LAURA JOHNSON
A&E Assistant
Among the shallow wading pool of mediocre Britney Spears wannabes and J-Lo-esque booty-shakers is a genre of music makers who truly understand what it is to have talent. The singer-songwriter: a breed of music and musician that many attempt but few actually achieve. In a world where processed, over-produced and often times untalented singers make it to the top of the charts, it seems there is little room for those who possess enough ambition to attempt to make it on their own accord.
Junior Danielle Oliver is just that girl to make it on her own. While she first started writing songs at the age of 11, Oliver said she never thought about becoming famous. Though she describes her early efforts as “silly,” she simply wrote for herself, to get her emotions off of her chest. Beginning the piano at the age of 6 and later picking up the guitar in high school, Oliver has cultivated many outlets for release.
“Being alternative, my music is very reality based,” Oliver said of her sound. “It’s very honest, and more intellectual than other artists today. I try to portray to my audience a very raw, heart-felt
emotion.”
A girl from Whitefish, Mont., Oliver grew up in an area saturated in country music but said the “girls of the 90s” inspired her to be what she is now. A mix of folksy, bluesy and powerfully-packed acoustic rock, the likes of Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Jewel and Sarah McLachlan, all have a special influence over her sound. Yet, it has been her real-life experiences that have had the most resounding effect over her music.
In high school it was a bad break-up that brought her to write more self-described “dear diary” music, but in the beginning of college it was her Dad’s cancer, which eventually led to his death, and some health issues of her own that eventually brought out some of her best
writing.
“I go on writing binges,” she said. “It all depends on what is happening in my life that dictates whether I’m writing a lot or not.”
With all this tragedy defining her young life, it is a wonder her music is not more angry.
“I like dark too,” Oliver said, “but my music is softer, even if I have been depressed in my life. I don’t want to be a complete downer so I have a pretty good mix in my sets to make my show different. I believe we are in a new decade now.”
Whereas the 90s girls were angry, Oliver said she believes that singer-songwriters today should build on this sound instead of mimicking it.
“I always wanted to do music of course, but at 18, I wasn’t sure of anything,” Oliver said of her decision to come to Pepperdine instead of simply pursuing a career in music.
Now a creative writing major, Oliver first came with a music minor but dropped it after realizing that her style of music did not converge with that of the predominantly opera vocal program.
According to her piano teacher Carter Larsen, himself a concert pianist in Malibu, Oliver is something very special.
“How many music elite today can actually sing and play at the same time?” Larsen said. “She is a real concert pianist performing at top level in both areas. In this way, I believe her to be among the top talent in her age group.”
Oliver’s roommate, junior Jessica Merturi, also has an opinion, saying that Oliver’s MySpace Music page does not do her justice.
“I always tell her to remember me at the Grammy’s,” Merturi said. “She is just such a great performer. She has this spark that everyone can relate to. One of her songs even makes me cry.”
After recently performing a classical piano set in the Fantasia Concert Series in Raitt Recital Hall late September, Oliver is now content just writing music, attending her UCLA music business class (on top of her other Pepperdine classes) and doing as many shows as possible to get her name out there.
Her next two showings will be Nov. 11 at Genghis Cohen and Nov. 17 at the Rainbow, both in Hollywood. She is planning on releasing an EP in early 2007, but says that she is not planning on signing with a label anytime soon.
“I’m no hit making machine,” Oliver said, “but I am intending on staying within the alternative/independent line of this business as long as possible.”
Hear Oliver’s music at her MySpace page, myspace.com/danielleoliver.
11-02-2006
