Midnight in June - Olivia Vargas (Single Review)
Many folks know singer, songwriter, and pianist Olivia Vargas in the Grand Rapids music scene for her soulful pop arrangements around her instrumental and vocal prowess in August. Since the band was first put together, they have released one full length album and one self-produced EP, showing the band’s ability each year to collaborate under all sorts of circumstances and produce compelling tunes. Now, she has recorded a new album of music, Songs From My Room, to chronicle her creative time spent in quarantine while continuing to find ways to collaborate with her closest friends. The road to this album’s release begins with her latest single, “Midnight in June.”
Originally written for a college songwriting class as a compositional challenge from Aquinas College professor Paul Brewer, this tune reflects a trip to Scotland she had taken over the summer. In a recent Instagram post, Olivia details that she was picturing “when I was walking up the cobblestone path to the beautiful historic castle at the top of the hill” when she started crafting the storyline for this tune. She went on to describe how only after three years and with the additional vocal harmonies from Theresa Redmond and Marissa Peak (both collaborators with August) did she feel that this tune was ready to be shared with the world.
The tune starts with piano, setting the mood and foundation for the story to begin. Colors dance off cobblestone, a town bathed in blue, thoughts of a conflicting love that lingers in spite of the physical distance apart. All the while, Theresa and Marissa perfectly match Olivia’s timbre and phrasing, enriching the harmonies and adding an added layer of emotion to the lyrics. Sections of the tune are distinct, each one complimenting the character found in each piece of the narrative as the accompaniment progresses. It’s a beautiful blend of artistry and storytelling, soaked in a soulful serenade from three talented collaborators.
This is a wonderful start to an album that no doubt Olivia is eager to share with everyone. There are sure to be more collaborators, and with the helpful production skills from Bailey Budnik (drums for August) alongside crisp photography work from Loren Johnson, this record is being presented in true quality, West Michigan fashion. Check out the links below if you want to support Olivia and buy/stream her new single.
Bandcamp: https://oliviavargas.bandcamp.com/track/midnight-in-june-2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009079749502
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviavargasmusic/
August’s Website: https://www.augustthebandmusic.com/
