By: Rose Hutchins
Catoosa High School’s Olivia Schuber has been singing since she could talk. Active in both choir and theater, she enjoys expanding her vocal skills while also learning the fundamentals of how to move on stage during a performance.
Olivia’s success with her voice comes from within. “The joy of being able to express myself in ways others cannot is what inspired me to sing,” she shares. She has never taken private vocal lessons. Instead, she credits how far she’s come to her dad, his girlfriend, and her mom and family in California.
Olivia has been greatly influenced by genres like soft pop and R&B because she feels as though they relate to her. “They take the thoughts you’re having, and put them into words when you can’t,” she explains. She also acknowledges country music artist Luke Combs as the reason she started playing the guitar, and she looks to rapper and songwriter NF for inspiration in the way he writes about his personal struggles and pursuit of self-discovery. For Olivia, his honesty and lyrics relate to situations she’s been in, making her feel comforted by his music. Billie Eilish also inspires her to write her own music, admiring her style and using it in her own lyrics. So far, Olivia has already written 16 songs that allow her to share her voice with the world.
Olivia is most proud of a spring concert in the year 2023, where she sang her first real solo. Preparing for that moment took numerous vocal warm-ups and being mentally prepared before stepping on stage. To relax her nerves, she hypes herself up, believing that faith in herself makes all the difference. “If you believe you’re able to do it, the more likely you will,” she says.
Ultimately, Olivia values singing for the way it allows her to express herself. To anyone contemplating becoming a vocalist, she encourages, “Do it, follow your passion, and give it your all.” After high school, Olivia hopes to continue singing in college at Tulsa Tech or Biola University in California, while pursuing a degree in Biomedical or musical studies. Her ultimate goal is to take her voice worldwide, becoming a voice for people who can’t always find the words themselves.
