The born talented artist Justin Oliver is ruling the music industry. The artist tried his hands on music at a very early age, now showcasing his talent. The independent artist has recently launched his latest song ‘Bipolar Love, Pt 2’. Fortunately, we got the opportunity to share a conversation with him and get to know more insights. So here it goes –
Q. Hello Mr. Oliver, first of all, congratulations on the new release as it is getting so much love from your fans, and it is my pleasure to get talk to you. Can you tell your fans how you started making ‘Bipolar Love, Pt 2’?
A. First, thank you for the interview! It is always so nice to be able to talk about my music and my artistic process. So many artists release music and it sits there, only to be randomly discovered by people browsing the internet, so having a platform like this one is something I’m genuinely appreciative of.
“Bipolar Love, Pt. 2,” is a sequel to my 2016 single that gained some attention from the industry and was the song that really made me feel like I could make it if I put forth the right amount of effort. Over the years the original “Bipolar Love” became a fan favorite, so I knew I had to make a second part once I found myself inspired by a situation that was similar to the original songs’.
It was winter of 2019 and I had just moved to New York City. I was really missing my family back home in Alabama and was just feeling lonely, though most people could’ve sworn I was living “my best life”. It’s crazy how lonely you can feel in a city of almost 9 million people. At the time, I had a job in the city and would get off work once it was dark, allowing me no time to really experience the beauty of the city during the day. My love life was non-existent and the people I were closest to in the city, either lived too far away to hang out with during my free time or had found a relationship of their own. I’ve always been the guy that gets “friend-zoned,” usually because the other person feels like they’ve found greener grass somewhere else. Yet, they never fail to come running back when that other relationship doesn’t work out. That’s what “Bipolar Love” is all about; people not being able to make up their minds about relationships. I think that is something so many people can relate to.
Q. What were you expecting from the song? Have you expected this kind of reaction from everyone?
A. Honestly, I just wanted to tell my story. I open the song with a sample from the original “Bipolar Love,” followed by a gang of vocals expressing how love has never been my friend. It’s because of the crash that happens once the honeymoon phase of a new relationship is over. I beg the question; when you get into the thick of love, did you build a strong enough foundation for it to last, or was it just a good time for you? I expect that to resonate with people. I don’t really know if my generation is looking for love anymore. Sometimes it feels like people are just looking for emotional crutches to get them through hard times until they find the next best thing.
The reactions from people who have heard the song before its January 28th release date on all platforms have been crazy! Some people have cried and even compared the production to that of major artists such as Bruno Mars, Adele, and Sam Smith, which has warmed my heart. I’m ready for the world to experience the full song and not just the teasers floating around on social media. I want the listener to feel immersed in my world for three minutes and maybe even take them back to a similar time in their own life. I believe my team and I understood the assignment and I’m very proud of our work.
Q. How did you come into the industry at such an early age?
A. Well, I started singing at the age of 3 and playing piano around 4, so once I got to the age that I could write my own music, it kind of came to me naturally. At an early age, my parents allowed me to audition for local plays and talent shows where the judges would always tell them I “really had something.” So, they took me to a cattle call for this nationally acclaimed talent convention, and the industry kind of snatched me up. Next thing you know, I’m living in New York with my Mother going to audition after audition as a kid. My first two commercials I booked were national, which was a huge deal. My parents really sacrificed a lot for my career at a young age and sometimes I reflect on that, which adds more fuel to my fire and drives my passion to be successful.
When we are young, we are told we can be anything and as we get older, people tend to start giving up on our dreams and visions for ourselves. As someone who is now in his mid-20s, I am still very motivated and inspired by my diehard fans to keep going because the people who lose in this industry are the people who give up. I’ve had many highs and even lows in my career thus far, but none of them have caused me to even think about giving up; including the 3 passes I received on American Idol in 2020.
Q. What is your inspiration to make music?
A. My inspiration comes from knowing God gave me a powerful gift and has surrounded me with talented people who have something to say. My team helps me turn songs I write on piano into immersive sonic art pieces that will live far beyond my time here on earth. My goal is that people get to dance, laugh, and heal through listening to my music. My shows are safe spaces to act up and be yourself; or cry if you need to. The Olive-branch community is about love, but most importantly, self-love. Knowing your worth is something that sounds easy but is sometimes very difficult to practice. People will try to label you, use you for personal gain and throw you away if you let them. Don’t let them.
