City singer primed for Launch

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This article was published 09/01/2019 (2691 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The second season of CTV’s music competition The Launch is set to première Jan. 30, and Winnipeggers will see a familiar face among the new batch of contestants.

Local singer-songwriter Olivia Lunny has been chosen as one of 30 music artists from all around the country to compete for a chance to have a single released commercially.

Despite being just 19 years old, Lunny has been active in the Winnipeg music scene for a few years already, participating in the Stingray Young Performers Program at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, snagging opening slots for some high-profile artists including Polaris Music Prize shortlisted Leif Vollebekk and earning a Western Canadian Music Award nomination for Pop Artist of the Year for her debut, self-titled EP, released in February 2018.

 

Early in her career, Lunny also took part in the Winnipeg Free Press’s music video series, the Exchange Sessions, which highlighted exceptional local and touring musicians performing live in spaces around the Exchange District.

Lunny says the application process for The Launch was pretty standard (written application and accompanying video clips and music submissions), and when she found out she had been chosen from the thousands of applicants, she couldn’t believe it.

“It was insane. I followed along with Season 1, so it just popped up that Season 2 applications were open and I thought, ‘Why not?’ And I applied and I’m very happy I did,” Lunny laughs.

Each episode of The Launch sees five emerging artists audition for a panel of celebrity mentors — which this season includes Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, Bebe Rexha, Jann Arden, Max Kerman of the Arkells, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, and the show’s executive producer, music industry giant Scott Borchetta, among others — for the opportunity to learn, record and perform their interpretation of an original song written by a famous songwriter/producer.

The mentor panel then decides which version of the song will be released immediately following the broadcast of the episode.

One of the singles from the first season, Ain’t Easy by Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, went on to become a platinum-selling hit in Canada.

The second season of The Launch was filmed last fall in Toronto and Lunny’s episode, the fourth of six episodes, will air Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. on CTV. Lunny’s mentor is Jann Arden.

“During the audition process, as you can imagine, it was kind of terrifying walking in and seeing these celebrities, famous and talented people, but Jann, she’s incredible, she made me feel so comfortable. She’s just a firecracker and she’s so lovable,” Lunny says.

Lunny can’t give any hints as to the outcome of her time on the show, but overall she says her experience with The Launch was overwhelmingly positive.

“I can take so much from this experience,” she says.

“Performing itself and being put into a situation and audition process where there is so much pressure, that’s definitely something I think is good to learn and get used to, but it was just overall such a wonderful experience and The Launch is a really awesome show that focuses on the artist and they really just want artists to succeed.

“I know some other shows, they just try to throw in drama or curveballs and stuff, but The Launch is very true to saying they support the artist and they want the best for us.”

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @NireRabel