OLIVIA J. BENNETT


Hello! I’m an arts writer, researcher and critic based in Brisbane, Australia. 

I've reviewed and written about art, film, music, and digital culture in Australian and international publications. I’ve also played a pivotal role in the programming, digital production, and successful delivery of numerous projects within Australia’s film and music industry.

I'm fascinated by how global trends intertwine with personal stories, revealing the impact of cultural issues on our daily lives. In my work, I prefer to experiment with non-linear storytelling, multiple perspectives, and mixed media to capture the intricacy of modern cultural tensions.

I’ve been honoured to participate in Gertrude Contemporary’s Emerging Writers Program and the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Critics Campus.

I'm also a freelance copywriter, content writer, and strategist whose work is driven by principles of complexity and interconnectedness.

With five years of freelancing, three years in agency environments, and two years navigating Melbourne's strictest COVID-19 lockdowns, I've faced real tests of resilience and adaptability in my career. This experience has enriched my ability to develop copywriting, content, and strategy for various sectors, including tech, health, lifestyle, retail, design, construction, hospitality and (of course) the arts.

I completed a Bachelor of Art History and Curating at Monash University, majoring in Film Studies. For my BA Honours thesis in Screen and Cultural Studies at Melbourne University, I argued that the documentary films of Harvard University’s Sensory Ethnography Lab are hyperobjects. Applying Timothy Morton’s concept through poetics, I explored their capacity to provoke a transgressive experience of ecological thought and feeling.

On a personal note, I'm on track to pass the DELF B2 French exam in 2025, and I am currently working on launching new business ventures that will further leverage my expertise and passions.

Souhaitez-moi bonne chance!

C, XOXO

Camilla Cabello




Since leaving Fifth Harmony in 2018, Camila Cabello shot to fame with ‘Señorita’ featuring Shawn Mendes, a track that owes its two billion Spotify listens more to department store airplay than genuine acclaim. Cabello’s fourth album, C, XOXO, runs on empty emotions, speeding full tilt with no direction, enlisting every trick in the book. The single ‘I LUV IT’ featuring Playboi Carti is perhaps redeemable, more of an earworm than the rest of the album. There are lots of cameos here: BLP Kosher contributes a 46-second track with a superficial narrative of loss. Drake pops up on ‘HOT UPTOWN’ but also bizarrely has a solo track ‘Uuugly’ in the middle of the album. The track titles, ranging from lowercase to uppercase, reflect the album’s manic nature. Themes of 00s nostalgia and the I’m just a girl sentiment abound, especially in tracks like ‘DREAM-GIRL’ and “Twentysomethings.” The album is dismal, a clear cry of desperation from a declining industry plant.