One of the most exciting new soul artists to come out of the UK, West London’s Olympia Vitalis today unveils her highly anticipated debut project, People Watching. The EP is a five-chapter exploration of introspection, observation and raw candor, bought to life through lush, melodically rich soundscapes and the commanding, potent vocal Olympia has been making a name for herself with within London and beyond.
Of the EP, Olympia Vitalis says: “I’ve always been a very observant person and from young have tried to gauge and adapt to people’s emotional states. You have to observe and listen in order to tell other people’s stories and remove all judgement and prejudice when doing so. I wanted to be very frank when writing these songs and just write as I saw. This led me to the project title ‘People Watching’, where I’m both introspective and honest about what I see around me, be it in my own life or those of strangers.”
‘Painted Smiles’, the EP’s lead single, gracefully captures Olympia’s tender vulnerability. The spirited track is driven by a rhythmic, pulsating beat and infused with a retro, soulful aura. Through her soaring vocals and sincere lyrics, Olympia articulates a profound realisation—that the only reliable path is to place trust in oneself. The track stands as a compelling anthem of self-empowerment and personal conviction.
The EP also includes previously released singles ‘Younger’ and ‘Angel Patience’, which saw Olympia write with Jonny Lattimer (Rina Sawayama, Joy Crookes, Olivia Dean) and Nick Ferraro (Kali Uchis, Kojey Radical, SiR) respectively. The releases pair to showcase Olympia’s versatility as an artist; ‘Younger’ blends hook-driven pop melodies and breezy guitar progressions with production flairs that nod to her Caribbean roots, while ‘Angel Patience’ offers a captivating soulful ballad with a minimalist musical backdrop to showcase a brutal, emotive vocal. Watch the stunning performance video of ‘Angel Patience’ here, filmed at London’s Cecil Sharp House.
People Watching | EP Tracklist
1. Younger
2. Angel Patience
3. A Son’s Lament
4. Painted Smiles
5. Narcissus