Sitting on a misty water-side, 21-year old Aria Ohlsson quietly strums an acoustic guitar and belts out her debut single, “Heaven”. Nine years in the making, this new track is an ode to the singer-songwriter’s late mother, who passed away when Ohlsson was just 12 years old. The curtain rises on the Vancouver and Toronto-based artist, displaying a pure rawness that is difficult to come by.
“Heaven” is an interlude for an artist who is an obvious carrier of passion and vocal talent. It was an expert choice setting the single’s acoustic music video on a still waterfront. Ohlsson’s voice and lyrics are the only point of focus. In her words, “the lyrics were always there on paper and the chords were always on my guitar, but I could never bring myself to sing it.” Ohlsson found a way to communicate her emotions of the grief of losing her mother, and channel them using music. Written by Ohlsson and co-produced by Mark Pelli of Magic!, “Heaven” is that conversation you wish you could have years after tragedy and Ohlsson sings the words that can relate to so many: "From the heavens up above, I hope that you can feel my love." After building a following through YouTube covers, Ohlsson is now busy crafting her debut EP due out October 2019, with three singles expected this summer.
Listen to the non-acoustic version of Heaven below: