Olai’s “This City” is an introspective, deeply personal reflection, which also doubles as a love letter to Melbourne. It’s a track that traces a moment of transition and personal growth. Written on a taxi ride to Melbourne Airport as the artist left the city for good, the song captures the emotional weight of departure and the quiet clarity that comes with looking back on a place that reshaped him.
Memories of the song are from Olai’s years of busking around Melbourne, when months in the streets became a time of rediscovery of the arts. In the pauses between songs, he met strangers whose stories stayed with him, a couple sharing a proposal that was unfolding right in front of him, homeless people talking frankly about survival and circumstance, and other musicians with dreams of bigger stages. These lived experiences are recorded in his notebook during his last ride out of the city and form the emotional core of “This City."
Olai’s songwriting takes inspiration from folk-pop storytelling, indie-rock texture, and classic 70s writing, so the track feels simultaneously intimate and expansive. Ultimately, “This City” is a portrait of connection, change, and gratitude, molded by the streets that became home for some time while and the people who brought them to life. The song explores how moments and people can influence identity and leave an emotional mark, even after leaving the place that inspired it, in both powerful and subtle ways over time.
0 Comments