Q. Is there any upcoming project that your fans should wait for?
A. My next project is an album titled, “Broke, not broken,” that tells the story of my life in New York and through lockdown when artists found it very difficult to find work on a platform other than social media to connect with their fans. When you get furloughed from one job and can’t find work in the music industry, both due to a pandemic, times get tough fast. Not to mention people you have known all your life are dropping like flies due to Covid-19 and you can’t even visit them in the hospital before they take their last breath. It really becomes overwhelming for one person to handle, but I also know I wasn’t the only person going through all of that at the same time. So, I decided to use my music as therapy and that’s what people can expect to hear this summer. Not all the songs are sad, but they are more some being a lantern for those of us still trying to process it all; even 2 years later.
Q. If are given the option to collaborate with any artist, who will you choose?
A. Right now, with where I am as an artist, I’d love to collaborate with artists like Travis Atreo, Makenzie Thomas, Shiah Maisel, Bandēs, Vincint, Parson James, Amber Sauer, Tim Young, and Lizzo just to name a few. I have been watching most of these artists for a long time and have met all of them in person at least once. They just all give this authentic vibe that attracts me to their work, so it would be cool to see what we could make and have conversations about similar life experiences.
Q. Would you start doing tours in the upcoming time?
A. I really want to open for someone on tour, but I would love to have my own tour sometime soon. There are so many cities that show me so much love already, so putting together a show to take on the road would be exciting. I already know who I’d want in a few positions on my production team but finding a good time for everyone to pick up and go on that kind of adventure with me is the real hurdle.
Q. Have you ever thought about trying out different genres of music?
A. I’d be okay with dabbling in different genres, but I know what works for me and my audience now and if it’s not broken, why fix it? Pop/R&B is home for me.
Q. We all know you love playing the piano, anything else you would like to try out?
A. My late cousin Marci, who unfortunately passed away in 2020, bought me a melodica and I really would like to burst out into a melodica solo at a show one day in her honor. Marci has been a big inspiration throughout my career in music. She was one of the people who introduced me to the blues at a very young age and was a huge fan of “King” when I released it in 2020. I named my baby-grand piano at my house after her and think of her quite often.
Q. How do you manage to make all these songs on your own?
A. I don’t believe you can ever do anything truly on your own. I have an awesome team around me with everything I do. My best friend and business partner Mario Butler always helps with production and is a Godsend. I can literally describe sounds and he finds them, while also bringing other awesome ideas to the table on every song. I have awesome mixing and mastering out of Nashville, Tennessee by Jake Hartsfield; someone who is also well known within the industry. My visuals are the works of extremely talented artists such as Sam Swidler, Kate Webb, Blake Snawder and so many more who have helped me over the years. So, this isn’t a one-man-band. They all play vital roles in making these songs I present to the world successful and professionally packed.
Q. What has inspired you to make a career in this field?
A. I feel like I touched on this earlier, but it’s the feeling of responsibility I have with my gift and the fact that I feel most at home on the stage. I love bringing smiles to people’s faces and being an outlet for them to let go of their problems for a few hours and be in the moment. The community I’m building around my fans is one of self-love and excitement. I want my fans to be encouraged by the songs I make; strive to be the best they can be and leave their own mark on this planet.
Q. Would you like to give any message to your fans out there?
A. Yes, you are ENOUGH and never let anyone tell you or make you feel less than. People will come and go but you must be your own best friend, your own first love and the rest will take care of itself.
Enjoy “Bipolar Love, Pt. 2,” and I hope to see you at a show soon! A Good Gawd!
Thank you, Mr. Oliver, for taking out your precious time for us. We are looking forward to hearing more songs from you.
Check him out on Social Media:
https://justinolivermusic.net
https://www.instagram.com/justinolivermusic
https://www.facebook.com/justinolivermusicc
https://twitter.com/JustinAOliver
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/justin-oliver/326219187
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57IL1B2EMmGwlqdm0yBAe7
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YhNbr0cwIXe4Dxsd6utfw
