In crafting her debut album, ‘Self Talk’, Melbourne songstress Olivia Bartley aka Olympia drew on her keen sense of observing and interpreting the human condition in all its complexity.
Fascinated by the stories that mould people’s lives, Olivia explains how the record’s third single, ‘Smoke Signals’, was partly inspired by a Japanese reality show called ‘Sweepstakes Life’. “This guy, [Japanese comedian, Tomoaki ‘Nasubi’ Hamatsu] he gets completely naked and there’s nothing in the apartment except magazines,” she says.
“In the back of the [magazines] there are competitions and he has to write and send away the sweepstakes and win one million yen worth of prizes to be released from the house, and hope that he would win food or clothing in the interim.
“You just see him becoming increasingly emaciated and a little bit crazy because he’s got no-one to talk to and of course it went straight to air. More people watched him in Japan than Americans watch ‘Game Of Thrones’, he was so famous. The whole song is about someone’s internal and unseen chaos, and I touch on that theme throughout the record.”
With her album released at the end of April, Olivia has also dropped a video clip for ‘Smoke Signals’. Directed by Alex Smith, the clip evokes a bygone era of video production that reminds one all too much of late nights watching Rage. “I was so romantic and nostalgic about film clips from my youth too,” Olivia says.
“There’s so much fantasy in them and unfortunately film clips are so expensive to make that it’s hard to evoke that these days. The aesthetic in the film clip, we actually used a camera from 1982. So that’s why it looks old.”
In addition to her work as Olympia, Olivia also pulls double duty playing keyboards and guitar in Paul Dempsey’s band. With ‘Self Talk’ now available, Olivia is preparing for her own national tour in support of the album. “That’s when the real work begins,” she says excitedly, “where you prove to people it’s real and breathe life into the album.
“I’ve got a four-piece band: Pat Bourke on bass, who plays with me in Paul Dempsey’s band as well; Rob Vasey who played with Owl Eyes, and Sarah Belkner who’ll also be one of the local supports.”
With a full-length album under her belt, an impending headline national tour and her work with Paul Dempsey, Olympia is well-placed to make her indelible mark on music. “After the tour I go on a Paul Dempsey tour, then more writing towards the end of the year and a lot more shows as well.”
Living for her art and having put her heart and soul into ‘Self Talk’, Olivia says that any follow-up album has to be just as well-constructed, if not better. “You want it to be the best it can be,” she says. “Because you put a lot on the line and make a lot of sacrifices to get something finished. It’s a lot of staying home to save money so you can take the band on the road, and I see that in other artists as well.
“You read a book and that could have taken the author four years to write, and that’s a massive sacrifice they’ve made to deliver and excite something. I see no point in putting out anything that is less than your best.”
'Self Talk' is now available.
Olympia Tour Dates
Thu 26 May - Newtown Social Club (Sydney)Fri 3 Jun - Black Bear Lodge (Brisbane)
Sat 4 Jun - Solbar (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 11 Jun - Producers Bar (Adelaide)
Sun 12 Jun - Dark Mofo (Hobart)
Sat 18 Jun - Northcote Social Club (Melbourne)
Sun 19 Jun - Northcote Social Club (Melbourne)
Fri 24 Jun - Amplifier Bar (Perth)
Sat 25 Jun - The Odd Fellow (Fremantle)
