Olivia Marsh (25, Korean name Mo Gyuna), known as the older sister of New Jeans' Daniel, reflected on her journey from starting as a composer to becoming a singer-songwriter. She mentioned that she never thought about becoming a singer due to her introverted personality, but she made a significant decision to share her story through music.
Olivia Marsh recently held her first EP 'Meanwhile' release interview with Maeil Business Star Today at Warner Music Korea in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The album, which means 'during' or 'in the meantime', symbolizes Olivia Marsh's two-year journey.
"The first EP will be released at noon on the 13th, and I'm very nervous and excited," Olivia Marsh began. "All the songs in this album are ones I composed myself. They are filled with various genres that contain my story, and I believe many people will resonate with them," she revealed.
'Meanwhile' includes two title tracks, 'Strategy' and 'Backseat', along with 'Waterworks', '42', and 'Pina Colada', totaling five songs. Since the album is filled with songs Olivia Marsh wrote before her debut, it offers a glimpse into her transformation from composer to singer-songwriter and her musical world.
Regarding the criteria for selecting the five songs from the many she has written, Olivia Marsh explained, "After much thought, I chose songs that connect with my story. They are related to special events, relationships, and memories. Since I chose songs I have affection for, they ended up having various genres and feelings."
She then shared the process of her journey to debut as a singer-songwriter.
"I've been interested in music since I was young. I wanted to work on film music, so I chose that as my major when I attended university in Australia. About three years ago, I came to Korea and worked at a company that creates music for short-form content, where I met some colleagues who were freelance composers. While working with them, I naturally started composing as a freelancer and eventually met my current representative."
The agency's representative recognized Olivia Marsh's talent while she was working on session projects and suggested she debut as a singer, but she had many concerns about it.
Olivia Marsh said, "I never imagined I would debut. The opportunity came so suddenly, and I was nervous about standing in front of people, so at first, I thought, 'I shouldn't do it.' However, the chance to release music that contains my voice is a great opportunity, and since life is only lived once, I decided to overcome my fears and take on the challenge."
Her younger sister Daniel also supported her as she embarked on this new challenge. She expressed gratitude, saying, "When I shared my concerns, my mom and sister supported me a lot. Especially Daniel, since I was awkward in front of the camera, taught me poses and advised me to 'feel and enjoy my emotions while performing'."
Olivia Marsh continued, "We have similar musical tastes. I played the songs from this album for Daniel, and she said her favorite was '42'. Since it's a song that contains memories from our childhood, I think it brought back those memories for her," she said with a smile.
Although they are close sisters, since Daniel gained recognition first, Olivia Marsh is often referred to as 'Daniel's older sister'. When asked about her thoughts on this label, Olivia Marsh said, "I think it's natural. Daniel debuted first and is doing beautifully. I'm proud of my sister, and I always support and pray for her."
The first title track of this album, 'Strategy', cleverly expresses the confusion that arises when one is unsure of the other person's feelings, discussing the strategies that unfold in relationships. The other title track, 'Backseat', captures the moment of surrendering to the direction of life as if sitting in the back seat, infusing the lyrics with a sense of freedom and liberation.
When asked if she plans to release songs in Korean since all the title tracks are in English, Olivia Marsh replied, "I have a few songs written in Korean among my demos. They are precious songs, but I feel my pronunciation is still lacking. I want to study a bit more and challenge myself to write Korean songs," her eyes shining with enthusiasm.
So, how does Olivia Marsh hope this album will resonate with the public?
"I believe the strength of my music lies in the emotions that evoke certain moments. So when I hear people say, 'This song healed me' or 'I felt supported', it makes me want to create even better songs. Therefore, I hope this album brings healing and comfort to the public," she said with a smile.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
