After the year we’ve all had, OLI’s new single Don’t Give Up is just the encouragement we needed.

London-based singer-songwriter OLI has quite a way with melody-creation; combining swirling synths and expansive electronics, she has mastered a sound that builds visceral landscapes within your imagination and charms you with its eerie and slightly haunting beauty. It’s an alt-electronic sound that has found a quiet corner within the sonic universe, as it enraptures you with its hushed textures and cool vocals. Sharing her latest single, Don’t Give Up, OLI continues to sharpen and clarify her own place within the industry.

A heartbeat-like pulse starts the track off, as OLI’s vulnerable vocals dance atop, and as she gently encourages you ‘don’t give up’ in the chorus, it offers a sense of hope and reassurance. There’s a deep sense of trust imbued within the track, and her direct addressing makes you feel as if she has faith in you personally, creating an unshakeable bond between you and the music. The lofty strings add an airiness to the track that only elevates its etherealness, and you’ll feel yourself lifted to overcome any other difficulties that life may throw in your direction.

Speaking about her inspirations behind the track, OLI shares:

I think last year a lot of the feeling was just to keep going and keep your head above water. I felt that around me a lot, friends losing jobs, experiencing periods of bad mental health and somehow pushing on. It made me realise how resilient people are and how little they give themselves credit for it.

I wanted the song to show that, to feel like a voice inside your head letting you know everything will be alright. That we are in this together. If anything, I hope the listener feels a little encouraged after hearing the song.

Accompanied by an equally spellbinding music video, the visuals for it were actually shot in Finland under the direction of Heini Susanne. Explaining how it came together, OLI says:

I knew we didn’t need to be near to create something great together. The music video was actually filmed in Finland without me there. I wanted Heini to feel like she could do/try whatever she thought would look unique, instead of me instructing her on what I wanted.