At just 20 years old, Olivia Millin is taking the music world by storm. Her latest single, “Broken Piece of Joy,” recently soared to the top of the UK Jpop charts, cementing her as one of the genre’s brightest rising stars. Drawing inspiration from artists like Blackpink and infusing hypnotic Asian melodies with pop sensibilities, Olivia has crafted a sound that’s both unique and globally appealing. “This milestone is huge for me,” she shares, expressing gratitude to her fans while hinting at a commitment to pushing creative boundaries. With a new single, an upcoming album, and a vision to amplify Jpop’s global reach, Olivia is poised to make 2025 her breakout year.
Your latest single, “Broken Piece of Joy,” has been a massive hit, reaching #1 on the UK Jpop charts. What inspired this song, and how does it feel to achieve such a milestone so early in your career?
I took inspiration from Blackpink’s style of music. The middle eastern theme with the melodic chord progressions make for great hypnotic-sounding music, and when fusing them into pop, it’s even better. This milestone is huge for me, and I feel so grateful to all my fans who helped me achieve this spot. I hope I can continue to please my audiences with my new music. Although, you may not hear the same vibe from me throughout all my songs. I try to switch it up here and there, it makes for a more diverse collection of music, which I plan to emanate through Jpop.
As a singer-songwriter at just 20 years old, how do you balance the pressures of creating authentic music while navigating the rapidly evolving Jpop industry?
Honestly, I stay true to myself and the type of music I’m inspired to create at that time. Although the Jpop industry is rapidly evolving, I feel that it still hasn’t reached global heights, outside of Japan. I hope I can help encourage the spread of Jpop music and help grow the fan base. Jpop has a unique outlet for authenticity in a somewhat conforming culture that values tradition. Its irony allows artists to be individuals in creativity while remaining loyal to the culture from which it was born. The opportunity for artists around the world to share their mutual admiration for Jpop, will pave the way for a greater international presence which really excites me. The fact that it is so rapidly growing, gives me a lot to look forward to!
Can you tell us about your creative process? What does a typical songwriting session look like for you, and how do you approach blending your personal experiences with your music?
Typically when I write, I start with a melody instead of the more traditional – lyrics-first approach. When it comes to being inspired, it’s more the music that moves me initially. I usually write multiple songs in one sitting, or multiples in a week. Although some get scrapped, if I do a pretty hefty writing session, I’ll usually get at least 1-2 songs fully written before they go off to production. This can vary between only a couple of days for initial concept to a couple of months. As far as my personal experience goes, although I’ve had some rough patches here and there, I’m actually extremely grateful for them. I leverage all the emotions and experiences I live and turn them into much of my content. The highs and lows of everyday life give birth to a soulful art form…something shared that is usually very relatable.
Your follow-up single, “TTYL,” is set to release at the end of January. How does this track differ from “Broken Piece of Joy,” and what can fans expect from the video?
TTYL definitely has a more edgy dance beat than Broken Piece of Joy. It has several different parts to the song where each part sounds a bit different from each-other, making it an unpredictable, contagious track. Along with more Japanese language in the song than Broken Piece of Joy, my aim was to use my harmonies to bridge real Jpop culture with western addictive dance music… I really wanted it to get stuck in people’s heads! In terms of an accompanying video, that will follow soon. I hope to achieve the same level of energy visually with an infectious musical anthem that speaks to hearts about the value of self-worth.
Your debut LP, “Start Again,” is dropping in February 2025. What themes or stories are central to the album, and how does it reflect your journey as an artist so far?
The album in general, summarizes my life experiences and a multitude of emotions, as I grew through them. You’ll hear sad ballads mixed with uplifting dance songs, including the album’s cover song- “Start Again,” which is all about emerging from hard times and celebrating the healing that comes out of them. I’d say the whole album really supports that song as a whole, which is why I chose Start Again for my album title. The album presents a dichotomy of upbeat rhythmic melodies contrasting lyrics of self-awareness and sometimes naive perspectives of relationships, that only offers clarity in hind site. It’s an album about growing up and trying to master this thing called “life”. One song on the album, Be With Me (accompanying music video is on all platforms) was written when I was in High school. It’s an optimistic look at facing rejection, showing how one door closes, and another opens.
The global rise of Jpop has brought it to new audiences worldwide. How do you see your music contributing to the genre’s growing influence, particularly outside of Japan?
I see my music already helping people gain more insight into the world of Jpop, and I hope to continue that on a greater scale. One of my biggest aspirations is to help bring Jpop to the level that Kpop is- to be sort of a pioneer to the western world, if you will. I hope I can help encourage and inspire other Jpop artists to share their love of Japanese culture as I do and banded as a group of Jpop loyalists- maybe we can actually contribute to raising its popularity in North America and aroun the globe. I have already seen increased fascination with Anime, Japanese cuisine and the appreciation for cultural fashion over the last 5 years so it’s only natural that music would also be an influence. If you look at the stats for the streaming platforms, Japan is only second to America in terms of streaming volume as a whole. But Japan has a much more loyal fanbase … where followers of artists are truly interested in what an artist will put out next. I think Jpop music is so varied musically, that it has a real ability to keep listeners interested. There is huge opportunity for Jpop to really take flight globally, in addition to the U.S.
With the overwhelming success of “Broken Piece of Joy” and anticipation building for “TTYL,” what’s next for you in 2025? Are there plans for a tour, collaborations, or other projects you’re excited to share?
You all know my Start Again album is coming out in February, and there’s already a few sneak previews out there from it . It promises to be an emotional, high energy, fun album. There’ll be performances, possible opportunities for collaboration, and a music video being made this year as well. I have a performance already scheduled for March 22, at Zenkaikon in Lancaster, PA, and I’m really looking forward to performing TTYL there. Other performance dates are to be announced, but I plan to do a fair share during the summer.
Not the Usual LICK Publicist! 27 yrs in the biz ~Worldwide! Actual Peer of the Realm~Unitarian Universalist Pragmatic Buddhist~ PROUD GAY Liberal
