Erika Olson is the indie, folk, country, blues, Americana, and pop singer/songwriter, whose storytelling is beyond vulnerable and whose vocals are enticing. She’s an American expat living in East Sussex and spent most of her youth in a nomadic lifestyle. She worked for her father, who was a golf course superintendent, she worked her way through college and law school mowing the greens and raking the bunkers. She always wanted to change the world and with a law degree, she set out to do just that. However, everything changed when her song was born.
She realized after going back to work after taking her maternity leave, when neither she or her son were doing well, that something had to change. She couldn’t go on like this. She left her high demand job to be a stay at home mom, but that eventually wasn’t enough. As life moved forward, she felt stagnant, that her life hit a plateau. She no longer recognized who she was and didn’t like who looked back at her in the mirror. So, she did what anyone would do and picked up the guitar and started to learn.
Her music is so effortless and beautifully crafted, you would think that she’s been doing this for decades. Her music is vulnerable and honest, giving her the upper hand when it comes to creating great songs. In fact, her new single, “I Don’t Feel Like Fighting,” was inspired by her son. She and him were always at each other’s throats when they moved to England and out of the United States. Understandably so, he was upset and frightened and confused. Everything was changing so fast and he didn’t know what to do with these feelings. But, as a parent, that’s not what we see as parents in the thick of things. Erika knew this, but would still chant her herself “I don’t feel like fighting,” and she would take that chant everywhere.
“Several years later, things had vastly improved, but I started to get those crushing feelings again during the first of several lock downs.,” shares Erika. “The mantra came back to me amidst the nonstop busyness that accompanied my lockdowns - homeschooling three children, cooking nonstop, cleaning, trying to explain the state of the world. So, when I could snatch a quiet moment I began flushing out more lyrics to the song.”
“I Don’t Feel Like Fighting” is an indie folk song with a pop styling. It has a strong Brandi Carlile meets Joni Mitchell vibe to it. It’s catchy and relatable. Her words instantly pierce your soul as she opens with “I wanna know what the mountain said to stop the earthquake/I wanna know how the birch tree bends but does not break.” She doesn’t hold back on the imagery and constantly brandishes her lyrical prowess.
The song is a powerful one on the challenges of parenting, but when I heard the song this week, I could help but think about what was going on in the world. She sings “I don’t feel like fighting anymore/I’m giving up on counting and keeping score,” almost taking the thoughts from my mind. After the horrendous news, not just in the United States, but around the world, this song takes on another meaning. It almost becomes a fight song, a rallying call, and point of catharsis for mothers, women, and humans alike.
Listen here: