Likened to 松田聖子, she won a singing contest and was signed to a Japanese recording company at the age of 15.
After completing her O-level examinations in Singapore, Olivia moved to Japan to further her studies and career as a solo artist. There, she became a member of a Japanese pop (J-pop) group called Mirai, before she released her bestselling debut, "A Girl Meets Bossa Nova" at only 19.
With her sultry, soulful and innocent vocals, she has since done her reinterpretation of Frank Sinatra's "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" as well as other jazz and pop numbers.
Part of the wave of Singaporean talents being exported internationally, Olivia has, by far, been the only pop sensation exported exclusively to Japan, while previous stars such as 陳潔儀, 蔡健雅 and 孫燕姿 have only been exporting to the Greater Chinese market through Hong Kong and Taipei.
In 2009, Olivia signed to Taiwanese company HIM International Music and released her first album under HIM in March of 2010.
Fade Away
Olivia Ong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you’re not lookin’ my way
Like you trying to act cool
I think I lost my mind
Back there and then
Oh how I let my feelings go
You see, I know it’s just a crush
No one’s forcing it, boy
So you I’ll put aside
Thought friends we would be
Oh, boy…
Sadly you took my smile away
Every time you look my way
It fades away
I think it’s best it stays this way
Every time you look my way
Yeah, it fades away
You just wanna say hello to me
Now the table’s turned
I’m not lookin’ your way
Don’t get it wrong
Oh, it’s twisted up
Alright let’s make this story short
You see, I know it’s just a crush
And a crush won’t ever last long
No one’s forcing it, boy
So you I’ll put aside
Thought friends we would be
Oh, boy…
Sadly you took my smile away
Every time you look my way
It fades away
I think it’s best it stays this way
Every time you look my way
Yeah, it fades away
Whao…
Why did it have to go down this way?
I’ll admit I feel you when you are near
Maybe baby we got it all wrong
Sadly you took my smile away
Every time you look my way
It fades away
I think it’s best it stays this way
Every time you look my way
Yeah, it fades away
Sadly you took my smile away
Every time you look my way
It fades away
I think it’s best it stays this way
Every time you look my way
Yeah, it fades away
The lyrics of Olivia Ong's song "Fade Away" is an expression of unreturned feelings. The song talks about a girl who has a crush on a guy who seems to be uninterested in her. She wants to say hello to him, but he's not looking her way. Every time he looks her way, he takes her smile away. The girl thinks it's best to put the crush aside and be friends, but sadly, every time he looks her way, her feelings fade away. The lyrics of the song express the feeling of a one-sided love that is not reciprocated, leading to sadness and disappointment.
The opening lines, "I just wanna say hello to you, but you’re not lookin’ my way, like you trying to act cool," express the girl's desire to initiate a conversation with the guy she likes. However, he seems to be ignoring her, making her doubt herself and her feelings. She admits that it's just a crush, and it won't last long, but every time he looks her way, her emotions resurface, making her feel foolish.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the pain and disappointment of unreturned love. The girl laments that every time he looks her way, her smile fades away, and she thinks it's best to stay that way. She reminds herself of the reality of the situation, that it's just a crush, and she needs to move on.
Overall, "Fade Away" is a melancholic song that captures the feeling of unrequited love, a common experience in life. The lyrics express the girl's desire for the guy but also her recognition of the reality of the situation. She tries to move on, but her emotions keep resurfacing.
Line by Line Meaning
I just wanna say hello to you
The singer wants to greet the person she has a crush on.
But you’re not lookin’ my way
The person she likes is not paying attention to her.
Like you trying to act cool
The person she likes is behaving in a disinterested manner.
I think I lost my mind
The singer gives in to her emotions and feels like she's losing control.
Back there and then
The singer is recalling a past event.
Oh how I let my feelings go
The singer allowed herself to be vulnerable and expressed her emotions.
You see, I know it’s just a crush
The singer understands that her feelings for this person are temporary and not serious.
And a crush won’t ever last long
The singer knows that her feelings for the person she likes will eventually fade away.
No one’s forcing it, boy
The singer wants the person she likes to know that she's not forcing him to reciprocate her feelings.
So you, I’ll put aside
The singer decides to suppress her feelings for this person and move on.
Thought friends we would be
The singer thought they could be friends instead of romantic partners.
Sadly you took my smile away
The person she likes makes her feel unhappy and less cheerful.
Every time you look my way
The person she likes makes her feel uncomfortable because of his rejection towards her.
It fades away
The good feeling the singer had before the rejection slowly disappears.
I think it’s best it stays this way
The singer thinks it's better for them to maintain their distance and not pursue a romantic relationship.
Whao… Why did it have to go down this way?
The singer is wondering why their interactions had to be filled with awkwardness and rejection.
I’ll admit I feel you when you are near
The singer confesses that she still experiences a romantic attraction to the person she likes.
Maybe baby we got it all wrong
The singer thinks their relationship could have turned out differently if both parties had approached things in another way.
Contributed by Penelope J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.