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Valleys and peaks shape Olivia's music

By Chris Betros

Japanese-American singer Olivia PHOTO BY TSUTOMU FUJITA

TOKYO — When she was in elementary school, Japanese-American singer Olivia recalls just wanting to get up on stage, grab the microphone and show everyone how she could move. “I used to watch a lot of musicals on TV and was really wowed by them,” she says. “I guess that’s what started me on a singing career.”

Born in Okinawa in 1979, Olivia grew up there, as well as in California, Philadelphia and North Carolina, before returning to Okinawa. After being scouted while at school, Olivia started her musical career, which included singing the theme song for the 1998 soccer World Cup. Her debut solo single came in 1999, followed by an album in 2000. “It was an interesting time,” Olivia recalls. “When I debuted, I was only 16. I was still having fun singing and dancing at school. Then I had the chance to come to Tokyo and get paid for it.” Music seems to run in Olivia’s family. Both her brother and sister are musical. “I work with my brother sometimes over the Internet making music. He does sound and production design.”

Olivia’s genre can be defined as rock or alternative pop but she doesn’t like to be pinned down. “Right now, I’m mixing in J-pop, rock and electronica, but I don’t want to limit myself. I don’t like to say I am a rock musician or this or that. I have a lot of different ideas and try to follow them. I go with my own intuition.”

She writes her own lyrics most of the time. “I just try and be honest with what I feel at the moment and try to write about my peaks, whether they be high or sad. I am most creative when I am relaxed. That’s nighttime. I am trying to change it to the morning, when I feel fresh. I have been trying to change my schedule, but it’s hard. Before I used to go to sleep around 5 or 6 a.m. and I realize I can’t keep doing that.”

Most recently, Olivia has been singing the opening and closing theme songs to the hit TV anime series “Nana.” “‘Nana’ is great, an amazing comic. I thought it was a fit for me. I can really relate to the character. I’m waiting to see what’s going happen to her.” She is also planning to release a couple of more singles and an album this year and says she would like to do more live shows.

Olivia is enjoying her creative streak, but things weren’t always this good. In 2004, she took a long break due to stress. “I had been recording nonstop in the studio — four mini-albums and one full-length album. The pace was too fast for me. It wasn’t fun anymore and they were still wanting me to do more things. But I just couldn’t. I was really sad and upset that my passion was gone. So I had to get away to somewhere with a lot of nature, so I could heal. I didn’t write and stayed away from music for a couple of years. I was really scared that my creativity wouldn’t come back. I wasn’t listening to any music because that would upset me. Then one day, I was in Burbank and walking by a store and heard music playing and it sounded so nice to me. I felt the urge to write and listen to music again.”

Olivia has found other creative outlets over the years. She designed fashion for awhile. She is also very health conscious and avoids fast foods. “I like to exercise, meditate and go to onsens. I am planning on going to India for a couple of weeks. I want to get away from city so I can change my perspective. Eastern philosophy appeals to me.”

Coming from Okinawa, Olivia is naturally interested in political issues. “On the one hand, I definitely would like to see U.S. bases leave Okinawa, but there are a lot of Japanese people employed on the bases. I lived on base because my father was in the military, so I saw both sides of the argument.”

May 12, 2007

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Valleys and peaks shape Olivia's music
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