Singer, Actress Olivia Olson On Emmy Nomination, ‘Phineas and Ferb’, And New Music

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This singer and voice artist is truly next level!

Olivia Olson has showed us her talents ever since she was little. Now a triple threat of acting, singing, and voicing iconic characters, Olivia is a true powerhouse. She even has an Emmy nomination under her belt!

We had the absolute honor of talking with Olivia about her music inspirations, her reaction to her incredible nomination, and her biggest goals!

Q: What first sparked your interest in music?

O: “I truly have no idea. It’s always been there! My witchy mom loves to tell this one story from my preschool graduation. Our class was supposed to all perform a song but everyone chickened out last minute. I still really wanted to do it, so I got up there by myself and sang my little heart out. Afterwards, my mom asked me “How did you learn to sing like that?” I apparently answered, “Don’t you remember Mommy? I used to be a singer.” So, I guess a past life? LOL.”

Q: Who would you say has been your biggest music inspiration, and why?

O: “Ever since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by different vocal tones, genres and styles. I’d try to figure out and mimic every single singer I heard. Then, I’d flip it around and say here’s so and so jazz singer if she was a rapper! It was this weird little game I used to play. Looking back, I guess it makes sense I’m a voice actor now. My biggest inspirations were female artists who cross-referenced, broke the mold and blended genres. Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Lauryn Hill, Etta James and Aretha Franklin are my favorites of all time.”

Q: Tell us about your iconic role as the voice of Vanessa in “Phineas and Ferb”.

O: “Dan Povenmire actually just told me the funny story of how Vanessa’s character came to be. Originally, Dr. Doofenshmirtz was going to have a sexy evil henchman named “Ms. Rockin’ Body”. Hahaha! I’m sure Disney would have changed that name if that stuck. But, something pivotal to Doof’s character soon dawned on him and Swampy. He isn’t nearly successful enough in the evil scientific community to have someone on payroll. So, what a great gag for the audience to think henchwoman but she’s really just his angsty teen daughter, there for her weekend visit. This small shift in Vanessa’s character had a butterfly effect. In my opinion Doofenshmirtz’ relationship with his daughter is what makes the “villain” of Phineas and Ferb so loveable, relatable and goofy.”

Q: Did you expect the show to get as popular as it did?

O: “Honestly? No! You really never know with these kinds of things. When you work in the entertainment industry, I think you condition yourself to expect everything to be a flop. That way, when something does flop you’re just like well yep…on to the next. So, when something blows up as massively as Phineas & Ferb did it feels like a freaking miracle. I’m extremely lucky to be part of such a cultural phenomenon.”

Q: Your collab song “Monster” was an Emmy nominated song! What is your reaction to that?

O: “I cried! I wasn’t expecting it at all. But it’s truly one of Marceline’s best. Half Shy understood the assignment, writing such a heartfelt piece that I instantly connected with. In the episode Obsidian, Marceline is having total writer’s block on this song. But, once she let go and laid out all of her repressed emotions on the table (because she was about to DIE) Marcy was able to get to the root of what was really holding her back. Monster getting nominated for an Emmy would make Marceline extremely proud, just like I am.”

Q: What advice would you give to young girls who want to pursue an entertainment career?

O: “Do it because you love it. If you ever stop loving it, stop! Singing and performing was everything to me. So, I thought that meant I needed to be this big famous movie star…and I became one at age of 10 thanks to Love Actually. But, you have to grow up extremely fast in this industry. It’s hard work auditioning for TV & movie roles. And, every audition is like 99.9% guaranteed to end in rejection. At some point the thing I loved turned toxic. I was sick of being judged on things like my weight and skin color. It takes really thick skin that I just didn’t have…so I quit! Unfortunately, today’s young girls are conditioned to that type of scrutiny every single day on social media. So, this generation can probably handle that better than I did.

I quit my so-called dream but I found a new niche in voice over! With voice acting, the only thing you’re being judged on is your talent…and my talent wasn’t really acting anyway, it was my VOICE. Sometimes what feels like failure is just the universe pushing you in YOUR right direction… If you truly love it, you’ll find a way to achieve that success…but it’s not for the faint of heart.“

Q: Is there a type of character you have always wanted to play?

O: “Yes! I always joke that I’m forever typecast. The emo, too-cool-for-school, outsider. She has a traumatic backstory, riddled with evil/scientist daddy issues and a sprinkle of *bi-energy* For some reason…that’s my trope! Hey, playing the cool girl is really cool. I love this type of character. But, I’d love to get some more comedic roles under my belt in the future.”

Q: What is one thing that most of your fans might not know about you?

O: “Well, I guess the reason I play the traumatic backstory trope so seamlessly…is from my own experience. I mentioned earlier that acting made me grow super fast. But, It was a combination of that and carrying around the weight of my own backstory. My brother and I were both adopted. We had very different journeys but, both with a lot of heaviness, confusion and loneliness. I’m thankful for my journey though. They say trauma gives you a good sense of humor right? LOL But seriously, without all the confusion and angst I went through trying to figure out who I am…I wouldn’t have needed music in the same way I did growing up. It’s the driving force behind the emotion in my voice.”

Q: What are your biggest goals for your career?

O: “Continue to play characters and write music that resonates with people. I used to measure success by notoriety until I learned the impact that characters like Marceline had. She’s given people the courage to come out of the closet and come to terms with their own childhood trauma (She’s even helped me with mine). One fan told me Marceline’s songs saved their life. I never thought a cartoon character could do that. My only hope in my career is to continue to have a platform where I can positively affect the people who watch my shows and listen to my music.”

Q: Where can we follow your amazing journey?

O: “I’ve been working on a ton of new original music! You can check out my latest song “Crows” out now on all music streaming platforms. And, of course you can follow me on the gram:”

Instagram: @oliviaroseolson 

TikTok: @olivia_olson_