She is nothing if not versatile: she has played at events like Renegade Hardware and Glastonbury Festival, and she has a whole heap of events lined up in the year to come. Her global dominance will continue with an Australian tour lined up for early next year.
She is in the process of making her own material, including some tech house production and a drum and bass track. Olivia also writes for Core off the back of her second position in our female dance artist poll.
She is also signed to female agency www.weruntheworldfemaleagency.com. I catch up with the multi-talented star of the future.
Where did your love of music come from?
My great grandfather was a famous composer, composing music for royal families around the world. Tommy Handley was my other grandfather – the famous comedian and he also sung comedic music!
I’ve played piano since a very young age, but my love for electronic music came when I was 15 and I first heard Pendulums 'Vault' and 'Masochist'. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before and ignited my love of dark and fast beats. Age 18 was when I really started to think, ‘hmm… I'd like to be behind the turntables’. One of my best friends, Oli Reaction, leant me his decks and was like ‘GO’. I picked it up quite quickly and got my first gig almost three weeks later at The Volx in Brighton. From that moment, I went from strength to strength; Fabric, Egg, Flex Fm, Renegade Hardware, gigs all around England. Now I have my own show on Origin Radio (www.originuk.net) and www.4thepeoplemedia.com weekly, I played at Glastonbury Dance Village last year and a three hour backstage set to the likes of the Rooney’s, the amazing Stanton Warriors and more! I have gigs coming up in January in Melbourne Australia, and a world tour on the horizon… I am producing my own beats and will be hitting the more commercial music industry as well as keeping with my drum and bass gigging. I have a huge project coming up and all will be revealed shortly in Core.
Who or what, past present or future, inspires you?
As the saying goes, 'Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on earth', so you better be nice to your fans. I have met a lot of people who used to inspire me and but weren't quite as amazing in real life.
I am inspired by people who are just themselves. Here are a (fair) few: Nike Jemiyo, Jessie J, Alice Grace (we work together and she has such a beautiful voice), DJ Hype (True Playaz), Shimon (Audioporn), IC3 (everyone who knows him will know he is absolutely lovely), EZM (Origin Radio), DJ Fabio (a legend and has always given great advice), Muse, Radiohead, Coldplay, Random Concept – Garry K and MC Presha – they are such lovely people and continuously pack out events! Eminem, Mr C (Richard West), now this will be controversial but Deadmau5, he gets in a lot of trouble with some of the stuff he says but at least he's honest! Stanton Warriors (their Twitter and Facebook feed says it all, absolutely brilliant and hilarious). DJ Rap – amazing woman! Martin (Flex FM), Tarlock Rai (Organalogue Radio), James Venn (Subsonic), Danny Burke (Fierce – he’s always been the same since I first met him and he taught me some tips in mixing so always will be grateful for that), Orifice Vulgatron (Foreign Beggars), T China, L One, We Run the World female DJ agency, Tarq and Cheryl at Rough Tempo Radio, DJ Hungry Man, Hagop Love – awesome bloke! Shout to JUMP music. Lastly the ladies in dnb: Vicky V Dubz, Lisa Nyx and Miss Represent! Anyway I could go on forever so will stop there!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Touring as a live act and having a couple albums out!
What is your biggest achievement so far?
Performing to Wayne Rooney and co. and packing out a famous stage at the worlds biggest festival!
What do you believe in?
I believe in being optimistic but at the same time I've learnt to not believe anything you hear in the music industry until you've got it signed and sealed! It's a rollercoaster ride and messes with your emotions, but the outcome truly is amazing. Music will always be the most important thing in my life and I can't function without it. There are no shortcuts – you can't be a fake DJ without being noticed and you have to work hard. I've been lazy in the past when I was a young teenager but am sure making up for it now!
What is important to you?
I am just going to keep saying it: be yourself, don't listen to the shit people band about only because they have nothing else to do or are just getting a bit paranoid for one reason or another. Everyone is different, you can't please everyone and please don't think you’re a sell out if you make music that appeals to a wider audience! Whatever happened to music being there to be enjoyed?
You also never know what is going to happen so don't take things for granted. I am not perfect and neither are you. It's important to remember that. And if I ever get nervous at a gig or an interview I try to visualise everyone broken down into their buzzing atom form- then you realise that they’re no bigger or scarier than the next chair or table in front of you!
