A Chat with Olivia Cox (05.03.25)
Riding the wave of her standout releases in 2024, Olivia Cox takes her artistry to new heights with her latest single ‘Paris’. This track not only showcases her growth as a songwriter but solidifies her knack for creating emotionally charged anthems that are as resonant as they are radio-ready. We speak with Olivia Cox about her new single ‘Paris’, her creative process, and the importance of authenticity and storytelling in her music.
OSR: You’ve said that ‘Paris’ wasn’t initially intended for release. What changed your mind, and what do you think made your producers convinced it was a single-worthy track?
Cox: I think because of how unique it is. There are so many pop anthems out there that are the same structure and written to be hits. What makes ‘Paris’ stand out is its individuality. This means listeners will either love it and how original it is, or they won’t get it. That’s a risk I’m willing to take.
OSR: How does ‘Paris’ tap into your personal experiences and emotions, and what do you hope listeners connect with on a deeper level?
Cox: There are so many different little avenues to the song as it doesn’t have a typical song structure. So I hope that somewhere throughout the song, the listeners are able to relate to something, even if it’s only one line. When listening to ‘Paris’ during the demo phase, I kept seeing it being played in the car at night time. Maybe that’s because of the lyrics “he keeps driving slow in the night.” I love a theme, and I love seeing a vision of how I’d want to listen to a song.
OSR: Your music often has a cinematic quality to it. Can you tell us more about your approach to crafting an immersive listening experience?
Cox: I want to make sure you can see the image of the story in your head when you’re listening. I’m huge on storytelling because, as a listener, these are the types of songs I want to listen to. I relate to lyrics and songs more when I can pull something out of them for myself and my own peace of mind.
OSR: How do you think your Canadian upbringing and influences from the music scene there have shaped your sound and artistic direction?
Cox: I was brought up on a lot of big bands who each had their own thing to say, so I think I’ve been influenced to always have meaning and story behind my lyrics. Whether that’s an experience I’ve been through myself, I’ve taken inspiration from something I’ve seen, or I’ve simply come up with out of creativity.
OSR: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your previous releases, and how has that informed your approach to ‘Paris’ and future music?
Cox: Believing in what I put out. If I love it and am happy with it then that’s all that matters. I will find my audience and the people who are able to relate to what I’m saying. To truly be myself in the process.
OSR: You’ve mentioned feeling a sense of creative liberation while writing ‘Paris’. Can you elaborate on what that means to you, and how you maintain that freedom in your creative process?
Cox: It was the first song that I made for ‘fun’ I guess you could say. I didn’t have the pressure of it needing to be a single I was just experimenting and trying new things out while writing and recording. I was so happy with how it turned out, it’s inspired me to go into each writing process in the future with the same mindset and freedom.
OSR: How do you balance the desire to innovate and try new things with the need to deliver hits and please your fans?
Cox: Good question. I think pushing the boat out is important because in order to find my sound, I have to try new things. I believe in everything I do, and if I feel that a song isn’t good enough, then I won’t put it out. So at the end of the day, if I’ve decided to go with my gut then I think I’m most proud of that decision rather than trying to create a song for the purpose of it being a “hit.”
OSR: What’s the story behind the lyrics of ‘Paris’, and what inspired the vivid imagery and storytelling in the song?
Cox: I was coming up with lyrics, and the first line that came to me was “he met me in Paris” and straight off the bat I was excited. I knew I could play on that and paint the picture of the story. Most of my songs are based on real-life experiences, so the lyrics in the opening verse actually did happen, which made it easy to write.
OSR: You’ve talked about wanting to capture a certain “magic” in ‘Paris’. Can you describe what you mean by that, and how you achieved it in the production and writing?
Cox: I love it when a song takes you on a journey, and I feel satisfied that ‘Paris’ does just that. Like I said earlier, I could hear it being played in the car on long drives. I could hear it being put on to get ready to or to simply just vibe to. I think the “magic” is in its uniqueness as it isn’t a typical structure, and it’s such a new sound to me.
OSR: As an artist on the rise, what advice would you give to your younger self just starting out in the music industry?
Cox: To keep going and believe in yourself! If you work hard and are consistent at it then good things will happen. Anything that feels like a “failure” is just a lesson.
Many thanks to Olivia Cox for speaking with us. Find out more about Olivia Cox on her official Instagram and Spotify.
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