Written by Kelly Holm
Olivia Lunny catapulted into Canada’s public eye when she appeared on the second season of CTV’s reality singing competition The Launch , earning the chance to release the debut single “I Got You.” Now, a year later, her career is branching out in its own right with the radio-ready “Bedsheets.” Breezy yet melancholy, it’s the perfect soundtrack for driving down a sunny lane and contemplating days gone by.
“[‘Bedsheets’] came to life very spontaneously at 1 a.m. one of the nights [producer] AJ Healey and I were in the studio,” Lunny shares of the track’s inception. “After diving into themes and chatting about past ‘situationships’ we stumbled on the idea of feeling closeness with someone while also feeling so emotionally far from them. ‘Bedsheets’ is about longing for connection and the tough but necessary decision to let something go.”
Lunny started out that night by showing Healey a voice memo of the song’s opening line— “cigarette inside my hand, wish you would hold me like that”— and by sunrise, the complete track was recorded.
“AJ and I cut vocals for the original demo the same night we wrote it,” she said. “We ended up keeping that same vocal take, which gives the song a very intimate feel.”
Though Lunny’s broken into the big leagues now, it wasn’t all that long ago that she made the decision to pursue a professional future in music. She wrote her first song “Fly Away” at age 12 to honor a friend struggling with mental illness and played the Winnipeg Folk Festival at 14 through the STINGRAY Young Performers Program. It wasn’t until the end of high school and after eliminating other options that she realized the stage was where she really wanted to be.
“By grade 11 I had a very clear idea of which paths I didn’t want to pursue. Music was always a casual hobby of mine, [but] as I began to play more coffee shops and local gigs, it grew into me wanting to pursue it full time,” she says. “Not going to post-secondary was definitely going against the grain, but I’m really happy with that choice thus far.”
And wouldn’t most people be, if the alternative was a nationally televised singing competition? Lunny was just 20 when The Launch performed its titular action for her career.
“Through the whole show process I really grew as a human being and [as an] artist,” she shared. “I challenged myself to channel creativity under pressure, which was my biggest takeaway. I also remained authentic to who I was, which I constantly strive to do in all of my work… as time goes on I’m really excited to keep exploring my artistry as it continues to evolve.”
Lunny also bonded with her mentors from the show, especially singer-songwriter and actress Jann Arden.
“When [Arden] said she would ‘buy my record in a heartbeat’ it was very validating and surreal,” she said. “As long as I can create music for myself and share it to connect with others, that makes me feel very content.”
As for that record? Lunny doesn’t specify, but she hints that it might be available before the year’s out.
“I’m always coming up with melody ideas and jotting down lyrical concepts,” she says. “I’m really excited to keep releasing singles and possibly share a full project in the fall.”
Until then, keep an ear out for “Bedsheets” on the radio.
“I’ve always gravitated toward music that evokes emotion in me, [and] my hope is that listeners will take feeling away from my music,” Lunny tells Elicit. “Whether that’s joy that makes them want to dance, or comfort when they feel upset, I hope people can build personal relationships with my songs.”
Follow Olivia Lunny
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Listen To Olivia Lunny’s Latest Single “Bedsheets“
Learn more about Olivia’s latest single “Bedsheets” here