1. OLIVIA - OLIVIA inspi'… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist under this name:
1. OLIVIA - OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST), Japanese singer
2. Olivia Longott, American r&b singer
3. Brazilian psychedelic-progressive band fronted by Olívia Byington
4. Olivia Ong, a Singaporean singer and actress.
5. Olivia was a French yéyé singer / 'beat girl' of the 1960s
6. Polish producer/DJ Karolina Oleś
1.OLIVIA (OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)) is stage name for japanese singer Olivia Lufkin, born on December 9, 1979 in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. She is the daughter of an American father and a Japanese mother. Olivia attended the Okinawa Actors School, alma mater of famous artists like 安室奈美恵 (Namie Amuro). She was discovered there and signed to Avex Trax in 1996 as part of the idol girl group D&D, which had an Eurobeat sound. When the group disbanded, OLIVIA became a solo artist. In contrast to her work with D&D, her first single, I.L.Y. ～欲望～ (I.L.Y. ~Yokubou~), released in 1999, had a driving rock sound. Her first two singles were written by others, but she wrote her third single, Dear Angel, and all her singles since then.
In 1999 and 2000, she released six singles altogether, all with a pop-rock or alternative sound, and at the end of the year, released her first album synchronicity, containing all her singles to date. In 2001 and 2002, she released two more singles.
Although critically acclaimed, her solo singles were not chart toppers; her biggest hits, her second and third singles, both peaked at #29 on the Oricon, and her successive releases charted lower and lower (her final single peaked at #99). Avex Trax switched her from the main label to their "indies" label cutting edge. Rather than chase after mainstream success, OLIVIA continued on her own path. In 2003, she released 4 mini-albums instead of singles with macabre yet whimsical titles such as Comatose Bunny Butcher. Likewise, her music became both darker and cuter. These mini-albums contained only English songs.
In 2004, she released her second album, The Lost Lolli, which was also all in English. This album peaked at #111 on the Oricon. However, Avex Trax released an overseas version of this album, reflecting OLIVIA's increasing success outside of Japan (typically, only chart-topping artists release overseas versions of their albums).
After releasing The Lost Lolli, OLIVIA went on an unofficial hiatus (except for a performance at the Halloween of the Living Dead hosted by HYDE on October 30, 2005) and worked as a fashion model and designer. In 2006, it was announced that she would be recording the closing song for the new NANA anime under the name OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST). The show debuted on April 5, 2006. The single was released on June 28, and debuted in the Top 10 of the Oricon daily charts, her first single to do so.
OLIVIA confessed that the hiatus was because at the time of The Lost Lolli's release, she was "feeling pretty depressed", and "started to notice and realize a lot of her faults". Her musical tastes had changed and she realized her need for help in making music.
In the fall of 2006, OLIVIA anounced that she would be releasing a new mini-album on January 2007, entitled The Cloudy Dreamer. In addition to the several songs she recorded for the NANA anime, the mini-album featured a new song called Dream Catcher, which was used as the ending theme for the live action television drama series of 地獄少女 (Jigoku Shoujo).
2. Olivia (Olivia Theresa Longott, born on February 15, 1981) is an American R&B singer. In 2000, she became the first artist signed to Clive Davis' J Records. Her self-titled debut album, Olivia, was released in 2001 and featured the singles Bizounce, which made #15 on the charts, and Are U Capable. The album debuted at number fifty-five and was RIAA certified Gold on November 2002. At the time of the album's certification, Olivia had already been released from J Records, signing to Interscope Records.
In 2004, Olivia re-emerged as the first woman signed to G-Unit's label, G-Unit Records. She contributed vocals to the trio's debut album Beg for Mercy and to 50 Cent's The Massacre, including the album's number-one single Candy Shop.
