Dolly Ave on Her Intimate Coming-Of-Age Experiences in “This Is Our Time”
Los Angeles-based indie-pop artist Dolly Ave takes a leap of faith in her artistic journey following loss and moving to different cities her whole life. Taking time to rest and reflect after her fast paced lifestyle, Dolly conveys a candid wisdom as she makes sense of a spectrum of emotions – both bluntly and passionately.
In her newest single release “Sit Still” Dolly reminisces about her time growing up in a small-town and craving something bigger. Immersed in thoughtful lyricism and flashbacks of adolescence, the song is featured on her coming-of-age full-length debut This Is Our Time releasing via Venice Music in 2023. The album weaves between pop, R&B, soul and electronic music and follows Dolly’s musical journey, embracing her life as an artist and facing the fears that come with it.
“‘Sit Still’ is an ode to my teenage years growing up in Missouri,” Dolly says. “I was constantly on the move to new addresses, never able to reflect, and wanting to leave my small town in search of something different.”
The new single follows her empowering lead single and title track “This Is Our Time,” which delivers a powerful message about taking risks towards living one’s truth.
“I think at the end of the day, you should just live your truth and do what feels right for you and take a leap of faith,” Dolly says.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For those who haven't listened to your music yet, can you describe your sound and how you pull your inspiration?
[DOLLY]: I would describe my new sound and my new album as coming-of-age that has pop-punk and alternative themes. There is just really music for people who need an inspiring message to get through their day which I think all ages can appreciate.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What artists inspire you, either lyrically or instrumentally, whether that's just music you love to listen to or music that you pull inspiration from into yours?
[DOLLY]: That's a good question. I listen to a lot of music from Paramore to The Beatles to Doja Cat to FKA Twigs, and then Adele, Vanessa Carlton, and then I think anything that just lyrically inspires me I like to pull from but mostly different sounds. I like the mix of electronic feeling with more acoustic, natural instruments.
[UNPUBLISHED]: In your opinion, where would be the perfect environment or place to listen to your new album?
[DOLLY]: I think the perfect place is to be running through a field in the middle of nowhere or on the road.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your single “Sit Still” has very eclectic mixes of R&B, pop and electronic elements. Do you have a favorite genre when it comes to producing music?
[DOLLY]: At the moment, I'm really experimenting. This new album is heavily pop and alternative indie. I think it just depends on where I am at this stage of my life, and those elements have kind of come out from my childhood.
[UNPUBLISHED]: “Sit Still” is just a very vulnerable piece, both lyrically and emotionally. What was the inspiration behind the single and how did the creative process look like for you?
[DOLLY]: I needed a track that was more reflective, and I wanted to write a track about growing up in Missouri and moving very often. I moved over 30 houses in my life, so I kind of wanted a track people could relate to in terms of fast paced lifestyles and taking a step back, reflect and slow down.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your debut album, This Is Our Time is set to release next year. I would love to hear anything you can share about the album. Can you break down what the experience looked like for you and the inspirations behind the album?
[DOLLY]: During the pandemic is when I started writing this album, and I was really stuck between whether I wanted to pursue music or not, and then my mother passed, so it was kind of forcing me in the world, forcing me to take all this time of pause and create something out of it. So while writing this, I was experimenting with a lot of different sounds. I didn't know if I wanted something more calm, sad or maybe challenge myself and do more upbeat music, something I've never done before. So I really wanted something that was uplifting, upbeat even though it was difficult beans. I got a team together. Our producers worked on this and made a cohesive sound that I feel like was authentic to me and it kind of became this album naturally. Just themes of growing up and trying to figure out the next step.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Thank you for sharing. You mentioned that you've been challenging yourself to do more upbeat music. Does the creative process differ from doing more slower, vulnerable pieces compared to your more energetic ones?
[DOLLY]: That's a great question. I think naturally I'm very chill, calm energy, like even if I'm on stage, I can be a little bit more introverted. So in the process of writing an upbeat song, I almost have to get into a mindset and hype myself up, but once I'm there, then the extroverted energy comes out. So it's challenging but really exciting too because I get to tap into how I am at home a little crazy and extroverted.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your music definitely channels a lot of empowerment and boldness. What is the message that you hope your listeners can take away from This Is Our Time?
[DOLLY]: I think it's a great question. I think what I want people to take away is that it doesn't really matter where you're from, whether you're Asian American or you're from the Midwest or you're from a big city or you feel like your circumstances are holding you back from doing what you love. I think at the end of the day, you should just live your truth and do what feels right for you and take a leap of faith.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Very beautifully said, thank you. I love This Is Our Time. It's a no skip album. Do you have a specific song from the album that stands out to you and is your favorite? Why do you love it so much? Is there like a specific message or lyric that stands out to you the most?
[DOLLY]: Thank you. I appreciate that. There's two. I stopped at 10 songs and then I wrote the song and I added it at the last minute. It's called “Honda,” very fun, upbeat and kind of brings all the elements together coming of age and pop, a little alternative and then slows down in the end to a more indie feel. It's kind of given every type of sound I like. My second favorite song is “Crash,” which is the first song I ever wrote for the album, and it's more reflective. It talks about harder to swallow themes like why do we age more, what is the meaning of life and especially me because that helps me make this album.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What are you most excited about for this release?
[DOLLY]: I'm honestly just excited to see where it takes me as a musician. I'm excited to see how people react to certain songs, what songs people love and what is in store for me in the next chapter of my life.
[UNPUBLISHED]: How has the response been from family, friends and fans so far?
[DOLLY]: I think I was surprised. I was like a new personality so people think you're gonna go one way and I think they're pleasantly surprised. I was smiling more in these videos and songs because the last one I never smiled, I was very serious, but mainly people were learning more of my story and it was more vulnerable.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Have you had any lessons or breakthroughs when putting this album together?
[DOLLY]: Yes, I am caught up in the uncertainty feeling and anxiety of being an artist and this album taught me to just pause and go with the flow and kind of let time do its thing and beyond the journey. Sometimes as an artist, you want to rush the response or rush a release and I just learned to just relax and be confident in what I'm releasing and knowing that it will come back around on its own time.
[UNPUBLISHED]: This Is Our Time is going to mark a whole new era in your life, artistically, professionally and personally. What can listeners expect from this new era of yours that you're excited to share with the magazine?
[DOLLY]: This new era is just more of my story, like learning about where I came from, where I was born, what my history and my family life is – things that I don't even tell my friends – so it's kind of crazy to crack open the facade and just let people experience another human.
