We were talking to Olivia recently (link below) and she noted this new release as a song she had written a year or two back but it had not had its moment until now. It is the opening salvo for her new album.
I’ll share the press release before the review:
iTunes Country chart topping Olivia Lynn does it again and is set to release her 9th single on 16th May 2025 in the hope of replicating her other early successes. Having parted ways from her former management team in early 2024, Olivia has taken some time to write raw new material in her very own unique UK Country Pop style way with her lyrics based on her real-life experiences. This is the second release in an exciting new era for Olivia after releasing “Open” in January and she is looking forward to her fans and the music world in general hearing and enjoying yet another one of her songs written by herself! The return to the music industry is going well so far, with radio play already happening … we look forward to her first album this July 2025. Olivia’s raw and unique talent certainly has people talking…
On to my review.
I had a couple of teenagers with me when I played this through, and they had apparently come across some of the promotion for this release on TikTok and felt it was “good with a decent melody.” Then, being teenagers, they didn’t add much lol. I will take over at this point… it is a song with lyrics that cover some uncomfortable material. “Round my neck, hold me tight, make me feel like I can’t breath – make me cry on the sofa…” It has a catchy little chorus and a gentle beat, but it has harsh lyrics drawn from the blues and reflects on an unhappy relationship. If you know the back catalogue from Olivia, I would suggest this as a companion piece lyrically to “Red” (although very different in sound, I am guessing it was written around a similar time). The song has an interesting world-weariness that you don’t expect to find in a girl who is a teenager herself, it blends the blues within a country sound. It is a clever technique when you juxtapose really unhappy lyrics with a softer melody and hook (check out The Bombpops who do this in melodic punk style). It’s a long way from her early material, such as “Modern Girl” (put below, as I do like it). Olivia sets the marker for the album, which promises an album of stories, melody and great vocals. Get playing this single country radio!
The single is released May 16 on all platforms.
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You can stream music from Olivia Lynn here
By Anna-Louise Burgess