Alt-Rock Singer Harley Olivia Grounds Herself on New Song “Haunted”
Born out of the chaotic dive bar scene in Toronto, Harley Olivia has seen it all. From fronting metal bands to circus-punk and everything in between, Harley has always felt most alive on the stage. Her energetic performances are characterized by punchy synths, infectious melodies, and Harley’s signature swagger. But at the heart of it all, a Harley Olivia show is an empowering, rock ‘n’ roll dance party where anyone is free to come join in and shake off the shame.
Harley worked as a flight attendant for 10 years which meant that she spent a lot of time in hotel rooms in foreign countries, feeling lonely and burnt out, missing her family. In the beginning, it was an exciting job, but over time aviation pulled her away from creating music. She dealt with depression and anxiety and ultimately realized that she was unhappy because she wasn’t pursuing her dreams. It was finally time for her to bet on herself, and make a big change.
Every time I found myself alone in a hotel room, I couldn’t turn off my thoughts. A combination of jet lag, anxiety, and loneliness caused me to constantly overthink, which felt like being “Haunted” by my own thoughts.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m Harley Olivia! I’m a singer from Toronto, Ontario. I make high-energy, alt-rock music and enjoy using my songs to liberate people from the stresses in their lives. Come to a show and jump around, mosh, sing, or scream! You’ll feel much better, I promise!
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
My new song is called ‘Haunted’ and it definitely has a darker, heavier rock sound than my past 3 singles. I wrote it about a really confusing time in my life. I had worked as a flight attendant for almost 10 years, spending lots of time in hotel rooms all over the world, feeling isolated and burnt out. I missed my friends (and my cat!) and every time I found myself alone, staring up at a strange, new ceiling – I couldn’t turn off my brain. A combination of jet lag, anxiety, and loneliness caused me to overthink, which felt like I was being “Haunted” by my own thoughts. This song is about finally facing my fears, and realizing it was time to make a change.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
We are playing a show on January 6th at Horseshoe Tavern with Frail Fragment, Star Beast, and Mobius Radio! So keep an eye out for more details soon!
If given the chance, which Canadian artist would you love to work with in the future?
There are so many to choose from! Mother Mother are awesome storytellers and they’ve inspired me a lot over the years. I’m also super excited about what MONOWHALES have been up to! I saw them for the first time about 9 years ago in a tiny little venue, so it’s been really cool to see them grow and take over the world!
What’s your goal for 2024?
My goal for 2024 is to play more festivals and do a tour! Now that I am no longer a flight attendant, I will have to feed my travel bug by touring my music! I’d be happy to explore and play more of Canada. I’ve been itching to get back to the East Coast and Quebec, especially!