Montreal Based Singer Opya Soulfully Yearns For “Good Love”
Finding true love can be hard. You can date one person after the other to search for it, and you can get discouraged with each unsuccessful match.
Montreal-based. Armenian-born singer Opya croons her romantic desires in her new single, “Good Love.” The song was written by Opya, Hasmik Grigoryan, and smooth singer NAATE NK.
“All day, I’ve been thinking about you
All night, I’ve been awake but don’t want to
You’re the one and only that can
Make me feel this way you’re my man”
NAATE NK’s is also notable for deftly switching between English and French as he raps, showcasing charm by playing the role of the guy that could give Opya the “good love” she yearns for. Buoying both Opya and NAATE NK is a sensual R&B and Afrobeat rhythm that is romantic as well as arousing.
Of the song’s inspiration, Opya states,
“The lyrics of the song were inspired by my past relationship. I had been in the relationship for a year and a half. Needless to say, the relationship ended. Many would say that our relationship seemed perfect. However, there was that lack of spark and love.”
Opya’s tender, vulnerable vocals and lyrics combine with a smoky rhythm and NAATE NK’s flirtatious braggadocio to make a standout love song. It expresses the desire for love that is true and passionate.
“No matter what hardships the individuals in the relationship are going through, if they have true love, they will be able to look past them.”
Born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia, as Hasmik Grigoryan, Opya started as a singer by performing on Broadway from ages 4 to 6, led by Naira Gyurjinyan. From there, Opya’s love of singing and performing grew even as she moved to Montreal, Canada.
At sixteen, Opya started to write her own music when the pandemic hit in 2020. She took on the moniker of Opya after seeing a “Word of The Day” social media post, which featured the word’”opia,’ meaning “the ambiguous intensity of looking. someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.”
Soon after, Opya collaborated with a close friend, beat maker Robert Tuta to write and release the song “3 Shots.”
In 2021, Opya released her EP Cloud Nine, which allowed her to establish her sound as an R&B and soul singer.
Listen to “Good Love” below and stay up to date with Opya via her socials.
Care to introduce yourself?
Hi, my name is Hasmik Grigoryan, better known as Opya. I am a 19-year-old independent R&B/Soul singer-songwriter. I was born in Yerevan, Armenia, and grew up in Montreal. I am currently in CEGEP, here in Montreal, in the Health Sciences, and I will attend university next year! I plan on releasing new music every month this year, so stay tuned for some gems! A fun fact about me is that I speak five languages: Armenian, Russian, French, English, and Spanish.
Tell us about the process of writing “Good Love.”
I have to say that my creative writing process is out of the ordinary (and maybe a bit dangerous). I usually write music in the car as I get a rush of inspiration. I wrote “Good Love” whilst driving to school. I set up my phone and kept listening to the beats as they shuffled. When I heard the instrumental of the song, I hummed to it and sang the chorus. As I came back home, I wrote the lyrics to the first verse. I had just found NAATE NK on Instagram and knew that his voice would be PERFECT for the song. So I reached out to him, and he sent me back his verse the next day. We set up a date to record at the studio, and the rest is history!
What’s it like being a musician in Montreal?
I absolutely love being a musician in Montreal because of the bilingualism present here and how willing artists are to collaborate. I personally really enjoy it when artists create a mixture of styles and languages, which is something that is very prominent here in Montreal. I would have to say that my city is the most diverse in terms of culture and music. Creating tight bonds and connections with artists here is really easy.
I also love seeing more and more women in the music scene here in Montreal, and I cannot wait to meet/feature with them!
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
I can’t even hesitate with this question. It would have to be The Weeknd, for sure, without a grain of doubt. I have been following his music for the longest of times, back when he released “Kiss Land” in 2013. I just vividly remember being in awe at his voice and his style of music, which was incredibly creative, especially for back then. Canada is really filled with the most musically talented artists, and artists keep putting their cities on the map daily.
You’ve been making music for a while now. What’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
As cliche as it may sound, know who to take advice from. Many around you will not want to see you succeed and will not be as supportive of your work as you would have expected them to be. It is the people that stick beside you when you’re just starting off that you need to cherish. Some will say they “love your music” when they really don’t, and others will come to you with criticism. Know when to take criticism with a grain of salt and when to apply it to your work to grow. Make sure that you are proud of the work that you come out with. Music is one of those things that requires hard work and persistence (and A LOT of it). If the art that you are producing is not up to your standards, you will get tired of it quickly. Most importantly, learn how to do a lot of it by yourself. Be independent. Make your own cover art. Reach out to local blogs. Do your research. Just make it happen!