Ringing in the New Year at Olivia Management

by Jacob Welsch

As we finally settle back into the office after the holidays, we at Olivia Management are not delaying when it comes to working towards the company’s resolutions for 2023. When we set goals for ourselves and as a team, we are then able to push ourselves to perform our best work for our artists and clients. With that being said, Olivia has set forth some ‘champagne goals’ and cannot wait to see all that our artists will be up to this year.

We know you’re probably asking yourself, what are these champagne goals you speak of? These goals are a few of our resolutions as a company in the new year and each time we reach one, we pop open some bubbly to celebrate. From playing at new venues and festivals, releasing new music, touring in new cities, and gaining more recognition, read below to see a few of our specific champagne goals!

Headlining the Ryman has always been a dream of ours. Most of our artists are Nashville based and have spent their entire lives seeings shows in this stunning venue in hopes of performing there one day. Olivia Records reaching a combined one million streams, a record going gold, and any of our artists reaching over a million monthly listeners are obvious goals when it comes to popping the bubbly. Lastly, after working with several Grammy-nominated artists, we believe all of our artists have what it takes to take it to the next level.

And don’t worry about missing our artists this year! Everyone is keeping busy recording and writing new music, planning releases, and touring around the states. So get your tickets to see your favorite artists before you regret it! A few of our artists starting the year off on tour include The Sewing Club, Mary Gauthier, and Derek Webb.

We hope you won’t miss us on the road this year! The Sewing Club is heading on tour with Arlie, Derek Webb is in the middle of his House Show Tour, and Mary Gauthier is soon joining the True Heart Troubadour Tour. We also have some home shows coming within the next few months so we hope you stay tuned.

Olivia Management wishes everyone a happy and healthy 2023. We hope to see you at one of our shows and hope you remember that we truly could not do any of this without you. We also hope that you not only surround yourself with good people and good music this year, but that you take the time to create a few champagne goals for yourself and celebrate all that you have accomplished.

"So Good" by Alex Blue is the Summer Song You Need Right Now.

By Luke McMahon

Whether summer means a few months of a wide-open schedule and not knowing what day it is, or just another few months out of the year where you tap your foot under your desk until the weekend, Alex Blue has you covered with the perfect summer tune. With a fitting title, “So Good” is the perfect encapsulation of the inevitable summer blues and the sunshine that wishes them away. 

Sharing a little backstory on the track, Alex says, “This song is about getting a call from the worst possible person to hear from on your birthday. It makes a day that should have been celebratory a bit of a nightmare. This dancey song daydream is about what the party might have been like if that call never came.” Just because the weather is nice and the sunlight sticks around a little longer these days doesn’t mean everyday worries and struggles don’t know where to find us. Blue pinpoints that feeling so well in this song. Not only do I find comfort in someone else admitting to feeling not so great on what should be a good day, but Blue has made me want to get up and dance about it. Take a drive around your neighborhood, roll down your windows, blast some “So Good,” and thank me later.

In a visual accompaniment to the song, Alex can be seen enjoying a classic rock pop under the summer sun, taking in the colors, sounds, and scenery that are guaranteed to invigorate your summer daydreaming. 

Written by Alex Blue and produced by herself & Giulio Cercato, “So Good” joins “Coffee in the Morning,” another recent single off of Alex’s current EP project.

Be sure to check out “So Good” as well as Alex’s other incredible projects on all streaming platforms here!

Jill Andrews "The Parthenon Sessions" Review

By Luke McMahon

For over one hundred years, the Parthenon has stood proudly in Centennial Park as one of Nashville's most popular attractions. One hundred years means this building has witnessed millions of little moments. It has been a place for nervous first dates or the silent walk of a couple that has been together for 50 years, a place for locals and tourists alike to come and gaze at the impossibly green grass and walk through the extraordinary building. From all kinds of gatherings, breakups, and proposals, the Parthenon has arguably seen it all. But I can only imagine how this old building must have felt when it was swelled by the musical stylings of Olivia Management's very own Jill Andrews in her recently debuted "Parthenon sessions."

