The pandemic has been especially hard on local musicians. Venues are closed, and live performances just are not happening the way they used to. It is this hardship that help three local singers find community and camaraderie. Raye Williams, Tosha Owens and Olivia Dear are three amazingly talented solo singers who have come together in the pandemic. The trio joined Tati Amare to talk about how they got together and share the music they have created together, despite their different genre.
The singers say they started singing together organically. Raye Williams has been singing with Tosha Owens for years now, and calls Owens one of her favorite performers. Williams then met Olivia Dear through Tidal Unplugged program here in Detroit. When the pandemic happened, the singers were experiencing similar highs and lows, so they got together to work through them. They meet every Monday to help each other out with their musical needs, whether its for songwriting, website issues or photoshoots. Owens says their sessions are like therapy.
During one of their session, the trio decided to do a cover of Kenny Loggins’ “Celebrate me home.” The suggestion was Olivia Dear’s. She prides herself on being a big Kenny Loggins fan and has sang the song in the past. Together the three of them came up with a brand-new rendition of the holiday song, one that beautifully blends all their styles.