A Conversation with Olie Beckett: The Prodigy’s Passion for Uplifting the World Through Music
Some lucky few know right from the start what they want to do with their lives, and even fewer have the talent to start making it happen at an early age: Enter Olie Beckett, pop music’s literal wonder child.
Olie Beckett‘s passion for music blossomed from an early fascination with DJing into a profound need to express himself through song. Joining his mother in singing along to the radio, Beckett‘s raw talent and unwavering commitment propelled him to audition for a prestigious nationwide choir, embark on vocal lessons, and showcase his skills at his local church. It was during this transformative period that Beckett’s mentor, Melissa – a seasoned musical theater veteran – played a pivotal role in shaping the young artist’s artistic sensibilities, introducing him to the emotive power of theatrical performance and the craft of musical composition.
In his latest outing, Beckett sought to -very ambitiously- cheer the world up with the help of producer Phoenix Stone. What they came up with is “Heartbeat,” a song about contemplating and valuing life one heartbeat at a time. The music video for the track follows Beckett across fairly mundane spaces filled with people who need cheering up, a noble yet simple task for his soulful vocals.
What was the making-of process for “Heartbeat” Like?
Making “Heartbeat” felt easy and natural. When the music comes to you, you can just go for it without a second thought. I recorded the song in the studio with Phoenix Stone for three days, working eight-hour days. It was so incredible working with him. We had so much fun and laughed a lot. Working on the ad-libs was my favorite part.
I read that you’re on a mission to “make happiness cool again.” Why is that? What does it mean to you?
During the pandemic, I felt like everybody became very sad. Not only did they become sad, it became a cool thing to do to be sad and make sad songs. I want to make happiness cool again because why would we want to be sad? We can choose to stop being sad. “Don’t be sad because it’s over, smile because it happened,” is a quote that I live by. The things that make me most happy are my two dogs and recording music.
What was your favorite thing about shooting the video for the single?
The concept behind my video was to transform a mundane space into something fun and amazing. I had the best time going to the set and lifting the energy of everyone around me. It was so cool to see how I could change the whole vibe just by being there! Dancing was also such a powerful experience for me.
How do you see yourself as an artist right now? You’re so young and the possibilities are limitless for you!
I see myself as just a kid doing what I love to do. As an artist, everything I do has depth and meaning behind it, and everything is always changing and evolving. I can’t put a label on myself. Same personality, different vibe no matter what. At the end of the day, if I want to try a different genre, then I don’t need to overthink it. I just do it. I’m the writer of my own story, and being authentic is important to me.
Which artists are you listening to the most right now? Who inspires you?
Ariana Grande. I love her new album, particularly her track “We Can’t Be Friends”. I’ve also been listening to Peso Pluma and Hailey Knox. I love her confidence.
How do you see yourself as a musician in the coming years?
I see myself bringing more genres to the table and writing different types of songs. I love R&B; I think it’s amazing. I’m authentic to who I am. I’m the same artist in different genres. Same person, different vibe.
What about shorter term – What’s next for you? What will you be working on this year?
I have a bunch of new songs. I hope to release all of them, but definitely two or three. I can’t wait to work on some R&B songs while keeping the same confidence and message of love that “Heartbeat” delivers. Some of my inspirations are SZA, Muni Long, Chris Brown, and Pharrell Williams.
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