Ones2Watch Home

Photo by Jose Zaragoza

The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is back with a breakthrough EP, layering smoky, smoldering soul vocals over a sound that nods to Frank Ocean, Raye and Lana Del Rey. It’s ethereal, sensual, hesitant and bold in the right places, with vocals that soar with impeccable control, quietly beautiful strings, a Rihanna-esque ease, and the hush of "Video Games"-era Lana. It’s R&B made for late-night drives. 

Settled into her grandmother's home, it was a joy to catch up with Olivia to talk inspirations, freedom, vulnerability and the night walks that shape her sound. 

OnesToWatch: Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up?

Olivia C. Dacal: I actually grew up in Melbourne, Australia. I went to an arts high school where I studied jazz and producing. After that, I went to Berkeley, which is a music college, and I was just hoping that something magical would happen for my artistry, because I’ve been writing and releasing music since I was fourteen. I also took a business class, which basically taught me what an artist is supposed to be doing. So I made a plan, released an album that I produced myself, and it kind of took off so I moved to LA.

Are your inspirations now the same as when you were that fourteen-year-old, or has your sound evolved?

It’s definitely evolved. I didn’t know how much music there was and how many different places I could be. I loved Stevie Nicks and I was doing a lot more acoustic stuff, and obviously I was studying jazz at the same time. So it was very much older music, less pop and more singer-songwriter. Then over time I started listening to more music and it developed.

You move between English and Spanish in your music. Tell me about that.

My mom is from Mexico, she’s Latina, and both sets of my grandparents immigrated to the US. My dad’s side is Cuban and my mom’s side is Mexican and Salvadorian. So including Spanish in my music is because of my family.

Growing up in Australia, there were not a lot of Latino people. It was interesting to grow up without this important piece of me. I wanted it to be in my art because it’s a part of who I am, and I always want to be the most authentic.

How would you describe your music?

It’s very ethereal, cinematic, a little dramatic, music you can listen to in your car driving with the windows down. 

What are your career highlights so far?

The most recent one is that I got to perform at All Points East Festival in London. Lorde was playing, and Zara Larsson, so that was really fun.

How would you describe the EP?

When I’m writing songs, I am very intentional about how I want the audience to listen to them and what they’re going to feel. I really wanted to put into the music this feeling that I get, of freedom. The moments where you’re with your friends or by yourself and it’s just that moment, and you don’t have to worry about anything else, you’re not even thinking about anything else. Just in that moment, you’re free. I just wanted to encapsulate that.

I wanted all the songs in this EP to have those moments in them, or to feel like a moment. I envision people listening to it while they’re driving, it’s night time, you’re feeling yourself and you feel the future possibilities.

How does it feel to be putting out your Take A Video EP?

I’m really excited about this EP and to show everybody what I’ve been doing. It’s the first time I sat down and said to myself, “Okay, let’s make a project.” Because moving to LA, it’s like the dating game with producers, it’s hard to find the people that you like. But I found them and it was beautiful. 

This feels like a step up from where I was. I don’t want to say it’s exactly the sound that I want yet, but it’s definitely getting closer. So I am very proud of this project.

Who influenced the sound?

The Weeknd was influential. Rihanna was influential. Even Drake was influential. That was more for the musical side. Lyrics-wise, it all comes from me, and I’m just trying to be as truthful as possible.

Do you have three favorite songs from the EP?

“Bring Me Closer,” “So Bad,” and then… I can’t choose. It depends on my mood, honestly, because I feel like all the songs have a different flavor.

You seem unafraid to overshare. How do you get so vulnerable?

I never really was thinking about it, I just kind of was doing it, and then I realized afterwards what I was doing. I guess I’m a very open person in general, so everybody knows what I’m feeling all the time anyway.

Is there a story or two that sparked a song?

There are definitely lyrics where - I want this boy to like this, he makes me feel this type of way - I need to put it in a song. But honestly, I’ve been alone for maybe three years, just traveling and having to make new friends a lot. I’ve been in LA since March, so I’m still learning and meeting people. There was a time where I had nobody, and I’m very introspective. I like to soul search and find the feelings, and I feel like I lost myself. A lot of the time I’m by myself, and my favorite time is night time. I like to walk and just be really in myself. In those moments, I can find exactly what I want people to feel, and I try to bring it out as much as I can in the music.

What do you hope will come from this EP?

I hope that so many people listen to it and love it. I hope that one day I’m driving down the freeway, I look to my right, and people are listening to it. I just hope it touches people and they can feel what I wanted them to.

Sometimes in my music I put it all out there and forget about it, but then later I get some beautiful messages. For example, there’s a line that I wrote, “I’ll love you with my broken heart.” A mother reached out to me and said, “My son died a few years ago, and this song has really helped me so much.” And I cried. 

To me, this music is young, it’s my age, but somebody with a child is listening to it and enjoying it. I feel so glad that it found you in this way and it’s helping you. It’s crazy that music can do that.

What’s your dream festival line-up, or which artists would you love to perform with?

I would love to be on a line-up with The Weeknd. That would be crazy. 

Who is your OneToWatch?

I have a song. A house song, I love it. It’s great. It’s perfect. It’s called “Enigmatic” by celes.wav.

Listen to 'Take A Video' below: