When a 19-year-old Olivia Faye first moved to Nashville, she was overjoyed at the opportunity to finally pursue music and live the life she’d always dreamt of. “It was such a fun, freeing feeling when I moved here,” the now-24-year-old told American Songwriter. “It was the first time I had ever lived alone, so it made me more responsible and independent. It also made me realize I had to chase this dream—no one was going to do it for me.”
Videos by American Songwriter
And now, in 2021, that dream is becoming a reality for the country singer-songwriter. Committed and hardworking, Faye knew how to “chase” her musical dreams, but now, on April 16, she’s releasing an ode to another kind of chase with her new single, “The Chase.”
“This single is a fun and flirty song I co-wrote with another Nashville artist, Jesse Labelle,” Faye said. “It was inspired by where I was in my life at the time—my friends and I just wanted to enjoy the single life without being caught up in a serious relationship. I think a lot of people can relate to that. It was written as a cute perspective of not taking dating too seriously. It’s about being young and not ready to be tied down.”
And with an infectious melody, a lighthearted swagger and an amazingly percussive, acoustic arrangement, Faye and Labelle certainly hit the mark on the “fun and flirty” part. Produced by other frequent collaborators of Faye’s, Maks Gabriel and JT Hodges, the tune exudes a sense of organic playfulness and fun.
“My most favorite process of being a singer and a songwriter is the recording process, so I had a blast recording ‘The Chase’ with my producers,” Faye said. “I scored big-time having some of Nashville’s biggest session players—Derek Wells, Evan Hutchings, Lee Hendricks and Justin Schipper—tracking the music. When you listen closely you can hear the sound of my favorite instrument: the steel guitar. I’m super happy with our final product.”
In a way, “The Chase” is a perfect example of the work that sprouts from the legendary songwriting culture in Nashville—clever concepts, killer arrangements and rewarding co-writes are all hallmark elements of the way writers approach stories in this “song town.” For Faye, her education began shortly after she arrived as a fresh-faced 19-year-old.
“I chose to move to Nashville because it’s the perfect city for making country/pop music like I do,” she explained. “I was so lucky to have met a successful Nashville songwriter named Kris Bergsnes (Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd), who has been a mentor to many people in the songwriting world. He introduced me to several amazing people right out of the gate and I threw myself into as many co-writes as possible. He also taught me to be careful accepting too many co-writes as sometimes young guys in the music industry are really just wanting to go on a date.”
While Faye has good reason to be wary of guys with misplaced romantic aspirations, she’s also part of a wave of strong female artists sharing an empowering message. Especially ahead of what’s shaping up to be a pretty exciting summer for the singles of the world as the pandemic easens up, “The Chase” is the ideal kind of fun, self-accepting tune to serve as a soundtrack.
Listen to Olivia Faye’s new single “The Chase” below:
