Queer folk artist Olive Klug shares Pride anthem “Song About America” | Debut LP out August 11 via Nettwerk
June 23, 2023 BY Jason Currell
LA-via-Portland queer singer-songwriter Olive Klug (they/them) has just unveiled their latest musical creation, “Song About America.” With thought-provoking lyrics and a captivating melody, the track serves as a poignant reflection on Olive’s personal experiences as a queer individual while touring the United States. Olive Klug’s debut album Don’t You Dare Make Me Jaded is out August 11th via Nettwerk.
“Song About America” delves deep into the tapestry of American culture, politics, and social issues, shedding light on the persistent challenges faced by marginalized communities such as homophobia, transphobia, racism, and xenophobia. Olive’s heartfelt lyrics offer a candid commentary on these pressing topics, provoking introspection and encouraging dialogue.
When asked about the inspiration behind the track, Olive shared, “I wrote this song in February 2023 while touring. I was going on a lot of long drives through the country while simultaneously taking in news about how multiple states were proposing and implementing anti-trans legislation that would significantly limit trans peoples’ ability to access gender-affirming care. “One of my favorite lines in the song is ‘I feel like dying but there’s just too many hills.’ I want to dedicate myself to change, to ‘die for a cause,’ but there are so many injustices and failed systems that exist in our country that it feels insurmountable. It feels impossible to write a ‘Song About America’ because there is so much to unpack that I couldn’t possibly do it justice in 3-5 minutes.”
As an openly queer artist, Olive has become an integral part of the LGBTQ+ community, and their firsthand experiences have fueled their passion for creating music that reflects the struggles and triumphs of their community. In “Song About America,” Olive masterfully encapsulates the contradictions and hypocrisies that permeate the country’s ideological divide, challenging the notion of progress and representation as substitutes for true liberation. “Song About America” acknowledges the work that still lies ahead in creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Olive’s evocative songwriting resonates deeply, urging listeners to question the status quo and to actively contribute to positive change.
Out August 11th, Olive Klug’s Don’t You Dare Make Me Jaded is a free-spirited, post-adolescence record about the uncertainty of the path less traveled by, choosing freedom over conformity, and allowing oneself to make mistakes. In return, Olive hopes the overarching sound pays homage to their favorite folk singer-songwriters, with poignant lyrics and passionate vocals as the record’s centerpiece. In their own words, they reveal this about their debut record, “The central theme of my debut album, ‘Don’t You Dare Make Me Jaded’ is exactly what it sounds like; a brave proclamation that in the face of a world that tries to make us conform, take away our rights, and convince us that all hope is lost, I refuse to become jaded. It’s about coming of age in the modern day; discovering ways to pursue joy, write my own rules, and learn how to take up space as someone who has been taught to make myself small.”
“Song About America” is available at all digital retailers here: https://oliveklug.ffm.to/songaboutamerica
Tour Dates:
8/10 – Perseids Music Festival – Nashville, TN
8/31 – O2 Academy2 – London, UK
9/2 – Workman’s Club – Dublin, IE
Don’t You Dare Make Me Jaded LP Tracklisting:
1. Faking It
2. Second Opinion
3. Out of Line
4. Coming of Age
5. Bath Bomb
6. Parched
7. Cut The Ties
8. Casting Spells
9. Do You Think of Us
10. Ghost of Avalon
11. Taking Up Space
