It all began in a pre-school classroom.  3-year old Olivia Jane Mell introduced herself to her first peer group by singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" rather than describing herself.  Now nearly 30 years old, to this day she'll tell you that that's the best way to understand her...just let her sing.  Though she didn't know it at the time, that day in pre-k was the beginning of a long and ever-twisting journey that led to the album "BETWEEN EARTH AND AIR". 

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Singing has been the one creative constant in Olivia's life.  Through years of acting and dancing, creating and studying art, the thing that always drove Olivia's most authentic and enlivened creative spirit was music.  Through the light and the dark, music was there.  Through tears and triumphs, music was there, helping to shape her identity and guiding her through.

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Olivia Jane grew up listening to the music of her parents' generation.  Among her favorites are Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Fleetwood Mac.  These and many others became Olivia Jane's influences in beginning her career as a songwriter.  Her style brings together elements of these artists with new characteristics that are uniquely Olivia. 

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Throughout her upbringing in Los Angeles, Olivia couldn't help but run around the house belting out Disney songs, showtunes, and classic rock--a funny combination in one little girl.  Olivia also began singing blues at a young age while studying with vocal coach Dana Greene in LA.  Her first foray into blues was God Bless The Child.  In college at Brandeis University, Olivia starred in musicals from Stephen Sondheim to Kurt Weill.  In her a cappella group, Starving Artists, her signature solos were jazz/blues tunes Fever and Feeling Good.  

 

Olivia embraced her musical theater nerd-dom in New York City.  She acted in plays and co-wrote, produced and starred in an original cabaret called Perfectly Complicated.   Olivia studied voice for years with the late, great Laura Thomas, protégée of Robert Kobin (whose technique the legend Barbara Cook attributes to her success).  Working with Laura unlocked the strength in Olivia's "mix", and in Olivia's own words, connected her head and her heart.  It was honing in on that training that brought Olivia's soul to the surface in her singing, and eventually led her back to her roots in rock n' roll and blues.

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"Between Earth And Air", released July 14th, 2017, is a collaboration between Olivia Jane and writer/producers Robert Davis and Nathaniel Cox.  It is a combination of lyrics and music written by all three, and was recorded at The Steakhouse Studios in Los Angeles, CA.  The common themes of the album are change and choice.  Davis and Cox remain Olivia Jane's friends and collaborators. 

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Olivia Jane is based in Los Angeles, CA.

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