Canadian artist Olivia Lunny’s track “Bedsheets” accentuates the sense of longing for connection. The track premiered on Billboard and took spots on Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds,’ TIDAL’s ‘Rising Pop’ and the cover of Amazon Music’s ‘Artists To Watch 2020’ playlist. 

The musician who sings “Don’t Worry Be Happy” in the shower is the same artist who lent her voice to a rendition of “Lean on Me” alongside Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne and Michael Bublé for a COVID-19 charity single.

“It was truly an honor to be a part of a project with such incredible artists representing my country. My friend and fellow musician Tyler Shaw helped start the initiative and involved me,” the artist said. “As far apart as we are right now, it’s been so beautiful to come together with others to spread the message of hope. The response to the song so far has been incredible.”

Lunny vividly recalls growing up in a house filled with music. “When I was around 12 years old, I asked my dad to teach me a few chords on guitar. With the chords I began to write melodies and sometimes put words to them.” 

Throughout high school, music helped the artist express herself and navigate the uncertain waters of being a teenager. Lunny has been working with producer AJ Healey, who is helping her evolve an authentic sound. 

She said, “My sound fits under the umbrella of pop. In the future, I would be open to writing with others and exploring all genres!” 

The first concert Lunny attended that resonated with her the most was a band called The Paper Kites.

“They had such a lush and mellow sound, and they had a huge influence on me in my early songwriting days. Beyond that, my writing is usually influenced by my environment and people around me,” she mentioned. 

Pictured: Olivia Lunny. (Photo: Louis Browne)

The idea for Lunny’s track “Bedsheets” spontaneously emerged at 1 a.m. when she and AJ Healey were in the studio. 

“I shared an initial voice memo with AJ that sparked the concept for this song. It was ‘cigarette inside your hand, wish you would hold me like that.’”

After diving into themes and chatting about past “situationships,” they stumbled on the idea of “feeling closeness with somebody while also feeling so emotionally far from them.” 

Lunny said, “‘Bedsheets’ is about longing for connection and the tough but necessary decision to let something go. I’ve always gravitated toward music that evokes emotion within me.”

The music and production in “Bedsheets” is very simple, but has a beautiful impact. The song acoustically carries itself well, so Lunny thought that having a simple backdrop for the track was necessary. 

The song is more of a reflection and insight into the artist’s personal experience. Rather than relaying a message, Lunny hopes listeners can feel the honesty and vulnerability she has poured into “Bedsheets.”

“As humans, we experience so many different emotions in life. I would argue love is the most universal language and through this song I hope I can connect with others through that feeling,” the singer said.

In five years, Lunny would love to play shows in every major city of the world, perform on tour with big artists and hear crowds recite her lyrics during a performance. 

She said, “I’m super excited to be at the entry point in my career. I can’t wait to see what the years ahead bring!”

The most unforgettable gig for the rising pop star was when she opened for Lionel Richie last summer. 

Lunny talked about her uncontrolled thrill when she found out about the gig, “It was truly surreal and exciting! My dad has always been a huge Lionel fan (myself also), so when he found out I was opening for him, he of course came to the show. It was so special for me to have him in the audience for my performance.”

The singer gave her words of wisdom to aspiring singers, “Be authentic to yourself, and that’s when the most exciting things will happen. Patience and trust in yourself is also so important. Everything worth having takes time.”

Contact Ron Rocky Coloma at rcoloma ‘at’ stanford.edu.