Michael Green Interviews... Olivia Lynn

Michael Green
Feb 23
3 min read

Here is a Q&A with singer-songwriter Olivia Lynn. She talks about her experiences in music

1. How did your journey in music begin?

My first memory of singing was when I was about 3 or 4 years old, singing “Twinkle Twinkle” solo at my nursery nativity (I’m sure Mum still has the video!).

I’ve always been interested in music — any music. But my journey with country music comes from my nana listening to Dolly Parton and Shania Twain on our car journeys together.

2. Who have been your biggest musical influences or inspirations?

Without a shadow of a doubt — and yes, it’s a very obvious choice — Dolly Parton and Shania Twain.

I also adore Lady Gaga for her showmanship. I love her stage outfits and the way she performs.

More recently, I’ve been listening to Megan Moroney and Chris Stapleton, who are influencing me as well. And of course, still Shania Twain — she’s just an absolute legend!

3. When it comes to creating music, where do you usually draw your inspiration from? Could you walk us through your songwriting and creative process?

All of my inspiration so far has been pulled from real-life experiences — I work directly from that.

I tend to write songs in two ways. One way is when I suddenly get the urge to sit down and write — literally out of nowhere. The second way is when I need to reflect, get something off my chest, or when I’m feeling a little down. It really helps me.

Either way, I’ll write the lyrics, create a beat, and then go and find my parents and say, “Listen to what I’ve done!” They’re always the first people I perform it to.

Recently, I’ve also been working with a couple of other writers. We bounce ideas around together and create something from nothing, which is really cool.

4. How important do you think it is to keep up with current music trends while also learning from music of the past?

Current music trends are clearly what get noticed, especially with how big an influence social media has.

But personally, I still think the “old” music is the best music — lyrically and musically. Especially in country music, it’s important to be real and tell a story.

Olivia's first ever headline gig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8hkMzWcptk

5. Do you think it’s valuable for artists to watch other acts perform or to regularly attend live shows?

Absolutely, I do!

But I’ll admit I wish I had more time to see live music and other acts perform. When you’re gigging yourself or in the studio, it can be hard to find the time.

I actually love performing at festivals for this reason — it gives me the best of both worlds.

6. Finally, what advice would you give to someone just starting out with live performances and songwriting?

For songwriting, my advice would be: always stay true to yourself. Write from your own experiences, from your heart, and from within. That’s always worked for me.

I have so many songs that I may never even release, because I use writing almost like a diary.

As for performing — first of all, look after yourself (I need to take my own advice on this!). Gigging is exhausting. I’m pretty wild and energetic on stage, so I need to stay fit and drink plenty of water.

Mostly, though, it’s about engaging with your audience. I love talking to them about my songs and getting them involved. Be confident — even if you’re a bag of nerves!

And most importantly, if anything goes wrong, just keep going. Only you and your band will know. I’ve had so many little blunders, but I just carry on the best I can — and weirdly, they often end up being my best shows!