Words Jamila Douhaibi
Photo Sarah Hartley Photography
Loss can do a lot of things to someone so young, especially the loss of a close family member. It changes how they grow up and their outlook on life.
For Olivia Hahn, rising musical star, losing her mother from cancer at age 14 brought out her writing, interest in supporting others dealing with loss, and love of singing on stage.
Now 19 years old, Olivia has already written two books of poetry and a book to “help other teens going through loss.” She has spoken at high schools about grief, and visited St. Margaret’s School to sing and share, saying afterwards that girls came up to her and said how important it was to hear her story. Olivia says “writing is an escape for my emotions,” and has shared this gift to inspire other youth to use creativity as a positive outlet. There are so many things in life that can bring you down, but music has helped her to stay grounded, and she knows that others “can get into music” as a way to deal with negative feelings.
It was only a year-and-a-half ago that Olivia really got into singing music, rather than just writing. She played violin and flute during high school, but writing, which turned into songwriting, was her first outlet. In the short time she has been performing, Olivia has already played throughout Victoria and in Nanaimo. Her first performance was at Hermann’s Jazz Club, and although she says she felt some nervousness and was actually quite shy when she was younger, overall, she “feeds off the energy” of the crowd and loves to perform in front of people.
Another part of her creativity, Olivia got into fashion in Grade 10 as an additional way she could “control something in life.” She says that fashion has also grown her confidence, as she has done some modelling and been part of fashion shows. She was 14 when she first dyed her hair, and also wears colourful wigs during performances. Inspired by Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, Olivia says fashion is about being “different and unique” and standing out is an important part of stage presence and a performer building their persona. She works with local designers to create her stage outfits which supports their work and brings out her most authentic self.
Growing up in Victoria and now living on the Saanich Peninsula, Olivia appreciates that living in a smaller community means that people sometimes recognize her and stop to chat. Because she is so focused on her music, she says that although “hard work pays off” in terms of finding new opportunities, it’s hard for her to make friends and have deeper relationships with people. Olivia says “all I want is to be a touring arena artist,” and the amount of daily practice means “a lot of sacrifice.”
Her debut single, Lust Over Love, released in March 2025, talks about people judging others from the outside first. Rising Tide, which honours her mom through describing how grief is like an ocean that comes and goes, was recently released and is already a top track. Olivia also signed with music label AMG just a few months ago and is performing at the Saanich Fair on September 7.
Olivia really believes that if you put everything into your passion and “go for your dreams,” you can succeed. “Losing my mom opened me up to seeing the world in a different way,” says Olivia, and she wants to continue inspiring others to know that life is short, so believe in yourself. Olivia is grateful to have the support of her family, especially her dad, and will continue fundraising through her music for organizations like BC Cancer Society, Hospice and Women In Need. Loss affects us all in different ways, but for this young star, she has used her music, fashion and words to let her grief lift her up.
www.oliviahahnofficial.com