Presented by the Centennial Park Conservancy and containing 5 of Jill's original tunes, the Parthenon sessions offered the perfect environment for Andrews' unforgettable artistry, "tailored to the unique 5-second reverb of the building's 42-foot tall ceilings." If there is a "right way" to enjoy Jill Andrews' music, this is that way. Accompanied and surrounded by a variety of string players throughout each song makes the experience not only sonically beautiful but visually stunning. Seeing the exposed instruments that culminate to produce such a unique raw sound, paired with Andrews’ soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics makes for a memorable performance.

One performance, in particular, stood out to me as it captured so perfectly the magic that makes Jill, well, Jill. Performing her song "Sorry Now," from her 2020 Album, Thirties, accompanied by a quartet of string instruments, Andrews drifted through the sound system on my TV, allowing it to feel as though my living room ceiling was 42 feet high. It is a special thing to witness a musician in such a stripped environment, it is even more special to see them absolutely crush it. Andrews doesn’t need much to shine.

The Parthenon sessions are a masterful way to showcase artists and the most authentic parts of their talent. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You can stream Jill's Session via YouTube or wherever you like to get your tunes!

Be sure to see Jill Andrews on tour this fall! Grab your tickets here!

My Favorite Songs by Smooth Hound Smith

by Kaila Divak

When I was first researching Olivia Management, before I applied to intern here, I looked through all of their artists’ catalogs. I was really into everything that they put out, but I was particularly drawn towards one duo, and that was Smooth Hound Smith. I was obsessed with their harmonies, a mix of country and blues. Honestly, it was hard for me to even make that comparison because I think that they have so many different genres of music stitched into their three albums that it’s almost impossible to pin them within one.

But my all-time favorite song by them came out after I had discovered them. I would have to say that their newest single, “Little Rock N Roll Clubs”, is by far my favorite song that they’ve ever released. I had the privilege of listening to it to create social media content prior to the release, and I found myself walking around my house, doing something mundane like cooking or cleaning, and singing the song. I wanted to play it on Spotify so badly that I even looked it up a few times, remembering mid-search that the single wasn’t out until August 28th. “Little Rock N Roll Clubs” is a tribute to independent music venues across the world that have been getting hit hard due to concerts and other events being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This song was written with Save Our Stages, the National Independent Venue Association, and the National Independent Talent Organization in mind. So not only is it an amazing song, it also has some purpose behind it, which makes you feel good.

My second favorite song by Smooth Hound Smith is for sure “Steal Your Crown” off of their 2013 record, Smooth Hound Smith. This song has such a real rockabilly feel, like they were playing homage to The Black Keys and Thickfreakness. Every last detail down to the harmonica, tambourine, fuzzy guitar, and the steady drumbeat compliment Zack’s growly vocals and Caitlin’s harmonies perfectly. This song makes you want to get up and sing a karaoke song at a dive bar. I love to play this one while driving on the highway, with all of my windows down. And I’m sure you’d feel the same way.

My third and final favorite song would definitely be “Stopgap Woman Blues” off of their sophomore album, Sweet Tennessee Honey. For some reason, whenever I listen to this song, I think of “Black Country Woman” by Led Zeppelin. I don’t know if it’s the way the drums enter later on in the song, or the gritty guitar melody, but it gets me every time. The music video for this song also makes me laugh, but it’s true.

And I’ve missed so many amazing songs that Smooth Hound Smith has recorded, because if I listed all of the songs that I loved by them, this post be way too long long. They really do blend so many genres together to make an extremely unique genre of their own.

What’s Happening with Our Artists this Week

by James Muller

From an outside perspective, most people would think that there is not a whole lot is going on with musicians right now. With live music on pause for the most part, many artists have jumped into a quarantine of creativity or simply just spend time with family. At Olivia Management, each of our artists have had a busy summer finding new ways to bring music to the world and connect with their fans. From playing live streams, launching Patreons, safe and socially distanced shows, releasing new singles, and everything in between. Every week is different, and there is always something new happening with our artists. Here’s a little rundown of what our artists have going on this week! 

