Olivia Diercks and Karla Colahan, cellist and violinist of the new-classical crossover duo, The OK Factor, have one word to describe their musical connection: lucky.
Organic and genuine, their original compositions feel both comfortingly familiar and uniquely fresh, and have been described as “genre-bending” (Julie Amacher, MPR) and “pure magic” (Wausau Pilot & Review).
The ease with which they write and perform has caught the attention of the Minnesota music community in which they live and work, bringing them success on stages such as The Cedar Cultural Center and as frequent featured artists with Minnesota Public Radio. Their distinct compositional and performance style awarded them the honor of being finalists for the prestigious McKnight Fellowships for Musicians in 2018.
Olivia and Karla are also sought-after collaborators, having partnered with numerous Minnesota composers and musicians including singer-songwriters Ellis Delaney and Lynn O’Brien, percussionists Jenny Klukken and Krissy Bergmark, and composer Mischa Santora, among others. They have appeared as opening acts for Charlie Parr, The High Kings, and Swedish quintet Jaerv, as well as composers-in-residence for digital music library Black Label Music. The OK Factor has produced three studio albums of their original music and arrangements: Water Street (’14), That’s Enough of That (’16), and Have Yourself an OK Christmas (’17).