GET TO KNOW: OUR WIP OF THE MONTH - TAYLOR OLIN

Taylor Olin is a 25-year-old independent artist born in Saint Augustine, Florida and she is our very first WIP winner for the month of January! We had a chance to get to know Taylor a little bit better and hear about what she has planned in the future. You can find her on Spotify under one of her three artist projects: Taylor Olin, Dust Fuss, and Flour. You can also learn more about her and her other projects on her website here!

Hey Taylor! Where are you from? And where are you based now?

I am originally from Saint Augustine. A small historic beach town in North East Florida. I have lived and made roots in Nashville, Tennessee, Asheville, North Carolina, and now I am currently based in Los Angeles CA as of a week ago. I just drove 2,400 miles! 

From Saint Augustine to Nashville to Asheville to Los Angeles, do you feel like you’ve been inspired by the various places you’ve lived in different ways? Do you feel like your art changes based on where you are?

Absolutely. Everywhere I go and everyone I meet along the way has a huge impact on my expression whether that's music styles, way of dressing or activities we do to find inspiration. (hiking, diving, going to shows, museums). Every place I have been has felt completely different. I have a huge heart and have a specific spot for every person and place in it. 

People tend to think being a chameleon is an offensive term to call someone. For me, I thrive as this chameleon. I feel like with empathy and a deeper understanding of every place and the people, I belong anywhere to spread love and creativity. People can see this in the multiple projects I work on. Folk, Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B, Jazz, Country you name it. Life is so expansive. I personally could never imagine sticking to one genre or craft or friend group. I have been a social floater forever, an extroverted loner. a midnight toker. I play my music in the sun, I sure don’t want to hurt no one. (Steve Miller Band) lol

Living predominantly in smaller southern cities that are a bit slower moving, there was less pressure to produce. Now that I am in LA, so densely filled with artists doing similar things I am overwhelmed with eagerness to get out there, meet people, collaborate and understand life here and my purpose. 

Long story short. My styles changed almost directly based on my physical environment. I am in the country? I will be inspired to make broken down acoustic songs that come straight from the heart and nostalgia. I am in the city? I am inspired to write more punchy/boppy beats singing or rapping over them that give me energy and confidence to dance throughout the city. I love it all. Baby, I’m a golden corral. Got everything!

Who is Dust Fuss? Is it a group, or a solo project?

Dust Fuss is a group I created based off of my solo folk/rock writings. It was formed in my hometown when I came to a couple of my buddies asking if they’d want to back me on bass and drums. From there I pulled the name from nowhere, which slowly created its own meaning overtime. 

I have had various forms of Dust Fuss. I am going on my 5th round of different players. It was never due to drama or lack of skills. It was always from one of us moving or life naturally changing as it so does. The relationship dynamic was always different and I loved the way the music and renditions changed with every player. Everyone really brings their own style and I adore that. 

I think that did slow down the recording process though. I created Dust Fuss in 2018. We just released our first album this year, 2023. Of course throughout time I was eager and a bit impatient to record but in retrospect I am so happy it took the time it did. We recorded in Asheville, my buddies Jesse and Billy who both have a “give it hell” mentality do everything big and loud. I love the style that came from us together, it ROCKS. It has been the most releasing.

I am learning that you’re ready when it’s happening. I was not ready when I “thought I was” because the opportunity did not exist and I hadn’t found my form. It happened right when it was supposed to, with the people it was supposed to and I am so so thankful. 

We are obsessed with your submission song, ‘When a Flower Blooms’. We love your vocal arrangement in particular. Can you tell us about the inspiration and creative process behind that and the rest of the ‘Motorsigh’ record? 

Motorsigh is a collection of songs I wrote over many years, living in many places on various subjects and relationships. It was recorded almost as if we were playing a live set. I picked the songs that we knew resonated the best from live performances. We went song by song, played them live all together and I went back in and redid/overdubbed vocals. I love doubled vocals, with reverb and some grit. 

