Olivia O’Brien: "Sometimes, Just Knowing You’re Not Alone Can Make All the Difference"

Olivia O’Brien is one of those artists who doesn’t shy away from the messy stuff—the stuff that makes us uncomfortable, but also the stuff that makes us human. With her new EP 'everywhere i go, there i am', she’s delving into mental health, self-awareness, and the weight of growing up. We caught up with Olivia to talk about the inspirations behind the EP, her creative control with Girlhood Records, and how she’s learning to embrace the parts of herself she once tried to escape.

Rather than one defining moment, it’s the patterns she’s witnessed that inspired this work. Olivia reflects on the way people justify toxic behaviors: "It was a pattern I started noticing. People around me, especially in my circle, would justify behaviors by saying, “Oh, I only do this once in a while,” or, “It’s not that bad.” Whether it’s unhealthy coping mechanisms like purging or substances, I’ve watched these behaviors spiral out of control. I wanted to write about that, how it’s never just one time. But it’s not about one person or thing—it’s this pattern I saw that I felt I had to explore."

For Olivia, songwriting is both catharsis and connection. "I don’t really think about what people will take from my music," she admits. "I just want it to be something people can relate to." She recognizes that sometimes all people need is to know they’re not alone, and it was that universal connection that let Olivia know the music had landed where it needed to. "When I first shared some tracks with my friends, they told me, “This reminds me of a situation with my family,” or, “I’ve been through this too.” That’s when I knew the songs were special—not because of some big new message, but because people could hear themselves in it. I don’t spend too much time thinking about what people are going to get from the music. To me, it’s more about creating something people can connect with. It’s not about teaching anything new. "

Though Olivia’s lyrics speak to deeply personal experiences, she isn’t one to single out her own writing as being inherently powerful. “I don’t know what people will take away from this yet,” she says. "But there’s a line in Paradoxy Moron—‘I’m a girl and that’s all I’ll ever be, but I’m a woman just the same', It reflects that tension of being stuck between two versions of yourself—being a little girl inside, but also having to navigate adulthood. Every time I listen back to that line, it gets to me." This line, which blends the vulnerability of girlhood with the strength of womanhood, speaks to the tension of growing up. It’s a reminder that we carry multiple versions of ourselves at once.

Songwriting, for Olivia, has always been a form of self-therapy. "I didn’t like therapy when I was younger. I just couldn’t open up to a stranger," she reflects. Instead, writing was her release, the way she processed emotions that felt too complicated or too painful to talk about. Music became her way of communicating with herself, and in doing so, she found a way to communicate with others too.

This theme of self-therapy and introspection is central to Everywhere I Go, There I Am, a title Olivia has held on to for some time. The phrase encapsulates the theme of the project: no matter where you go physically, your mental struggles often follow you. “The whole EP deals with mental health, and that title speaks to how no matter where you go, your problems are still with you. People often tell me, “Oh, just leave LA,” or, “Go on vacation, you’ll feel better.” I’ve tried all that. I lived in Nashville for a month, I’ve traveled...but I was still depressed. You can change your surroundings, but if you don’t do the work on yourself, nothing changes.” she explains.

"To me, it’s more about creating something people can connect with. It’s not about teaching anything new."

This focus on self-awareness also led to Olivia's decision to start her own label, Girlhood Records. After years of navigating the industry’s complexities, she took the leap to regain control over her music. “I didn’t want to sign to another major label,” she says, explaining how she sought a partnership with ADA for distribution while maintaining full creative control. The result has been a shift in both the way she makes music and the way she sees herself. “It’s made me care a lot less about fitting into someone else’s idea of what my music should be. For so long, I felt like I was forcing myself into this image of what I thought people wanted. Now, I’m doing it for me. I don’t feel the pressure to impress anyone. Once I stopped caring about that, I realized I could create music that was more true to myself. It’s been so liberating,” Olivia admits.

And while the release of the EP coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, Olivia didn’t intentionally time it for that reason. The project was simply ready to be shared, and the timing felt right. It’s a raw, real expression of where she’s at—and if that happens to align with a larger conversation about mental health, it’s all the better. The EP is a window into Olivia’s life, an exploration of her experiences with mental health, personal growth, and the challenges that come with being in the public eye. "I wish I could be the person to tell people that things get better, but I’m still figuring it out myself. I’m still going through all these things, so I can’t promise that. But I hope people hear the EP and realize they’re not alone. Sometimes, just knowing that can make all the difference," she shares.

This honesty is what makes O'Brien’s music feel real. She doesn’t claim to have all the answers, nor does she promise easy solutions to complex issues. Instead, she offers the raw reality of someone who, like many of her fans, is navigating the ups and downs of life. 'everywhere i go, there i am' is a reflection of her own journey toward self-understanding, and it’s a project that invites listeners to do the same. It is clear that Olivia has found her voice—one that’s unapologetically hers.

Listen below:

"You can change your surroundings, but if you don’t do the work on yourself, nothing changes."

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