Born from 4 AM writing sessions and shaped by childhood memories and hard-won optimism, Tennessee indie pop artist Otlo’s third album ‘A Boy Can Dream’ embraces sincerity over cynicism.

Stream: ‘A Boy Can Dream’ – Otlo

Walk into Otlo’s room at four in the morning and nothing about it screams “album in progress.”

Just a guitar. A laptop. Too much coffee. Maybe the semblance of a song slowly coming together.

It’s easy to see why he keeps coming back to these hours – the world is asleep and nothing is competing for his attention. That’s when the dreamy, nostalgic pop songs he’s known for start to come together, and it’s where many of the songs on A Boy Can Dream first took shape.

At 22, Preston Bearden – better known as Otlo – has already released four albums, and A Boy Can Dream feels like the clearest picture yet of the artist he’s becoming.

“I hear someone slowly getting more comfortable in their own skin,” he says.

A Boy Can DreamOtlo — A Boy Can Dream
Otlo

That perspective is all over A Boy Can Dream. Childhood, old friends and first loves all make their way into the songs. The memories are important, but they’re only part of the story.

A lot of that has to do with where the album was written. Tucked into the hills above Chattanooga, Signal Mountain gave Otlo exactly what he was looking for: quiet. You can hear it throughout all 12 tracks.

“It can feel a little isolated, and I think that naturally found its way into the songs,” he says. “Being surrounded by woods made the whole record feel like spring to me. I don’t think it would’ve sounded the same anywhere else.”

Otlo writes, produces, records and mixes everything himself. It’s simply how he learned to make music.

“I’d love to collaborate more,” he says. “I’m just pretty shy, so sometimes it’s hard to explain what’s in my head.”

His music has a way of finding people. Since releasing Woozy in 2023, Otlo has built a growing audience through self-produced records like Lovedrown and songs such as “Sweet Nothings,” which has since racked up more than 400,000 Spotify streams. His audience has grown organically, one listener at a time.

This album came together at a time when Otlo wasn’t feeling much like himself. He’d just graduated from college, finished his first tour and was running on empty.

“I was pretty burnt out,” he recalls. ”A Boy Can Dream became a reminder to keep going, even when I wasn’t sure where everything was headed.”

If there’s one thing Otlo hopes listeners hear, it’s a sense of innocence.

“I never want the music to feel too cool to smile.”

With the release of A Boy Can Dream, Atwood Magazine caught up with Otlo to talk about the making of his fourth album, the places that shaped it and the stories behind all 12 tracks.

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:: stream/purchase A Boy Can Dream here ::

:: connect with Otlo here ::

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Stream: ‘A Boy Can Dream’ – Otlo

:: Inside A Boy Can Dream ::

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“Àndale (Let’s Go)”

Atwood Magazine: You sing, “Goodbye to my old country ways.” What were you saying goodbye to when you wrote it?

Otlo: It wasn’t really about country life. It was more about letting go of the version of myself that always played it safe.

Why did “Àndale” feel like the right title? Does that phrase mean something personal to you?

Otlo: I’ve always loved the Spanish language, so I wanted to make a song incorporating it. That being said, this song has approximately one Spanish word in it.

Do you think this song is about running toward something or away from something?

Otlo: It’s about running toward something, and hatching out of my cocoon.

“I’ve Lost My Mind”

This feels like the kind of song you write when you’re overthinking everything. Were you in that headspace?

Otlo: Absolutely. I wrote and recorded this while in bed. I wanted to make a song that embodied the feeling of lying in bed kicking your feet while wondering if your crush likes you back.

Is this one inspired by one specific person or more a collection of feelings you’ve had?

Otlo: A collection of feelings inspired it. I haven’t been in too many relationships, but when I do start to fall for someone, it’s hard to ignore.

“Birdsong”

If “Birdsong” had words, what do you think they’d be about?

Otlo: Probably frolicking through a field with the birds. It sounds corny, but that’s honestly the song.

Where do you hope listeners’ minds go while they’re hearing it?

Otlo: I hope they look at the album cover and get immersed in this massive, lonely flower field

“My Love Has Gone”

There’s something really honest about not pretending you’ve got all the answers in this one. Was it difficult to write?