If there’s one thing we know about Jill Andrews, it’s that she loves to tour. While understanding the need and importance for social distancing and safety during this time, Jill had a vision to tour the country in a safe and pandemic-friendly way. This week she continues her ‘Outdoor Spaces and Covered Faces Tour’ with a show on Thursday, August 6th in Madison, WI. So far the tour has been a socially distanced success, and Jill has been thrilled to play live for her fans in a safe manner. 

Hush Kids are beaming with their latest single release, “Wake Up (Acoustic)”, and are excited to have this song out in the world! Take a listen.

Derek Webb continues his ‘End of The World’ livestream series this Thursday with a full performance of his album, “Mockingbird”. Click here for Tickets!

Ruthie Collins has been making the most of her airstream with her livestream series, “Live from the Airstream”. Check out her next show, Monday, August 6th. She will be playing future cuts!

We are so proud of all that are artists are doing to stay creative and connected with their fans!

Rethinking Routine

by Mackenzie Fey

If you’ve been following along in the last couple of blog posts, you might’ve seen me fish out some tips for working at home and making yourself a pro at this. These tips included starting your days with intentionality, spacing things out mentally and physically, and the importance of taking breaks. All of these things emphasize keeping things as normally as possible within the confines of an abnormal time. There’s nothing wrong with this! For people like me, I need to maintain that mindset to continue being productive and get the responsibilities I have taken care of. But this came to a realization that during these abnormal times, it’s okay to have things be just that. Abnormal.

Don’t get me wrong! There is so much value in routine! Right now, however, times are evolving and changing. Nothing is how it was a year ago. I mean, not even a month ago! What’s the harm in evolving your own routine? Doing things a little differently and reminding yourself it’s okay to be imperfect and skip out on getting into normal people clothes on Tuesday morning and just staying in your pajamas. It’s actually kinda fun! This can even look like finally picking up that brush and paints you got forever ago and never actually used it. It could be listening to an artist or genre you haven’t taken the time to listen to during your work hours (see below!). Go ahead and eat cereal and a donut for dinner. Try a new tv show on a Monday night at 11pm. Now’s the time!

Having a hard time deciding what your new non-routine could look like? I can help with that:

Today, Ruthie Collins released her sophomore album Cold Comfort featuring singles like “Dang Dallas” and “Bad Woman”. It has everything you’d want in an album: truth, heartbreak, enchanting melodies, storytelling, incredible production, and a song that can relate to any one of us. Check it out at this link here and give it a listen! Try it out, you won’t regret it.

To further break up the “normal”, tune in tonight at 7pm central to hear the new album live from Ruthie’s couch in New York! Join us on her YouTube channel tonight at YouTube.com/RuthieCollinsMusic.

New Music for Your Weekend

New Music? Yes please.

Happy Friday, fellow music fanatics! Have you heard? Two great artists of ours have released some music today. Check it out!

Jill Andrews, “The Kids Are Growing Up”

This song discloses every feeling about life and the speed at which is passes that many have but don’t quite know how to put it into words. Jill has so eloquently done this for us. Take a listen!

Derek Webb, “TARGETS” full album

The long-awaited album is finally here. From songs like title track “Targets” and “Plain Sight” will open your mind to reflecting on old ideas and embracing the new. Prepare yourself for serious head bobbing.

Songs That I love by Olivia Management Artists

Listening to all of the great artists at Olivia Management has been a really exciting part of interning here. The artists create music that tells stories and have such rich aspects to their melodies and lyrics. They grab your attention and hold it to where I find myself turning on the rarely used repeat button. We live in a world today where access to great music has never been easier. Thanks to this interning for this little artist management company, I get first-hand access. And so do you! Here’s a condensed list of some of my favorite songs by the artists at Olivia Management! I even threw in a few music and lyric videos for fun because who doesn’t love a good visual aspect?

