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.
One Note Samba
Olivia Ong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Built upon a single note
Other notes are bound to follow
But the root is still that note
Now this new note is the consequence of the one we've just been through
As I'm bound to be the unavoidable consequence of you
and just say nothing or nearly nothing
I have used up all the scale I know and at the end I've come
to nothing or nearly nothing
So I come back to my first note as I must come back to you
I will pour into that one note all the love I feel for you
Any one who wants the whole show dó-ré-mi-fá-sol-lá-ti-dó
He will find himself with no show better play the note you know
The lyrics to Olivia Ong’s “One Note Samba” are concise yet full of meaning. The song is about simplicity and the power of one note. The first verse says that the samba is built on a single note but that other notes will follow. The important thing is that the root of the song is still that one note. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for life. The root of everything we do is our core values and beliefs. Even when we add new experiences and knowledge, we must stay true to ourselves.
The second verse states that the new note is a consequence of the one before it. Just as the singer is bound to be a consequence of the person she is singing about. This reinforces the idea that everything is connected and that every action has consequences. It also gives the impression that the singer’s love for this person is inevitable and unchanging.
The chorus then talks about people who talk too much and say nothing, and how the singer has used up all the different notes but has come to nothing. She says that she must come back to her first note, just as she must come back to this person. Finally, she says that anyone who wants to put on a show should play the note they know, rather than trying to be someone they’re not.
The song is a beautiful reminder to stay true to yourself and your roots. It shows that simplicity and honesty can be powerful and that you don’t need to be flashy or complicated to make an impact.
Line by Line Meaning
This is just a little samba
The song is a simple samba tune
Built upon a single note
The melody of the song is based on a single note
Other notes are bound to follow
Other notes will be played after the initial single note
But the root is still that note
The original note remains the foundation of the song
Now this new note is the consequence of the one we've just been through
The next note played is a direct result of the previous one
As I'm bound to be the unavoidable consequence of you
As the singer is a consequence of the person they love
There's so many people who can talk and talk and talk
Many people talk a lot, but say very little of value
and just say nothing or nearly nothing
Their words lack substance or meaning
I have used up all the scale I know and at the end I've come
The singer has exhausted their musical vocabulary
to nothing or nearly nothing
They have nothing left to say musically
So I come back to my first note as I must come back to you
The singer returns to the original note, just as they will return to their loved one
I will pour into that one note all the love I feel for you
The single note represents all the love the singer has for the person they love
Any one who wants the whole show dó-ré-mi-fá-sol-lá-ti-dó
Those who want to experience the full range of music notes
He will find himself with no show better play the note you know
But it is better to play a single note with feeling than to play many notes without meaning
Contributed by Camden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.