“Should’ve been your voice of reason, Said that I don’t have the heart to watch you cry, I’ve seen her lay down, taking shots from both sides, I see the pain, in the tears you hide”
Alice Olivia’s eerie yet angelic sound is chillingly powerful and demands the hearts and emotions of its listeners. After two years of perfecting its unique character, Olivia has gone from beloved cover artist to a reputable solo artist whose music has made its way to the ears of music lovers around the world. She boasts a whopping 16 million plays on YouTube and a captivating BBC introduction of her latest single “Lovers,” which notified listeners of her promising future in music following such a well received track. The official music video for the song was released on Nov. 12 and proudly struts over 34k plays along with numerous comments of adoration for Olivia’s lofty angelic voice and even a bit of confusion over how she is not currently on every radio station imaginable. I, for one, can say I share a similar feeling and think this song may be Olivia’s ticket to board the fame train.
“Lovers” is a song about being a sideline witness to a fatal and tumultuous relationship that is tearing a loved one a part little by little. While most can relate to the subject, Olivia tells the story in a way that highlights the fear, frustration and sadness that goes with the ever difficult role of being the idle watcher. The production of the music combined with Olivia’s emotive falsetto in the chorus is reminiscent of a pleading cry. As the disturbed and static electric sound of the music behind her voice symbolizes the destructive nature of the relationship, Olivia uses her voice and tone to mimic the same idea in her lyrics. As listeners, we become a part of the story in the music video as we also become bystanders in the dark home of these “lovers.”
The pain living in casual junctures between the couple are frozen in time and difficult to watch as they are drawn out in moments of awkward glances, tears and even violent tugs around the waist. The shaky camera style creates an unsettling mood that compares similarly to a horror film, peaking around corners, lurking down dark hallways and spying on intimate moments of these broken people. As the viewer, we see ourselves as Olivia, a fly on the wall, involved in the scene while also being apart, acting as narrator and spectator. This feeling of involvement is what makes a listener want to put a song on repeat and is Olivia’s key to success.
As if Alice Olivia’s vocals and lyrics weren’t enough to shackle listeners to this song, the music video will surely do the trick to help fans know who she is as an artist and what to expect in her anticipated and quickly rising career.