Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olivia Lyon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Olivia, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
When I am playing a show, a lot of the time I am the only trans person in the venue. Of course, sometimes there are other trans artists who are performing, and there are other trans people in crowd, but that’s not usually the case. It can be discouraging to be alone in a room in that way. What I’ve learned is that being the ‘performer’ frees me. A stage allows me to be anything, it’s a new dynamic, and an audience sees the performer with new eyes. Being the only person who looks like you can be alright, you can stick out, you can get people’s attention — which is usually, in performing arts, a good thing. If people stare at you, that’s the point — you’re onstage. The fear is flipped upside-down. Being different becomes a strength, and you have the opportunity represent people like you. Ultimately, I focus on the quality of the performance, on doing the job well, that’s what works best for me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a singer-songwriter, I’ve been writing songs and singing in some capacity all my life. The present incarnation of my music came about a few years ago. It wasn’t until I came out as trans that I started performing as a singer-songwriter. I perform live, both with a band and solo. I’ve toured on and off for a couple years. This last year I was awarded a grant from an organization called MusicOregon. With that funding I was able to make my first full-length album, which I had been planning and dreaming about for years. It was released in May of last year, called: The Queen of Coastal Country.
As a singer and a writer I’ve always loved to cross the bridges between country music, folk storytelling, and pop. The album does exactly that, which is the vibe I call “Coastal Country.” I’ve listened to country music since I was literally in the womb, but I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and so I inherently feel a little removed from ‘real’ country music. What is and isn’t ‘real’ country is a big deal in the genre. The colors of folk and pop and grunge from my part of the country bleed into traditional country sound to get Coastal Country.
The album is streaming on Spotify and anywhere else you look!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three skills that mean the most to me are playfulness, practice, and surrender. For creative work it is kind of assumed that the musician is playing, but it can be easy to lose touch with the play aspect of it. Something I’ve found in making music professionally is just how much of an artist’s energy goes into stuff that isn’t music. It’s a really high percentage! I find that I play less music on tour than I do at home, because most of the time on a DIY tour is driving, eating, mingling with other musicians, setting up equipment, tearing equipment down, sleeping. Only an hour or so per night is playing music. And so with all of that going on, and so little time to really do the thing you want to do. What helps is focusing on the aspect of play. Being playful with the music, the performance, but also in the time spent offstage. Being curious, laughing, and trying new things can be ways to preserve the ‘play’ part of it all. Fun is important.
The next skill is practice, which is also playful. Spending time alone in a room and practicing has become fulfilling to me, and more productive than ever. Patient, solitary concentration without any distraction, with a clear objective is a wonderful way to make progress, to spend time with myself.
That leads me to the third skill, surrender: the most important thing I can do at any time, and especially while performing, is to surrender. Thinking is great sometimes, but creating art is often impeded by thinking — especially thinking up comparisons with other people who are farther ahead in their career.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am looking for people to collaborate with on the business end of things. Whether it’s booking, organizing tours, distributing merch, general management things. At this phase in my work I’m serving as my own management team, and collaborating with someone in that domain will free me up for more creative work. If you’re reading this and want to collaborate, just head over to my instagram and shoot me a message!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivviamary/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@olivialyon2052?si=dnVBYFbgX3Im4iHH
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/olivialyon?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5NxnPcs2xGMU3Wfe2MLWow?si=B-S0V0omSV636UeX1zN33A
Image Credits
Profile photo by Ora Cogan.
All other photos by Jakob Dorsal.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
