There’s a certain kind of quiet fire in Olivia Lynn. It’s not loud or performative, but it’s there – steady and unwavering. During this interview process, what struck me most wasn’t just her talent, but her determination. She’s 20. She’s a mum. And she’s pursuing her music career with a level of focus that feels deeply intentional. Not rushed, not chasing hype – just built on love for the craft and a refusal to give up on it.
Olivia has been singing since she could “make noise”, with her first solo being Twinkle Twinkle at nursery at just four years old. Music wasn’t a later discovery – it was instinct. Family has always been central to her world. She’s a little sister, a big sister, and now a mother herself. “Life within my family circle was incredible growing up,” she tells me. “My mum and dad are literally my best friends. We’ve always been encouraged to do what we love.” That support system has clearly shaped her confidence and resilience.
School, however, was a different story. Olivia experienced severe bullying, which worsened when her TikTok started gaining traction. What should have felt exciting became another source of scrutiny. Eventually, her mum made the decision to homeschool her. Through a charity called Chums, Olivia found emotional support – and it was during this period that songwriting truly began. “That’s really where my song writing started from,” she says. Writing became therapy. A diary. A way to process pain when there weren’t many other safe outlets.
Before country music claimed her fully, Olivia describes herself as “always a pop kinda girl”. She adored One Direction and loved musical theatre, drawn to the acting within songs. She would try her voice at any genre. But country entered her life through someone deeply important – her nana. “We would listen to Dolly Parton and Shania Twain in her car and I just loved the storytelling,” she says. Country felt like home because it was tied to memory and family. That lineage matters. You can hear it in the way she writes now.
Her songwriting style is instinctive and honest. “I’m chaotic” she laughs. She writes wherever inspiration hits – in the bath, at the park, in the pub. If a line or feeling grabs her, she notes it down immediately. Recently she’s been co-writing with Joe Bygraves, whose calm approach has helped refine her process. “It almost feels like I’ve grown up in how I write,” she reflects. The raw honesty is still there, but it’s becoming more shaped, more intentional.
Influence-wise, Dolly and Shania are embedded in her storytelling DNA. More recently, she admires Ella Langley, and when it comes to performance, it’s Lady Gaga. “I adore her showmanship and how she commands the stage,” Olivia says. “I like to think I’m a little like her when I perform live.” That blend of country storytelling with bold stage presence gives her an edge – she isn’t trying to shrink herself to fit a box.
Every song she’s released so far has come from lived experience. “I use my song writing as a form of diary or therapy,” she explains. At 13, during the height of bullying, she wrote constantly. Many of those songs may never be released, but they carried her through. Even now, if something happens in her life, her instinct is to turn it into a song. One detail I love is that after writing, she immediately finds her parents to play it to them first. That grounding keeps her anchored in something real.
Being independent has taught her quickly that not everyone will understand or support what she’s doing. “I’ve realised I’ll never be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s ok,” she says. That acceptance feels mature beyond her years. She knows she has to stay true to herself, and that her people will find her. Balancing gigs, rehearsals and motherhood is no small task, and she’s open about the challenge. She credits her mum heavily for supporting her daughter while she works. “I just don’t want to stop doing what I’m doing, so I just carry on,” she says. That drive is clear.
The country community has welcomed her warmly, even if she doesn’t fit everyone’s idea of “true country”. She’s aware that people can reduce her to surface impressions – “a blonde young girl” as she puts it – but she’s writing directly into those assumptions, even naming a track Blonde Bimbo. What she’s asking for is simple – to be seen in full. “When people actually get to know me, my story, they take me more seriously,” she says. And she’s right. Context changes everything.
Right now, she’s standing on the brink of a huge milestone. Through BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 2, Olivia is performing at Country to Country Festival at The O2 this March. She invited BBC Introducing to her headline gig last September, hoping they’d see her growth. They did. After a Zoom call congratulating her on having her song chosen as one of their songs of 2025, she was asked what she’d love to do next. Her answer was immediate – C2C. “She said well Olivia we want you to play C2C for us this year,” she recalls. She cried. She had to keep it secret until the announcement. Bob Harris has since played her music, and she’ll meet him at the festival. For someone who’s been saying “I just need to work hard to get to C2C” for years, this moment feels earned.
“It means absolutely everything,” she says. Especially after the past year of balancing motherhood with relentless graft. There’s no illusion that it happened overnight.
She hasn’t forgotten her roots either. Before C2C, she’s hosting a warm-up headline show at The Castle in Luton so her local supporters can see her live without London prices. That decision speaks volumes. She’s also releasing a new single, Little Miss Nightmare, which will be the title track of her debut album currently in progress. There’s a collaboration coming with country singer Nick Edwards, festivals booked, and mentorship from Dave Wiggins helping her navigate the industry more strategically. 2026, she says, is looking good.
When I ask what advice she’d give to other young artists, her answer is grounded. Stay true to yourself. Work hard. Don’t copy someone else – carve your own lane. “Never give up because you’ll feel at times you want to,” she says. Then she adds something that stays with me. “If it wasn’t for my music I probably wouldn’t be here.” That’s the core of it. Music didn’t just give her ambition. It gave her survival.
Olivia Lynn is still at the beginning of her story, but she carries herself with a clarity that feels rare. She’s turned pain into power, support into strength, and ambition into action. And if this is what 20 looks like for her, I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Listen and follow Olivia Lynn: https://linktr.ee/olivialynnuk
