Olive Klug Joins Artistree as Musician-in-Residence
Music Residency Includes Underscoring for Three Tall Women and June 11th Hillside Concert.
Artistree Community Arts Center is thrilled to welcome acclaimed singer-songwriter Olive Klug as their Musician-in-Residence this June. Klug, known for their fearless honesty and emotionally rich storytelling, will contribute original music underscoring for Artistree’s summer production of Three Tall Women by Edward Albee, and perform a special outdoor concert on June 11th at 6:30pm at Artistree’s hillside venue.
A rising star in the indie-folk world, Olive Klug brings a rare mix of vulnerability, wit, and adventure to their work. Their sophomore album Lost Dog captures life on the road as a neurodivergent artist, exploring love, identity, and self-discovery with remarkable clarity and poetic depth. Their June 11th performance promises a soulful, heartfelt evening of music that speaks to anyone navigating life’s twists and transformations.
Artistree is thrilled to support this residency that blends live performance with collaborative theatrical composition. “Olive brings a rare sensitivity and depth to their work,” says Artistic Director Matthew Robert. “Their music is a perfect match for the emotional resonance of Three Tall Women and we can’t wait for our community to experience it live.”
Q&A with Olive Klug
Q. You've taken a unique path as a van-dwelling singer-songwriter. How has living on the road shaped your songwriting process or performance style?
A. My constant movement has impacted my music in really interesting ways! For starters, many of the recurring themes in Lost Dog focus on the fleeting nature of many aspects of my life and the push and pull between the exciting possibility of a nomadic lifestyle and the loneliness and uncertainty of it. Since I travel frequently, I also am inspired by many different landscapes and micro-cultures I encounter throughout my journeys in the North America.
Q. You're not only performing a concert at Artistree, but also contributing music to our production of "Three Tall Women." How has scoring for theater differed from or enriched your usual creative work?
A. As a singer-songwriter, my typical creative process is very lyrics-based. I start with a lyrical concept and build the instrumentals around it. However, scoring for theater has really challenged me to create outside my typical chord progression structure and learn how dynamics, melodic guitar lines, and unconventional chord progressions can support the emotional arc of the play. It feels refreshing to be in a role that fades in and out of the background of the piece rather than carrying my own story on stage. I enjoy being a part of a larger ensemble. I have already noticed myself starting to incorporate these new methods into the original music I’ve been working on at Artistree.
Q. Your lyrics often dive deep into vulnerable emotions. What gives you the courage to be so open in your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners take away from your honesty?
A. Growing up, I felt powerfully seen and understood by songwriters in a similar vein speaking to their own experiences with love, queerness, growing up, and mental health struggles. I think walking in the footsteps of previous confessional songwriters inspires me to be honest and share my authenticity because I know it resonates with folks who might need to feel seen and supported. It’s very fulfilling to know that my music has made an impact on others.
Q. Being in residence at Artistree brings you into a vibrant creative community. What has the experience of connecting with local artists and audiences meant to you so far?
A. It’s been so enriching to connect with the actors and artists involved with the Three Tall Women performance. I’ve noticed that our conversations reflect similar themes to the themes in three tall women, as we are all at very different points in our lives. It’s been beautiful to create this intergenerational community and share advice, questions, and stories from our lives, and to watch the cast commit so thoroughly to their creative process.
Q. Many fans describe your music as both deeply introspective and universally relatable. How do you balance personal storytelling with creating songs that resonate widely?
A. A common part of my writing process is synthesizing specific details from my life into a larger theme that may be universally relatable. I honed in on this skill when taking an online course from Adrianne Lenker, a songwriter I admire; I find that a combination of declarative universal statements with these sensory details can combine to elicit a powerful emotional reaction.
Q. Looking ahead, what are you most excited about—musically, personally, or creatively—as your journey continues beyond Artistree?
A. This summer I’m playing 6 music festivals, and I’m really excited for those. I’ve only played 3 music festivals my entire career, so I’m really looking forward to diving and connecting with new fans and fellow artists. Specifically, the Canadian folk festivals make a concerted effort to bring artists together with workshops, and I’m looking forward to working with some artists I deeply admire during these workshops. Personally and creatively, I’m looking forward to what the next year on the road brings. I don’t plan to live nomadically forever, so I really want to take advantage of this time and fully explore and feel into the freedom of this time in my life.
As part of their residency, Klug is composing and performing original music to underscore Three Tall Women, adding a lyrical emotional layer to Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about memory, identity, and aging. Their involvement brings a unique contemporary voice to this classic piece, further enriching its themes of authenticity, truth, and personal evolution.