Otlo: This song was actually very difficult to write, specifically because of the verses. I had the chorus figured out for a while, but while my manager Caleb was over one weekend, I finished the rest.

You ask, “What did I do?” Was this song about finding closure or still searching for it?

Otlo: It’s sort of about both. I never really know what’s going on. This song is about searching for closure but also being unsurprised and at peace with never knowing why things went the way they did.

“A Boy Can Dream”

You mention past lives and wondering “what if.” Are you someone who spends a lot of time imagining different versions of life?

Otlo: I am referring to my childhood. When I say, “If only I knew you in this one,” I am addressing a friend that I once had but no longer speak to.

What does the title mean to you now compared to when you first wrote it?

Otlo: Even when it first started as an instrumental, this song was always titled “A Boy Can Dream” because I felt that the atmosphere of the song best embodied the vibe I wanted for the album.

Is there one lyric in this song that best captures what the album is about?

Otlo: “What would I do to be like someone I ought to be?” I think it’s just about not giving up on yourself.

“Mister Sunshine”

Is “Mister Sunshine” a real version of yourself, or the person you hope to be?

Otlo: “Mister Sunshine” is a real version of myself. This song is about not overthinking others’ opinion of me.

This feels like it would be a lot of fun to play live. Has it taken on a different life in front of an audience?

Otlo: I haven’t had the chance to play it live yet, but I’m hoping to on our next tour, whenever that may be.

“Locked Inside”

This might be one of the most intimate songs on the record. Was there any hesitation about sharing it?

Otlo: The only hesitation I felt was whether or not I was happy with the final version. Eventually, I learned I had to let go.

Has time changed the way you hear this song yourself?

Otlo: Absolutely, this song is about having things to do and wishing I could step outside and see the people I love. I’ve been able to do that more often now that things have calmed down.

“Better Life”

This song feels really hopeful. Did it come from chasing something real or just believing something better was out there?

Otlo: I remember laying down at night and hopping up out of bed when this instrumental popped in my head. It’s about believing there’s someone out there for you, even if you haven’t met them yet.

Did writing this song make that “better life” feel any closer? What does a better life look like to you these days?

Otlo: A better life to me is knowing I did everything I could during the prime of my life and being able to relax and look back on it fondly.

“Gameboy”

This one’s such an interesting idea - wanting to disappear into a screen. Was it inspired by gaming specifically, or is it really about escapism?

Otlo: I missed how simple life used to feel. The Game Boy felt like a fun way to tell that story. Plus, symbolism is cool, ya know.

Childhood nostalgia is such a big theme here. What’s one thing from growing up that you genuinely miss?

Otlo: Simply existing, and the only thing I worried about was beating the current video game I’m playing.

“Serenity Avenue”

That’s such a vivid title. Where did the title come from?

Otlo: “I’ve Lost My Mind’ was originally a song called “Serenity Avenue” with different lyrics, but I decided to rewrite the song. I didn’t quite have it in me to drop the title since I really liked it, so I decided to give it to the second interlude on the album.

Does this piece connect to another song on the record, or does it stand on its own?

Otlo: It acts as a connecting piece between the analog/retro sound of “Gameboy” and the pure indie rock atmosphere of “River to Past”

If listeners could only describe this piece with one emotion, what would you hope they’d say?

Otlo: Peace. Or needing a nap.

“River to Past”

Where did the image of a river to the past come from?

Otlo: The instrumental sounded really beachy to me, almost as if I’m setting sail somewhere on a river. It’s about hoping I don’t look back one day wishing I’d played it safer or wishing I’d tried harder.

Looking back, is there anything in your own past you’d revisit if you could - not to change it, just to experience it again?

Otlo: I wish I could experience college again.

“Look Back”

After everything that happens on the album, does this song represent peace, confidence or something else? When you finished writing this song, did it feel like you’d reached the end of a chapter yourself?

Otlo: This song represents peace. I wanted to end the album on a high note with themes of closure and contentment.

After listeners reach the end of A Boy Can Dream, what do you hope stays with them long after the music stops?

Otlo: I just hope it sticks with them. I don’t really care what they take away from it, as long as they take away something.

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