Steven Lee Olsen discovered early on that there was something very special about making music.

鈥淢usic was always a big part of growing up,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have a lot of money, but we could always play music and have joy. 鈥�

Olsen will bring that joy to Greater Victoria when he appears with guest JoJo Malson at Jan. 16, following a tour-opening Jan. 15 show at the Waverley in .

With more than 80 million global streams, the Grammy-nominated country phenomenon has captivated the hearts of fans right around the globe, He first earned his chops on the songwriting scene with his Grammy-nominated, double-platinum certified song Blue Ain鈥榯 Your Color, performed by Keith Urban, and More Girls Like You performed by Kip Moore. He鈥檚 also written songs for Garth Brooks, Dallas Smith and a host of other country icons.

鈥淐ountry has always been part of who I am,鈥� Olsen reflects.

鈥淎s a kid, I could understand the story and I started paying attention to the lyrics. I started noticing my favourite lines and I found myself sitting in my room, trying to write my own songs," he says.

鈥淲riting songs for other people has always been something I love to do. Not every song is right for my artistry, and I get a lot of joy in writing for others who are right for the songs in my head.鈥�

Still, in 2019 his passion for the music saw him take to the stage himself and as a solo artist and he鈥檚 proven he can make his own mark on stage with multiple Top-10 singles, extensive touring and a debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

鈥淢y mom was a musician 鈥� a singer鈥� and she was on the road performing right up until she had kids, so I guess I came by it naturally. I knew that I had to perform as well.鈥�

Still, you have to admire the confidence Olsen showed when, as a young man, he made the move to Nashville, without a back-up plan.

鈥淚 had no plan B. Going there as young as I was, the goal wasn鈥檛 to become famous, but to go there and write songs,鈥� Olsen says. 鈥淚 surrounded myself with a bunch of people who loved the music and who believed in me. It鈥檚 been 19 years, and here I am, and I still love it.鈥�

Olsen鈥檚 tour will see him perform in venues right across Canada, from Victoria to Halifax and everywhere in-between, and he acknowledges that touring is a bit of an endurance challenge.

鈥淚t鈥檚 particularly tough since I鈥檓 going to be away from my family for a long time, but I鈥檓 lucky to have a wife who is really supportive and understanding,鈥� Olsen says. "This Country Night in Canada is going to be a bit of an endurance run. I鈥檓 starting in January and I鈥檓 going to have 40 shows in the bag before March. But the truth is that the energy that I get from the audience is going to make the whole experience more fun than I鈥檝e ever had in the business.鈥�

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