Q&A: Olivia Morreale Talks 'Space Dreams,' EP Creating Visuals + New Single "Another Moon"

Q&ASpotlightMusic

Apr 29

☆ By FRANKIE TAMERON ☆

SPEAKING WITH YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS — “The reason we named the song ‘Parasomnia’ is because this felt like a nightmare, or a strange and unsettling dream that you wake up from feeling confused or disoriented. The lyrics at the beginning are not particularly crazy, but they allude to the idea of speaking with your subconscious.”

This project has been years in the making for Olivia Morreale. Hailing from New York, Morreale came to the West Coast to pursue a degree that ultimately landed her in the pop realm. She has recently found her synth-grunge style while making her debut EP, but is still heavily influenced by her previous studies in jazz. Pairing what she knows from her time in the music scene in New York City with what LA’s pop scene has given her, she takes the risk to experiment with both songwriting structure and sound.

“Parasomnia” is the first single off her debut EP, Space Dreams, being released this summer. Morreale will give us more insight to the project with the release of new single “Another Moon”, out tomorrow. "Another Moon” centers around escapism in both the physical and emotional sense, while bringing the listener in with a R&B flow. Read below to get inside Morreale’s head and see what else is in the works for this rising artist.

LUNA: It's 8 p.m. on a Monday during your favorite month — where can we find you?

MORREALE: My book club! I have this book club I started during quarantine to stay sane, [and] it's been really nice. Reading is so meditative. All the women who are in it are friends that I know who have interesting things to say and bring a lot of insight to the books. We just read Shanghai Girls (Lisa See). We also just read Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, [and] we just read an Agatha Christie book, too.

LUNA: What was the creative process like for this music video of “Parasomnia”? There’s a lot going on in it! How did the director’s vision fit with your lyrics? Did you piece it together or was it done as one solid vision?

MORREALE: What happened when we went to make the video is that I randomly met Sammy (the director) at a friend’s house. She showed us her Reel, and a video that she had just made — I saw it and was like, “Okay, we’re doing this, like, next month.” Overall, I think she understood vibe-wise what I wanted; the song is really weird in the middle and the bridge was a more experimental thing, and that is totally her vibe, too. We came up with this warped Alice in Wonderland thing; she nailed the colors and the overall aesthetic and I felt very comfortable trusting her and the producer Kate Renee with bringing the song to life visually.

LUNA: Why so many people? Does each one play a different role in the dream state?

MORREALE: We planned the video as a series of scenes with different characters who would ultimately end up together in the video. We didn’t necessarily set out to have a lot of people, but because Sammy had so many friends who were available during the time of the shoot it ended up being a big hang, with everyone also helping out with costumes and with the overall creative vision.

LUNA: What are your favorite kinds of dreams to have?

MORREALE: The guiding force in this whole EP has been about the feeling that you’re having in the dream. I think the way a dream makes you feel is the thing that you remember. Obviously, I like to have a good-feeling dream because you wake up feeling [calm] or nice. It’s definitely more about the feeling of what dreams leave me with once I’ve woken up.

LUNA: Has quarantine and the loneliness of 2020 made you able to go deeper into writing songs that reflect the innermost psyche?

MORREALE: We finished the writing of this song before quarantine, but the new stuff I’m writing has a lot of reflection going on. I try not to be, [a] “sad girl.” The visuals throughout this whole EP have been so inspired by that (the innermost psyche). I’ve been sitting on this project for a while in order to make the visuals perfect. I just think that having visuals that accompany your music in a meaningful way is really important, and I’m happy that I took the time to sort that out with Space Dreams.

LUNA: What can we expect from Space Dreams when you release it? What were you trying to create?

MORREALE: Space Dreams is four songs; we’re going to have two videos. “Parasomnia” was cool because it brought the “dream” to life; it’s the most directly-related to dreams as an overall concept. Visually, I’m really stoked for the next video, too — it’s called “Another Moon.” The vibe is very fun, with pinks and yellows and lots of neon. The EP will be released in June.

LUNA: What are the top three things on your This Is Why I Do Music Bucket List?

MORREALE: It’s not so specific for me. I would love to work with a producer who sees what I’m trying to do and elevates it to be the most that it could possibly be, and to co-produce with that person; I’d also really like to write and produce a full album soon. I’m also hoping to land an opener for someone on a tour.. Other than those few specific goals (touring and writing the album), I’d really just like to continue to build a world for my fans or people who enjoy my music to exist in, which includes visuals and a dope live show that encompasses the experience of what I have to offer as an artist and a person. If I can evolve into doing that in a way that is sustainable for me I’ll feel satisfied.

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