Click here to stream and download "Joshua Tree": https://smarturl.it/RCJoshuaTree

Jill Andrews

• “River Swimming”

• “A way to you again”

• “Free”

Smooth Hound Smith

• “Backslide”

•  “Used to Be Your Man”

in as far as what you've been through has made you who you are today, it's worth every dime & tear. take hope, friends. -derek The third single from Derek We...

Ruthie Collins

•  “Getting Out There” 

• “Joshua Tree”

•  “Dang Dallas”

Derek Webb

• “Wedding Dress” 

• “Good Grief”

Lydia Luce

• “Linens”

• “Love You True”

Hush Kids

• “Make these Colors Real”

How Do You Find New Music?

By Connor Kozlecar

If you’re anything like me, you listen to a song or album on repeat until you literally can’t stand to hear it again and are always craving something new to grace your ears. In the ever-changing vast world of consumable music, how do you sort through the MILLIONS of songs and albums to find something that appeals to your specific taste? As consumers, we are blessed with an overwhelming amount of music to choose from. Many of the major platforms used around the world are equipped with algorithms to help out with just that. I’m going to help walk you through a few of the platforms that I use and the processes that I have to find new music to listen to. Check it out!

1. Spotify

   Personally, my streaming service of choice is Spotify. One of the primary reasons that I love Spotify so much is the ease of being introduced to new music. First and foremost, they create a playlist every week literally called “New Music Friday.” This playlist introduces you to newly-released music from all different genres and allows you to explore that with the tap of a finger. Additionally, Spotify has a very effective algorithm that collects data from all of the tracks and albums that you listen to on a daily basis. It then uses that data in a few different ways to expose each listener to fresh music: every Monday, Spotify will take the data that it has collected from your listening tendencies, and it will create a playlist for you called “Discover Weekly.” Discover Weekly compiles a list of around 30 songs that are similar in style to what you have listened to in the last week and tries to nail down the next song that you could be looking for. Every Monday for me is a tradition. An opportunity to take advantage of this playlist and find new tracks and artists while having my morning coffee. On the same day, a similar algorithm will take that data and do a mass search through all of the artists that you have liked or saved in the past and compile a playlist of any new releases from artists that you enjoy or are similar.

   Spotify’s search engine is also incredibly helpful when wanting to find new music. Similar to other platforms, you can browse through genres by scrolling through the browse option in the app. What’s great about manually searching instead, is the ability to search for things such as what kind of mood you’re in or a specific (maybe less familiar) genre and having a plethora of company created playlists to choose from. An example being, if you searched for “rainy day” (your mood) or “Americana” (a genre), hundreds of songs, hand-picked by Spotify will conveniently be organized into sub-playlists for you to choose from however you please!

2. Youtube

   When it comes to visual stimulation alongside music, Youtube is the place to be. With literally millions of videos on YouTube being music forward, the opportunities here are endless. Similar to Spotify, YouTube uses an algorithm to track your views and suggest a video for you to watch next that you most likely will enjoy. One of my favorite tactics on the site to find new music is to subscribe to channels that ask artists to come in and perform acoustic or alternate versions of their own songs, and or covers of artists they look up to. A few of these channels that are my favorite include: Jam in the Van, AudioTree, NPR Music, Colors, and Triple J (in no particular order.) Youtube is endless music fun, for any style.

3. Just listening!

   Living in Nashville has gifted me the most accessibility to live music that I’ve ever had in my life. In my opinion, there is no better way to find new music than going to local events or just noticing the music that is always playing around us. These days, in nearly every restaurant or store, you’ll hear music playing in the background. I’ve found that taking a moment to stop and listen has introduced me to some of the best songs and genres using tools like Shazam. When I first moved to Nashville a few years ago, I found the first Americana artist that I truly enjoyed using Shazam on my phone after just hearing a short snippet in a restaurant I was eating in. With tools like Bandsintown we also have access to lists of new artists and concerts coming to our very own cities that otherwise may have slipped by without knowing. Take advantage of your city and enjoy the music that’s around you!

