Hearing Olivia Cox and her latest single “Made Friends” feels a bit like realizing your house is a mess and finally deciding that the laundry pile looks quite artistic exactly where it is. It is a soulful, strobe-lit confrontation with the realization that we rarely, if ever, actually have our hands on the steering wheel of life.
The track dives into the relief of surrender. Cox isn’t just singing about peace; she’s exploring the frantic, necessary joy of being a bit “unhinged” when life stops making sense. It’s dance-pop for the person who has reached the end of their rope and decided to use it as a skipping rope instead.
Musically, the foundation is built on warm, pulsating rhythmic chords that feel remarkably human despite their electronic heartbeat. A snapping percussion drives the narrative forward, while clever, chopped vocal effects flicker in and out like light reflecting off moving water. It’s that aquatic metaphor that really sticks; the atmospheric swells create a tension that feels like being submerged, only to have the energetic hook pull you back to the surface for a lungful of air.
Cox bridges the gap between the soulful weight of classic icons and the neon pulse of modern electropop with a grit that feels uniquely Belfast. She makes the act of restarting feel less like a failure and more like a victory lap. After all, if the future is going to be unpredictable anyway, why not meet it with a grin?