Her first solo single released via G-Unit Records was Twist It, featuring fellow G-Unit member Lloyd Banks, followed up by So Sexy in the summer of 2005. Both songs failed to debut on the charts due to little promotion. Olivia briefly attended Hofstra University in New York and planned her second album, Behind Closed Doors, which was slated for a 2007 release on Interscope and G-Unit Records. Around the same time, Olivia contributed vocals to Shaggy's single Wild 2Nite. Olivia released her single Best Friend, featuring 50 Cent, in 2006. In 2011, Olivia embarked on a Reality Show venture with VH1 titled "Love & Hip-Hop" which lead to the itunes release her 1st single in over 5 years titled "December". This time around Olivia has hung up her gangsta swagger, singing about the promise of love.
3.Brazilian psychedelic-progressive rock band fronted by Olívia Byington. Psychedelic and art-rock styles are strongly mixed with Bossa Nova creating an unusual sound.
5. Olivia was a French pop singer, considered to be part of the yéyé genre. She released just one single/EP: Moi je ramasse des coquillages in 1966. The record contained four songs.
6. Polish DJ/producer Olivia initially known for being a key resident DJ at Unsound festival in her hometown, Krakow, has also played at clubs and other festivals such as Berghain, De School, Tresor, Golden Pudel, Dekmantel and Nachtdigital. She has also released music on various labels : Pinkman, Dalmata Daniel, Dom Trojga, Syntetyk and K-Hole Trax.
Africa
Olivia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars,
That guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man on the way
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, oooh
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside,
Frightened of this thing that I've become
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, oooh
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you.
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa,
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa,
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, oooh
In the lyrics to Olivia's song Africa, the singer describes his journey to the continent and the emotions that arise from it. The opening lines describe the sounds of the land, with drums echoing in the night. However, he notes that the woman he is with only hears whispers, emphasizing the difference in perception and experience. As they arrive at their destination, the moonlit wings of the plane guide him towards salvation, in a metaphorical sense.
The singer then encounters an old man, hoping to find wisdom from the past. The old man's response echoes a sentiment found in many African cultures, urging the singer to hurry, as there is something waiting for him. The chorus repeats the idea that it will take a lot to pull the singer away from his love, but above all else, he blesses the rains that fall on the continent of Africa.
The middle section of the song speaks to the wildness of Africa, with wild dogs crying out and the singer feeling the need to do what is right. The final chorus repeats the blessings of the rains in Africa and reflects on the potential of taking time to do things they never had before.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear the drums echoing tonight
The sound of the drums travels through the air and reaches my ears with a sense of urgency and importance.
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
The person I am thinking of is not able to perceive the same things as me, and only hears faint murmurings of a low-key discussion.
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The woman I'm waiting for is scheduled to arrive on a specific plane at a specific time.
The moonlit wings reflect the stars,
That guide me towards salvation
The illuminated wings of the plane she'll be landing on shine with a soft light that reminds me of the stars, which have given me direction and purpose.
I stopped an old man on the way
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say,
Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you
While traveling, I encountered an elderly man and hoped he might offer me some insights from his life experience. Instead, he responded in a way that made me feel like I had to expedite my journey and not waste any time, as something important is waiting for me.
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, oooh
I declare my unwavering dedication to someone I care about deeply, asserting that no amount of obstacles could break that bond. I express my appreciation for the natural beauty of Africa and note that it will take some effort to experience everything I want to with this person.
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside,
Frightened of this thing that I've become
The sounds of nature around me, such as the cries of the wild dogs, remind me of my own internal longing for companionship and my desire to make ethical choices. The mention of Kilimanjaro reinforces the idea that Africa represents a place of awe-inspiring wonder. I also acknowledge that there are personal issues that I strive to resolve.
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you.
The phrase I heard from the old man repeats in my mind, urging me to move quickly as the woman I'm thinking of is anticipating my arrival.
I bless the rains down in Africa,
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa,
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, oooh
I repeat my earlier reflections on Africa and my intentions to cherish my time with the person I'm devoted to. The emphasis on 'blessing the rains' might suggest that I have found profound meaning and purpose in this location and its natural elements.
Contributed by Cooper E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.