We connect with Olivia Escuyos, a defining voice in Australian R&B, celebrated for cultivating one of the country’s most influential YouTube followings. Olivia elevated her career by moving between Atlanta, L.A., and Miami, collaborating with industry heavyweights like Murda Beatz, Keyz, Tricky Stewart, and The Dream.

Her musical journey was built on the influences her family shared with her, with significant inspiration drawn from Alicia Keys’ Songs in A Minor and iconic figures like Anita Baker, Sade, and Brandy. Olivia has carved out a unique space in the industry, fusing soulful melodies with heartfelt storytelling, creating a distinctive presence in contemporary R&B.

With exciting new projects on the horizon, Olivia offers us a glimpse into her creative process, promising that what’s next will be the most authentic expression of her artistry yet.

Looking back at your early inspirations, are there any artists or albums that you would say are foundational to your sound today? Can you take us back to the moment you first fell in love with R&B?

A lot of my earlier influences were passed down from my family. We’re all lovers of music and their curation over the years has inspired me whether I’ve been conscious about it or not. But my personal journey with my sound started with Alicia Keys’ first album Songs in A Minor which was actually something I had to learn because my singing teacher at the time helped me navigate away from ballads and into the world of R&B. My musical roots also consist of MJ, Stevie Wonder, The Stylistics, Anita Baker, Sade, Floetry, Brandy, Beyonce, D’angelo, Marvin Gaye, Jill Scott...just to name a few!

For someone who has never experienced your music, what five words would you choose to capture the essence of your artistry?

Heartfelt, sultry, loveletter, transparent, soulful.

Your music often carries a strong sense of emotion and storytelling. When you were creating your latest single, how would you describe the emotional journey you were on at that moment?

There have been a few singles I’ve released but "Get Together" is really nostalgic for me. I wanted to write a song that captured the feeling of whenever I came back home from living in America. Even if I had a lot of work things going on, it feels like no time has passed and nothing changed when I was back with my loved ones. Which is comforting when you’ve been abroad for a long time. 

You’ve been instrumental in shaping the sounds of other artists. How does it feel to hear your influence in someone else’s music, and do you approach songwriting differently when it’s for someone else versus your own work?

It always feels satisfying when you can help someone bring their vision to fruition. My songwriting consists of many different methods which have all been from being in sessions with songwriters that have generously mentored me in my career. Whether I’m writing for myself or another artist, there’s no one method I use. I like to use my intuition to know how to guide the session, but I’ll also use the skills I’ve learned to help form and shape the vision. There’s no wrong way to create, the most important thing is to make sure you’re creating.  

There's a strong cinematic quality in your sound. If you could score the soundtrack for any movie genre, what would it be? 

If I could help score a Disney Soundtrack, my life would be made!! Or anything by Baz Luhrmann.

Fashion often tells a story just like music. Are there specific looks or pieces that help you get into the right mindset for creating or performing?

I love creating a theme for the music I’m releasing or performing. I used to wear tracksuits/athleisure when performing but I’ve definitely growing out of that and love building a look that pulls from my inspirations as well as whatever style is being made popular at the time. 

When I create, sometimes I’ll roll out of bed in my PJ’s because the idea is so important to record down that it doesn’t really matter what I have on. Other times I’ll dress up like I’m about to go out and that really makes me feel like I’m in the zone!

You’ve mentioned that you’re working on new sounds which we're very excited about. Can you tease a little about what’s inspiring the direction and what we might expect to hear?

I’ve been creating with a lot more intention to highlight the sounds that have inspired me throughout my career. I’ve also been working with more studio musicians and that’s been so exciting to put together. All I can say is, I can’t wait for these next releases as they feel like the most "Olivia" records to date.