HOWEVER you do it, we all know the joy of finding our new favorite song, and I hope some of these suggestions and tips on how I typically do it help you find your new favorites!!

New(ish) Songs on the Block: A Playlist

by Mackenzie Fey

If you’re like me, you tend to listen to the same three playlists with the same songs curated for any possible mood. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with this—it’s encouraged, actually. But sometimes it’s fun to get a little crazy and listen to songs we haven’t heard before. Unfortunately, this takes a lot of will power to go and seek music that you may find somewhat enjoyable (I know I can’t be alone in this). Lucky for you I’ve done the work necessary. All you have to do is press play!

Some newer Olivia Management playlist highlights:

• “Good Grief” by Derek Webb

• “Dang Dallas” by Ruthie Collins

• “Dog in a Manger” by Smooth Hound Smith

• “Back Together” by Jill Andrews

Some of my favorite new (for the most part) songs! Check it out!

2019 All Wrapped Up

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on a few of the great things that have happened this year for Olivia Management and all of our great artists. From new songs to hitting the road near and far, they’ve done it all! Take a look for yourself below!

Jill Andrews

• 3 new singles: “Sorry Now”, “Forces”, and “The Party”

Derek Webb

• 2 new singles for upcoming album, TARGETS: “All of Me Is Here” and “Targets”

• Toured US for 10 year anniversary of Stockholm Syndrome

Hush Kids

• Recorded a OurVinyl Sessions - EP

• New single: “Make These Colors Real”

Ruthie Collins

• Two new singles: “Dang Dallas” and “Joshua Tree”

Smooth Hound Smith

• Toured across US in support of new album, “Dog in a Manger”

• New music video for title track, “Dog in a Manger”

Lydia Luce

• Toured all through Europe with Sam Outlaw and Sarah Walk

• Released “Azalea Strings - EP”

…and the list doesn’t end there! There’s so much that’s happened and there’s WAY MORE where that came from! Just wait until 2020, y’all.

Finding New Music

by Steven Metrejean

Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like the amount of music that’s being released, on an almost daily basis, is making it harder and harder to keep track of your favorite artists. On the opposite side of that coin, it makes discovering and falling in love with new music easier than ever before. Nothing can quite compare to the exhilaration of finding a new song or artist that just speaks to your soul in a new way or that gets you up and dancing or crying like you haven’t in a long time. Interning at an artist management company like Olivia Management, new music comes through our doors consistently—it’s incredible. I recognize that not everyone has this opportunity. This begs the question - what are the most effective and easiest ways to find new music today?

Social Media

Social media: the thing we love to hate and hate to love. But as far as using it as a platform for discovering new music, I find that it is often a great way to explore new music. Whether it’s through searching hashtags or even going through follow lists of artists that you already follow, it’s a good way to expose yourself to all different kinds of artists. Not only seeing what my friends post on their stories, I find that my social media advertisements are really good at targeting me with artists that I might like. We could talk about how the internet uses all of our data to tailor ads for each of us individually, but to be honest, I am not all that upset when I see an ad for a new album or music video from an artist that is spot on with my tastes. The most recent example of this was when I discovered a British artist named Mabel after seeing an Instagram ad for one of her music videos. That song was catchy, and I downloaded it immediately when I heard it for the first time!

Concerts

Some people like to gripe about opening acts at shows. They’ll complain about how they didn’t pay to see this brand-new artist with only one EP out, and that they’re just grinning and bearing it until the headliner hits the stage. But I like to see openers. Oftentimes their music is similar to the artist’s music that I paid to see. Having an opening spot on a big headlining tour is an amazing opportunity for exposure to a huge audience that a new artist would not normally have a chance to perform for. Who doesn’t want to give back to an opener who spends half their set talking about how grateful they are just to be there?

