Canadian singer-songwriter Olivia Wik has recently released her single “Let’s Dance”. With a catalogue of over 250 original songs, Olivia Wik’s writing has already led to sync placements on the likes of CBC, PBS, Hockey Night in Canada, Lifetime, and YTV, and releases from Canadian artists like Krissy Feniak, Rebecca Lappa, Steven Sware, Connor James, Lisa Nicole, and Olivia Rose. She also has written with songwriters as far away as Sweden, Finland, Japan, England, and Barbados, Wik gained international awareness just a few weeks ago for co-writing “See You Again” and was selected as the Romanian submission to the New European Songbook, a co-production of the European Broadcast Union and Eurovision.
Wik chatted with Ai Love Music about her inspirations and what it was like to write her latest single. Find out below what kind of musical sounds and textures the artist wanted to include on “LEt’S Dance”. While reading, make sure to listen to the song below. Let me know what you think about it in the comment!
Hey! Could you please introduce yourself!
My name is Olivia Wik and I am a songwriter and singer from Canada. I have been writing songs since I was 16 and have written songs in many genres with writers from around the world, I’m tall, I love writing songs, and I’m a total cat lady!
What got you into music? How has your musical journey been since then?
I fell in love with the idea of singing on stage when I was roughly 15. I saw a show that gave me the performing bug and once I picked up the guitar, I instinctively started writing music as well.
My musical journey has been a wild and wonderful ride. I’ve had the chance to travel the world, work with world-class writers and producers, and see my songs performed by artists and featured in television shows and movies.
I feel very lucky that I’ve gotten to experience everything that I have. It feels like I’ve lived a lot of different lifetimes already.
Which musical genres and/or artists influence you?
I honestly love all genres and listen to as many different things as possible. My fiancé has actually really opened my eyes to different musical tastes; I’m grateful because it has made me a better writer.
Some of my musical influences include ABBA, Cher, Taylor Swift; the classics!
Tell us one thing you want to achieve musically in 2022!
I would like to release more music. I have so many songs tucked away in my catalogue that needs to see the light of day! I want to share so much more of what I’ve written, so I’m hoping that I get the chance to do that.
Let’s talk about your newest release “Let’s Dance”. What is it about?
“Let’s Dance” is all about having a strong and magnetic connection with another person and being able to see that connection through. Plus, it’s also about having fun! Life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time; let loose!
What inspired you to write this track?
I had a moment of sudden inspiration that seemed to hit me like a lightning bolt. It felt like the entire song came to me all at once, so I sat down and started writing as fast as I could. I think it only took me 30 minutes to write the whole thing. It feels silly to say, but it seemed to come to me already fully formed and all I had to do was put it down on paper. But as I was writing it, I knew that it was something special.
Which sounds, musical texture, or lyrics do you want to really highlight in this track?
One of my favourite things about “Let’s Dance” is the chorus, The first one starts off a bit low; it doesn’t explode into anything that catches the listener off guard. But each chorus builds and builds into a vibrant array of colours that leaves you feeling just plain happy. I really recommend going back and listening to the choruses again and hearing how more and more instruments and vocals layer on top of each other.
What was it like working on “Let’s Dance”? What is your favorite part?
Working with my producers, Brandon Unis and Brad Simons, is always a dream. They bring what I hear in my head to life, and it’s magical every time.
My favourite part of the whole experience was walking into the studio and hearing the initial skeleton of the track. It was incredible how they seemed to be inside of my head! But they also added such unique and beautiful elements to the tune that blew me away the first time that I heard it.
What is one thing you want listeners to listen for in “Let’s Dance”?
As I was writing it, I knew that I wanted them to have fun. I made sure that I had fun writing and recording Let’s Dance and I hope that translates into the listener experience.
Any future plans?
Yes! I’m hoping to release more music this year, so stand by for more tunes coming your way.