We recorded with our buddy Matt Daniels at Arrow Sound Studios based in Fletcher, NC. He has an incredibly professional/large studio. I feel so lucky to be doing this where I am comfortable and where I trust the producer. 

“When a Flower Blooms” is one of the slower tracks on the album. I wrote this song in 2021 in my apartment in Asheville after a trip to Nashville where I had met someone who emotionally and artistically changed my life. Very thankful yet sad to see it end, I was hit with a sense of grief but also an “it is what it is” mentality. 

Throughout the past 3 years I have been going through major life changes and healing. Love, loss, all the things life inevitably throws at you. Like everything reacting out of grace, rationality, patience will keep life flowing and it becomes easier. 

This song came to me as I was thinking of the grand “grass is always greener” idea. Walking down the street with happiness in my pocket, a couple dollars to spare all while the man next to me is blue and broke and bitter. The powerful opposition of life and how we are constantly living alongside each other without acknowledgement never ceases to amaze me. Maybe I am nuts or just hyper observant but I am always acknowledging. I am always thinking of a deeper meaning. 

What is it like working on multiple artist projects at the same time? How do you get yourself in the creative mindset for each of them? 

It’s extremely fulfilling. I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. Having multiple projects is the way my mind and soul thrives. It can be tricky, and pretty tiring but I love what I do and I still feel like I want to do more! Imagine that! 

Because my mind goes a million directions I compartmentalize a lot. I have a band for this style, a band for this style, I go here for this, I go there for that. It’s very organized and thought out. 

Because the projects are based in all different areas there’s not much I need to do to get myself in the mindset. Just getting there and being with my friends/players makes my energy and mind set off almost immediately. 

Do you feel like the different projects represent different aspects of your personality?

Absolutely. Will a psychologist see this interview? I might be pinned with some undiagnosed disorder….All jokes aside, I have many parts of myself I am in tune with and each project satisfies and helps express those parts or styles. I am very rarely expressing anger. If anything it's not so much anger but more of a “madness mania.” The song Machine goes into exactly that. “being a bitch is not my style, but taking a breaks not simple, been running around in circles, need to stop and breath in.” 

Dust Fuss satisfies the part of me that wants to kick, scream, spit and slap you on the ass. LOL it's full of healthy rage. Especially when 9 out of 10  times I am extremely calm and collected. I need that 1 time to let it all out. 

We are also huge fans of your visual and literary art. We’re so impressed at how multi-talented you are! How does your creative process differ between your writing/visual art and your music?

I am so happy to hear that! Thank you. My mind is zooming with ideas constantly so if it’s not organized properly I cannot create the idea. 

I would say the process is similar. I have an idea, I will write it down. I either tackle it and create it immediately or I come back to it. If the idea is a more visual/conceptual design I usually come back to it. With writing though, I usually do it all at that moment. Words come and go quicker than a visual idea for me so it’s good to get all the words down asap. 

What can we expect next from you?

With music I am hoping to create my first solo album this year. It will be more intimate and in the direction of When a Flower Blooms. Light drums, slide guitar sense of candles, leather, skin on skin topics of love lost, love found, family pain/growth, tough decisions. Everything I have gone through in the past 3 years complied. 

I have a single in the works for Dust Fuss and a single coming from Flour very soon! 

Visual art is sporadic! I am currently working on a conceptual denim clothing collection, perfume line, and writing sketch comedy. This interview is making me feel and sound a little crazy!

What advice do you have for other women in the industry?

Go all in. It’s a human right to fulfill your emotional needs. So many men in the industry, or life in general, either don’t want to hear you or honestly aren’t even sure how to. I don’t mean to generalize. I have been graced with some incredibly supportive men in my life but the industry statistics and stories are real. 

Do the deep work. Look within and heal the parts of yourself that tell you you are not capable or beautiful enough. All the tough challenges women have dealt with since we were just learning to walk, we have carried with us since. It’s time we drop them and move forward stronger because of it and achieve what we have long desired. An equal place and opportunity in this industry. To be respected.