Friends & Family

Some of my favorite conversations with friends and family have turned into hours-long rants and arguments about who’s favorite artist is more under-appreciated and underrated than who’s. We talk about how one genre of music is deeper and more emotional than another, or we just have fun talking about the latest bops that we’ve been dancing in our cars at stoplights to. Never underestimate the power of a friend suggesting you listen to an artist or song they think that you’ll like. If they know you well enough, they only have the best experience for your ears at heart. And I find it’s one of the best ways to show someone that you truly care about them!

Music I've Been Digging

by Steven Metrejean

Aside from my first music love of pop and R&B, I have grown to be a fan of many of our artists who range in the folk and Americana realm. I’m coming to find that genre can be an incredibly restrictive qualifier placed on music. As far as I’m concerned, as long as the music is enjoyable, then it’s good music! This is a fairly comprehensive, but by no means extensive, list of the music that I have been digging lately:

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“You” by James Arthur 

I have been a fan of James Arthur now for a few years, and it is his voice that I can never get enough of. His natural rasp, his range, and his ability to convey the most desperate and heavy of emotions through my headphones or speakers makes me envious, to say the least. Many of his songs are on the heavy side of lyrical content – his struggles with addiction, anxiety, family troubles, and struggling with fame. I discovered his sophomore album, “Back from the Edge” about two years ago during a time in my life where hearing someone sing about those issues was very familiar and therapeutic. “You” is James’s most recent release, coming out only last week and it has been on repeat everywhere I go. It was hard to wait so long for new music from him, but he made it worth the wait. Overall, the album is a bit more optimistic, but his voice has lost none of its power and emotive potency.

“Truth Is” by Sabrina Claudio 

Delving into the R&B world, Sabrina Claudio is one of my favorite R&B newcomers of the past couple of years. Again, it’s her voice that has me so captivated. Whoever she works with on her vocal production and recording is an absolute genius! Her lyrics are so full of imagery and intimacy that you can’t help but feel like she’s crooning directly into your ear. Her latest album, “Truth Is”, capitalizes on these strengths even more. She is growing up before our eyes, and her material continues to broach more mature themes – but she is never gratuitous. Plus, she has a song with ZAYN on this record, so One Direction fans should be excited about that! 

“Forces” by Jill Andrews

I’m not sure how much I can say without giving too much away, but Jill Andrews is working on a new album and ooooooooh my god it is SO good!! “Forces” is the second single from the upcoming album, and it is just phenomenal. Her voice has such a lived-in quality to it, and her lyrics about “Forces that we can’t control” are very poignant to the close-to-graduating college student that I am. If there is one thing that I have learned over the past three and a half years of life on my own, it’s that sometimes life happens. And most of the time life is completely out of our control. After a little listening party we had with some of Jill’s biggest fans, this song just gets me so excited for the entire album! 

“Turn Off the Light” by Kim Petras 

If you’re a fan of pop music, chances are you’ve heard of this German pop princess in the past couple of years. She has burst onto the scene with her ear for a hook and some of the best synth-pop production in the past decade and I love every second of it! “Turn Off the Light” is her Halloween themed project that actually expands on a similar project she released in the fall of 2018. Songs like “There Will Be Blood”, “Bloody Valentine”, “Massacre”, “Demons”, and “Everybody Dies” are just a sample of what to expect from the album. Petras really leans into the camp and spectacle of the spookiest time of year, and she does so with some of the best pop songs to be released in 2019. It’s perfect to put on at your costume party this year!

“Velvet: Side A – EP” by Adam Lambert

After four years, we finally have new music from Adam Lambert. If you weren’t a huge fan of his 2015 album, “The Original High”, because of its electropop and house music roots, then you might be a big fan of this new project. Featuring all organic instrumentation, Lambert is harking back to his roots in glam rock and classic rock leaning pop music. His voice is stronger than ever (if you can sense a theme, it’s pretty obvious that I love a good singer). Listen to “Closer to You” for a master class in power balladry that is sure to blow you out of the water!

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As I said before, this is by no means a complete list of all of the music that I have been recently digging. But I think it’s a pretty good sample of the music that has me inspired and excited to be starting a career in this industry. Let us know if you’re digging any of these artists or what music you’re diving into this week!