (elsewhere in the industry) for a number of different reasons, so there’s so very much to look forward to with it. It’s an exciting release, a pleasure to discover, a really refreshing piece of music with enough of everything – plus that all-important little bit of something extra – to keep listeners interested throughout.

By Rebecca Cullen

Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

 Grew up in a small town outside of Flint, Michigan. I have a very creative family all of whom are in the arts either as musicians, dancers, filmmakers or singers. So entertaining is a big part of my family. Singing became my passion at the age of 5 and I began taking lessons which led to performing in local concerts, talent shows and musicals.  My Grandmother was from Guyana and an influential person in my childhood, In between her playing hours of Gospel, we would have moments of Motown, Jazz and Soca Music.  I think all of those influences have impacted my style and music.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 I have explored not using my given name for years but I feel that my music, lyrics and sound are such a personal and true extension of myself, that I can’t imagine not using my real name.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

  Online sharing has been a great experience for me.  The feedback on my music from all over the world has been an inspiration for writing more songs/messages that people want to hear.  Yes, my music is available on soundcloud and youtube for people to listen to for free.  I am still growing my fan base and always excited to hear their feedback and interest in my songs.  I’m working on my EP now, but releasing covers and one single so far has given me a good understanding of my demographics and what they like about my vibe.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

 Have your songs and material ready to handout at all times or play at a moments notice.  Network everywhere you go.  People know people.  I’ve been known to share my songs with Uber drivers in LA. If someone really likes my music, I’m not shy about asking for a tweet or facebook mention.   I have fans message me videos singing to my songs and post those videos on social media.  Most of the music blogs or contacts first notified me through iMessage or email in addition to numerous rap artists inquiring about collaborations.  So at least I know the constant posting is getting attention and reaching the right people.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

 Yeah I remember fumbling my lyrics at a Juneteenth concert downtown Flint when I was younger.  It was a lesson in preparation. However, I leaned the audience is on your side and they encouraged me to keep going and began cheering even louder. So I also learned that people like authenticity on stage and to keep it real.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

 Not currently on tour, working on my EP at the moment.

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

All my lyrics are created from personal experiences.  Something will happen, good or bad, and I will need to write a song about it.  Sometimes it’s a way of moving past a situation.  Usually I have the feel of music in my head, like “oh this would need a jazzy opening or this song needs an acoustic guitar”.  All my songs have a similar feel but I like to layer piano, guitar or string instruments on top in variations to create something new.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

www.oliviarosesound.com

Twitter: Oliviasound_now

Soundcloud: Olivia Sound

Youtube: Olivia Rose Wallace

Instagram: Oliviasound_now

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

  I’d spend the majority of my time and money traveling, writing, experiencing life through my eyes instead of a screen.

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

 Working on my EP now. Interested in finding some chill collaborations.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

 I would’ve loved to have recorded a duet with Nina Simone or Etta James. Can’t beat their jazzy tones and style. Contemporary artists would be the Weeknd, BlackBear or Eden.  Those artists are on the top of my playlist and I love their vibe.  If I could write lyrics with anyone and then collab, it would be with Ed Sheeran.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 Release of my EP and start touring. That’s the goal.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 Writing novels, traveling, and contribute more to equal rights activism.

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

My music choice always varied. From one day to the next it was oldies rock with my brother to radio hits with my sister. My very first album I bought was the hits of 2008 with Kanye West, Secondhand Serenade, and Britney Spears.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

 Take it day by day. When a door opens I walk through, when it’s shut I move on and don’t look back.  I am a full time student as well.  So keeping up and not procrastinating is my first attempt in keeping balance.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?

  My EP. I promise to keep it a true reflection of me “chill, relaxed and heartfelt”.