OLLIE
1) Tell us something about yourself that your fans may not know.
A: I think a lot of fans don’t know that I used to make video game commentaries on YouTube growing up. It actually was one of my first paying jobs, I didn’t get paid much but it was a lot of fun and was one of the ways I reconnected with my love for music.
2) Where in Canada are you from?
A: I am from an area just south of Toronto called Norfolk County, there are several small towns close to each other in the area. The town I currently live in is called Port Dover.
3) How did you get into music? Does your family have any musical background?
A: My grandfather was involved in a orchestra throughout his childhood and my dad used to have his own DJ business. That is about the extent of my families musical background. I got my introduction to the world of music from a young age, I took piano lessons and even put on some concerts with my brother in our parents living room but as I got older I sort of lost my interest. I began to re-connect with my love for music when I discovered an entire scene of artists on Youtube that I never knew existed, call of duty modern warfare 2 montages always had amazing tracks and oddly enough allowed me to discover some of my favourite artists to this day. I got my entire friend group in high school to start listening to some of these artists and it slowly became a competition in a way. We all wanted to find an artist that nobody had heard of and put each other on them, this slowly developed into us writing our own songs over beats we would find online to see who could write the best verse. I was hooked from the first line, and would regularly perform for my friends on car rides or while we were just hanging out. Performing for my friends eventually led to me recording and posting some of these songs online.
4) When did you know this is what you wanted to do & you didn't want to do anything else?
A: I knew making music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life the moment I released my first song. It’s an almost indescribable feeling, putting something out into the world that means so much to you and seeing the reactions and how many other people who I’ve never met relate to what your going through or feeling. It honestly is hard to put into words.
5) What's it like starting out in the industry and grinding as an independent artist?
A: Starting fresh in any industry has its difficulties I’m sure, the music industry is no different. Some artists make one song and blow up within a months time, while other artists put out hundreds of songs before they start to get any sort of recognition. I have been making music for around three or more years and have had my fair share of ups and downs. It can be discouraging when you don’t see your music get the reaction you thought it would, especially when your independent and funding the entire operation on your own. You have to really love making music and the work that goes into each release aside from the actual creation of the music. For me I wouldn’t want to do anything else with my life, I love the grind and am happy that I didn’t blow up overnight. It takes time and practice to become good at anything, every song I make I strive to be a better artist on all fronts. I truly believe being Independent has taught me so much about not only creating music but also the music industry and all aspects around it that are necessary to be successful. I get impatient sometimes but I know that building/working your way to the top gradually will help give my career longevity and allow me to negotiate better deals with labels in the future.
6) What kind of style would you say your music represents?
A: My music is a combination of several different sounds that I have grown up listening too, I love hip hop, R&B, pop, rock and country. I think we unknowingly create sounds or music based off what we listen to, I like blending pop melodies with hard hitting rap verses and including live guitars or drums like you would hear on a rock song. This combination is where I think I have really found my sound, it’s all these different genres blended together and done in my own way.
7) Can we expect any more music from you before the end of the year?
A: Yes, I am releasing one final single on December 13th to celebrate my birthday (which is on December 11th).
8) We know you're currently touring in Europe with Abstract, when can we catch you on tour in North America?
A: I will be touring throughout North America in 2019 without a doubt. I will be making more announcements on that soon.
9) What plans do you have release-wise for 2019?
A: I plan on releasing several small projects throughout 2019 as well as a bunch of singles. I also will be releasing a lot more music videos, I have tons of ideas and cant wait to share them with you guys very soon!
10) When can we expect your next full project?
A: I don’t have an exact date for my next full project, but I do have lots of small projects being released in 2019.
Follow OLLIE:
Twitter: @OllieRaps
Soundcloud: @Olly-Raps
Facebook: @OllieRaps
Instagram: @Ollie_Raps
