INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY DANY MIRELES ☆
“I WANT MY LISTENERS TO FEEL UNDERSTOOD, EMPOWERED AND HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING”—For Olivia Soli, music is more than just performances, it’s a world listeners can step into and find pieces of themselves. Blending cinematic pop production, powerhouse vocals and deeply personal storytelling, the rising singer creates music that feels larger than life and intimately human. Her latest single, “nyc-la” captures the restless feeling of searching for happiness somewhere else, only to realize that changing your surroundings cannot always resolve what is happening within.
Having gained exposure through American Idol where her piano performance of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” earned a standing ovation from the music legend himself, Soli has learned to embrace creative risks and push beyond her musical comfort zone. Now, she is channeling those experiences into music that invites listeners to feel empowered.
Luna had a chat with the singer about finding inspiration in experiences, building an identity as a pop artist, the lessons she took from American Idol and her ambition to create songs that make listeners feel like the main characters in their own movie.
LUNA: Your music often feels almost cinematic, like each song belongs to a larger story. What do you want listeners to see or feel when they enter the world of an Olivia Soli song?
SOLI: I want my listeners to feel understood, empowered and a sense of belonging. In my personal experience, there is nothing more powerful than a song expressing thoughts and experiences that you are also going through as well. There is a sense of not feeling so alone in this world when we see music paint the picture we have been wanting to paint but couldn’t always find the words to express. I want to be that for someone, just like my favorite artists have been that for me.
LUNA: “nyc-la” is about realizing that happiness isn’t necessarily something you can find by changing your surroundings. What was the moment that made you realize you needed to look inward rather than keep searching for the “right” place?
SOLI: I’m back living in LA after spending my whole life here and moving to NYC for a few years for college. In the last year of being back, I’ve finally noticed myself always wanting to be in the city that I’m not currently living in. When I was in NYC, I missed LA and thought I would be happier back home. To be back in LA, I feel discontent and want to go back to NYC. This has been a common theme in my life where it doesn’t just lie with NYC to LA, but even wanting to travel to different cities as well to get out of this stagnant feeling that seems to chase me in every city that I live in. I have finally understood in the last year that this is a deeper problem that needs to be addressed—which is how I was inspired to write “nyc-la.”
LUNA: The production of “nyc-la” mirrors that feeling of constantly reaching for something and falling back down. How involved are you in translating the emotional meaning of your lyrics into the actual production and musical arrangement?
SOLI: My dear friend Jordan Sherman, who is brilliant, created such a classic and epic feel to the production that captured this cinematic vision I had while keeping it simple and “to the point.” The emotion behind my vocals was raw yet intentional to pair perfectly with Jordan’s production.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned influences ranging from Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey to Adele and Teddy Swims. What have you learned from studying artists with such distinct vocal identities, and how have those influences shaped your own voice?
SOLI: The main lesson I have taken away from idolizing these artists is the confidence to push boundaries and challenge myself. I have learned that through taking risks in writing music, performing and specific vocal choices I feel closer to myself and more confident in my craft each time I perform.
LUNA: Your time on American Idol put you in front of an enormous audience at a relatively early point in your career. What did that experience teach you about performing and about who you are as an artist?
SOLI: American Idol was such a great experience for me and taught me how to be a more well-rounded artist. From being exposed to collaborating with so many different artists to rehearsing countless hours every day on big stages, it taught me how to endure what it takes to be a star under high pressure/high stakes.
LUNA: Your piano performance of “Hello” earned a standing ovation from Lionel Richie. Looking back, what do you think that performance revealed about the kind of artist you wanted to become?
SOLI: That performance was life-changing for me because it really reinforced that taking risks and challenging myself—which is something that was a big challenge, singing an iconic song to the artist himself—is vital for artists, as it gives us the courage for some of our best ideas and for greatness!
LUNA: There’s a theatrical quality to your music, but your songwriting also feels very personal and conversational. How do you balance the larger-than-life elements of pop with telling stories that feel intimate and honest?
SOLI: I love being able to have the balanced epicness of a pop song, while the lyrics can be so raw, conversational and authentic. Specifically in my songs, the verses are where I find that space in the song to be oddly specific and raw about what I want to say. Personally, it’s been about being genuine but dramatic at the same time.
LUNA: You have several songs out now, including “Undertow,” “encore,” “thanks to you,” and now “nyc-la.” What has changed in your songwriting or creative process between these releases?
SOLI: “thanks to you” was more of an era I wanted to have fun with in 2025. However, “encore” and “Undertow” feel closer to who I am as an artist—lyrically, branding, sound, etc. Specifically for songs like “encore,” the songwriting process challenged me to dig a bit deeper and genuinely express my heartbreak on a different level.
LUNA: If someone discovers your music through any of your last couple of singles, what do you hope they understand about Olivia Soli by the time the final song plays?
SOLI: I hope that they feel emotionally moved and seen by my music. That you can step into a different world just for a few minutes and feel like you are in your own movie where you can feel relatable and empowered.
