Daily Inspiration: Meet Olivia Vargas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Vargas.  

Hi Olivia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have had a soft spot for music my whole life. I grew up singing and writing songs in my bedroom on my keyboard. I decided to go to Aquinas College to study music, although self-taught my whole life. I moved from my hometown of Canton, MI across the state to Grand Rapids. I ended up meeting so many great musicians and friends while I was there and fell more in love with music. I joined a band called Conrad Shock & The Noise and began to get involved in the West Michigan Music Community. This was my first taste of performing around town and I quickly realized this is what I wanted with my own music. I started my own band, August, midway through college and we eventually also got heavily involved in the music scene. Both bands have given me amazing opportunities as a young female musician. I have played shows from here in Grand Rapids to New York City, my bands have been nominated and won local music awards, and we’ve created many albums, mostly recorded and produced on our own. I have found the community here to be so supportive and helpful. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think everyone has their own struggles of sorts. I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I left college with my hopes and dreams to be a professional musician. Time passed and obstacles came. I thought the worst of it would be a couple of changes of band members but 2020 really put things into perspective. At one point, I didn’t know if my dream would still exist on the other side of Covid. I have to give the greatest thanks to my bandmates who were willing to adapt and keep our project alive despite the state of the world. It is what kept us busy and sane through the past two years and what gave me hope for my future. Things are coming back, slowly but surely, and I am taking a major life lesson with me: Always be willing to adapt. Throughout 2019 and 2020, I also dealt with severe anxiety and panic attacks that made me physically ill. I have been vocal about not only my struggles but also my progress with my mental and physical health as I have navigated through it all. Music has been my greatest comfort through all of it. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a singer, songwriter, professional musician, bandleader, teacher, and artist. I have always had a soft spot for voice and harmony. My band, August, is known for its rich harmony arrangements and raw lyricism. I take pride in the songs I have written and the projects I have created around them. They are the greatest extension of me and serve as an open book to who I am. I have always been a passionate person and have given all of myself to the projects I take on but I can easily be my biggest critic. I think music has been the most incredible outlet for me to let my creative spirit free from the many doubts in my head. I think people can feel those emotions when they listen to my songs and, hopefully, relate. 

What matters most to you? Why?
The community I have built around me matters the most to me. My family and friends will always be my first priority. My family instilled in me great respect for interpersonal relationships, especially in one’s family. I am so incredibly lucky to have people around me who have constantly supported and loved me through everything. My hope is that I can do the same for them. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.augustthebandmusic.com
• Instagram: @Oliviavargasmusic
• Facebook: Facebook.com/augusttheband
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCt2Pkjuo8JBhJifKtt_N6fw
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/2ef7gfNJ8Sk8yYmaZss3yh?si=6xl0iVq1QsW12PJnGElQIg