Bacchanalia Magazine

by Reb Jordin

Singer Songwriter Olivia Burnette recently released her third single ‘Whiplash!’ on February 29th . The compelling single weaves a tapestry of confusion and regret laced thread, telling the story of sleepless nights plagued by unanswered questions. ‘Whiplash!’ draws the listener in from the first solemn strum of guitar which appears reminiscent of a final, bittersweet slow dance.

The initial lyrics which beautifully introduce the song, ‘cut the light, burn the candles so I look towards you’ convey to the listener that when the world grows dark, nights can still fall under the control of a corrupt relationship which was laid to rest years ago. This moment reflects on still catching yourself being haunted by the ghosts of past manipulations which make you rethink all your present-day actions. ‘Whiplash!’ then pulls you into the lyrics, ‘bait a hook, knew I’d bite reel me in you get bored’ which symbolise a toxic person in your life being aware of the power they hold over you so abuse it for their own gain, however eventually they tire of you and abandon the relationship before you even realise it. This theme of a corrupt power struggle is something all listeners can relate to as undoubtedly; they too have faced someone who consumes their entire being for their own selfish benefit.

The listener is then transported to the carefully crafted chorus where the tempo kicks up and the drums are more prominent. The themes of doubt leading to second guessing your own decisions continue through the lyrics, ‘where you right this whole time, is the blame fully mine?’ This moment highlights to the listener the negative effects a poisonous relationship can have on you which lead to you not being able to live your life free of the suffocating shackles of regret. The chorus draws to a close with the lyrics, ‘took a one-eighty spin, now I think that I’m right, but did I do it again?’ This reinforces the cyclical structure of the whole song which is the continuation of self-doubt no matter how much you learn. Even after the long years of reflection and self-growth no matter how hard you try to move on, that one person is always at the back of your mind sabotaging your future decisions with the power they still hold over your past ones.

‘Whiplash!’ then enters its powerful bridge as the music grows and Burnette’s powerhouse voice chants louder in a cacophony of exquisite female rage. The lyrics, ‘whiplash think fast did you mean that. Turn back you’re mad lost what you had’ echo the chaos of a relationships closure where in the kaleidoscope of shouts, voices just blur into distant noise like swimming underwater amongst the depths of anxiety and despair. The singles bridge closes in a passionate display of Burnette’s impressive vocals, the moment is reminiscent of screaming into the horizon from a jagged cliffside. No one is around to hear you except the waves which attack the shore mirroring your anger. This creates a moment of catharsis through the release of the frustration built up throughout a tyrannical relationship.

So go and give ‘Whiplash!’ a listen now and feel seen by an artist who really resonates with the feeling of being possessed by memories and a sleepless night. Give Burnette’s other two singles a listen too as we anticipate what comes next for this talented artist.