honey.

I remember sitting in church and feeling my heart overflowing. I took my pencil and wrote out a chorus, rhyming of course, on the bulletin. That was the first song I wrote, at the age of 8. I didn't realize it was a song. I just thought it was a cool rhyme about Jesus. That started a journey of writing poems in my journals for decades and then singing spontaneously in the prayer room.

My first official song that I wrote was right after I had Sky, my first child. We were living in the guest room at my sister's very full house in Denver where we were helping with an UpperRoom church plant. Our little community was having a singer-songwriter showcase so I sat on my bed, with my newborn laying beside me, plucking away on the ukulele and Love Chase was born. 

For years I continued to write songs in the secret place with the Lord. Fast forward to January of 2024 where I heard the Lord tell me to take 6 months and get my songs in order as if I was going to have an album. This started a journey of going through stacks of my old journals pulling out old songs, finishing some, and writing new ones. I was asking the Lord what He wanted this album to be focused on and I heard "Song of Solomon".  I love Song of Solomon. I love the journey the Shulamite takes with her Beloved and how it reflects the journey that we as followers and lovers of Christ take. The first love and awakening, serving with Jesus, our immaturity and mistakes, hurt, being reunited with Christ, dark night of the soul, His bringing us out and taking as back to where we first found Him. 

The beginning of July I was half expecting to be approached by someone to produce my album. I was full of faith and so excited about the songs I had worked on. On July 7th, my mom unexpectedly passed away. After that I had no desire to work on my songs or move forward on releasing music. Fifteen months later I had a dream where my best friend and I were talking about how I held a key that unlocked music. She told me that it was time to do something big and not wait anymore. In the dream I started driving the van we were in around the mountains. I don't know about you, but that was pretty clear to me. 

It's time! I started asking around to my friends that have already released music for recommendations for a producer. A friend from church told me that I needed to contact this couple in Colorado Springs and how much I would love them and how awesome they were. I had never heard of them before but I had heard of some other worship music they produced that I loved. I set up a call. I was telling my oldest sister about it on the phone the day before our scheduled call with the producer. My sister asked "what are their names?" "Oh, Barry and Michelle Patterson" I replied. She immediately starts yelling "OLIVIA! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" I still have no idea why she's freaking out. She starts going on about how much she loves them and how I know their music. "No I don't, I have no idea what you are talking about." She told me to listen to their first album that came out in 1995 "Birth". I start listening to it and immediately I'm that little girl dancing and singing word for word each song on that album in my sister's room. That was confirmation. 

After my call with Barry Patterson I felt such peace and kindness from the Lord. I laid out all my songs besides my Bible opened up to Song of Solomon and arranged them in order of the Shulamite's journey. It all aligns. Again, confirmation from the Father. Thank you Holy Spirit. I've been told that releasing one song out at a time for soft release is the trend right now. If you know me, I don't like doing what everyone else does. I felt peace about releasing the album all at once, old school way. I enjoy listening to albums from the first song all the way through. I enjoy intentionality of music and song placement. This album is a story. Each song is intentional. This isn't 9 songs that I think will "make it". I chose the name HONEY for the album, "Your lips, O my spouse; Drip as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under your tongue;" Song of Solomon 4:11a. 

This is vulnerable. I felt like the Lord wants me to invite my community into this process and raise financial support. I'm beyond confident that Jesus will continue to guide and make way for this album. And I'm incredibly grateful and excited to share this with you all!