Meet Sherren Olivia | Singer/Songwriter/Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sherren Olivia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sherren, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

I’ve always believed that risk is required to grow. To me, having faith in your artistry and vision is the base and foundation for success. It can be challenging to be a musician in an industry that is so complex to navigate. Releasing your art to the world can feel terrifying, especially when your art is derived from your own life experiences. When I started singing and writing songs,  music was a way to journal and create worlds that I may not have been able to experience in real life. It took a long time for me to have the confidence in my abilities and take risks to open my world up to everyone else. It was challenging to step into becoming an artist and identify as a musician instead of just someone who loves to sing.

Although I struggled, one thing has always remained consistent. I love music and feel extremely connected and passionate about it. Slowly I chose to take small steps to open myself up to opportunities that I would previously reject out of fear. Fear and risk are so closely tied that it can feel impossible to move even if you want to be ready. In these moments, I realized that taking risks to invest in myself and my dreams was encouraging my personal growth and shaping me into the person I was meant to be. In choosing to step into what I can now confidently say is my purpose, I continue to open up to the idea of allowing myself to be vulnerable to others through music. Today, I try to take more chances even if I don’t know what the outcome will be because without risk, I would not be where I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Sherren Olivia and I am a singer-songwriter. I love everything about music and have been singing since I was a child. I began singing in church at a young age and continued to sing throughout my life in choirs. In college, I was introduced to recording and song-writing where I started to work with other musicians singing on hooks. I had no intention to seriously pursue music until after college. I started to work on my own songs with the intention of just proving to myself that I could make a song from start to finish. I released my first two songs in 2015 on a streaming service called Soundcloud. I remember hoping that the song would just get to 500 plays and never imagined that something I wrote in my dorm room would reach over 100,000 people. As I continued to gain confidence in myself, I completed my first album “Oasis” and released it this past February. Having the opportunity to work with other musicians and perform on stages throughout Chicago including Lollapalooza has been such a blessing and something I will never take for granted. My journey has just begun and it hasnt’t been easy but it happened exactly how it was supposed to. I want to encourage anyone that loves to make music and create art to never stop creating. Create things that you like and don’t try to create for everyone else. Do your best and be gentle with yourself and take breaks because rest is just as important as the work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

– Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Planetarium or the Field Museum
– Get a brand new book from Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery – Black owned bookstore downtown Chicago
– Pasta Bowl in Wicker Park – Chicago – has a really good house pasta.
– Jazz Showcase is a great place for live jazz music and drinks or a date night.
–  See a concert at the Promontory in Hyde Park
-Visit the Silver Room in Hyde Park
– Grab a drink at Punch House – Punch House is a basement bar in Chicago that hosts music nights and events after concerts.
– See a comedy show at Second City
– In the summer, Chicago has a lot of outdoor music festivals and food festivals that are perfect on a Saturday or Sunday
– Fun night and drinks with friends at the ‘Easy Does It’ bar.
– Eat at least one meal that has Chicago mild sauce on it (mandatory lol)
– See a concert at any of our popular music venues like Lincoln Hall, Schubas, or Thalia Hall
– Play arcade games at Emporium
– Book a recording music session at Feature Form Studios to make a cool song!
– Get brunch at Bryn Marr Breakfast Club – They have a really good bread pudding French toast that they are known for.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give recognition to my siblings and my mom for always being supportive of my goals and aspirations. They are always willing to help me however they can and are actively involved in my work. My best friends, my manager, Charles Lauste, and anyone who has ever given me words of encouragement, I appreciate you so much. My support system motivates me to continue to do what I love.

Instagram: instagram.com/rennessyy

Twitter: twitter.com/rennessyy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3mkUUYa4L3kLKCZ8Dk_dpA

Image Credits
Nathan Miller – Photographer (black and white photo only) Amanda How – Photographer (all other photos)