Ola Bird’s ‘Friendship Wall’ Is A Love Letter

Ola, your new single Friendship Wall is raw and deeply personal, drawing from a three-year unrequited love. What was the emotional process of writing and releasing a song that exposes so much of your personal story?

The process of writing such personal songs is very auto-therapeutic for me. It helps me organize my thoughts and feelings and digest them. I knew I had strong feelings toward a person who had no idea about my crush, but I couldn't figure out what I should do about it. Putting this experience into Friendship Wall helped me understand that sometimes it's simply not meant to be, and that deep inside, I just want that person to be happy in their relationship. Because I don't know anything about their connection, and maybe they're a great match—whereas my feelings could have been driven by an imagined version of this person, not the reality. So, although it's never easy to face heartbreak or other kinds of pain, songwriting helps me process it and heal.

You sent the demo for Friendship Wall the day you moved to Berlina pivotal moment emotionally and geographically. How did that move influence your identity as both a person and an artist?

It turned out that the move was harder than I expected. Even though I was born in Berlin and spent the first 11 years of my life here, I faced xenophobic behavior from my neighbors right after moving back. I also somehow believed that this change would pivot my career as a musician, but the industry seems even more saturated here than in Warsaw.

Berlin is filled with thousands of talented, outstanding artists, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I don't regret this decision, because in the end, I know that even hard experiences will help me grow as a person and as an artist. But I’d be lying if I said it’s been all butterflies and unicorns. It's tough out there, and I guess I'm still trying to figure out my artistic path here in Berlin—while also struggling with a rather difficult neighborhood.

 Your sound blends soft, sensual vocals with indie-pop and alt-rock textures. How do you approach crafting a sound that's both emotionally vulnerable and musically bold?

As nothing in life is black and white, I don't want my music to be that way either. Because usually, the same person, place, or situation can carry both bitter and sweet emotions. The same goes for my songs—the vocals might be soft and vulnerable, but there's more to the emotional layer of the song. And that's where the instrumental layer comes in.

All of this wouldn't be possible without the incredibly talented producers I work with—Manel Espinosa Berenguer and Mikołaj Lisowski. They're the ones who take my demos and turn them into proper songs. They understand my message and emotions and just work magic when it comes to production.

 You've explored themes like ghosting, objectification, and feminism in your lyrics. Do these emerge organically from personal experience, or do you set out to highlight these topics intentionally?

Some lyrics are 100% based on my own experiences (especially when it comes to ghosting and the lack of respect in modern-day dating), while others are a blend of lived experience and observation. But I feel there's still so much that needs to be said—especially given how many concerning things are happening in the world right now. Ghosting and objectifying women are just the tip of the iceberg.

There are so many other topics that deserve more attention—racism, rotten consumerism, the disregard for human rights, the environmental crisis. I guess there just aren’t enough hours in a lifetime to put all the madness of our world into lyrics.

 You've shifted from Polish-language music with lskar to English-language songwriting. What have been the biggest creative challenges and rewards of making that transition?

Writing songs in English has somehow always felt natural to me. I actually started my songwriting in Iskar with English lyrics! My bandmates and I eventually figured out that Polish lyrics would work better for the local audience. And since it's my native language, I could also express emotions in a more nuanced and sophisticated way.

But now, in my English-songwriting era, I’ve come to realize that sometimes simple is better. You don’t always need to be sophisticated—sometimes directness hits the spot.

The biggest challenge at this point is that instead of competing with Polish artists, I’m now competing with the entire globe... so look at me making my life easier!

 Your previous band, lskar, topped Spotify editorial playlists and played major festivals in Poland. How did that success prepare you for your solo journey, and what lessons have you carried into this new chapter?

What this experience taught me most is patience and humility. Although we've been part of the Polish music scene with lskar for 8 years now, it's still a constant struggle—and even if one song does well on Spotify, it doesn’t guarantee that the next one will too.

At some point, I realized I have to create music for myself, not for the numbers or public recognition. Because those things are volatile and don’t necessarily reflect the quality of your work. I’ve heard many incredible songs with fewer than a thousand streams on Spotify. Does that make them less worthy? No!

It’s difficult not to feel hurt when you put your heart and soul into a song, only to see it stall at a few hundred streams and gain no recognition. But then I try to remember why I wrote the song in the first place—to indulge my emotions.

 The EP title Singles for Singles suggests a strong concept around solitude and self-discovery. Can you tell us more about the vision for this project and what unites its tracks thematically?

This EP will be a journey through different aspects of being single in 2025—unrequited feelings, being rejected one too many times, commitment issues, and my favorite one: international dating. I feel like I want to include all the songs I’ve written around this topic on the EP (because there are still at least ten waiting in line), but at the same time, I don’t want it to feel too heavy.

Being single and searching for love definitely has its sad moments, but there are also a lot of humorous situations that come with it—so I wanted to make space for that too.

 You've mentioned artists like Mesmerized picking up your work. What has been the impact of press, playlisting, or blog coverage in building your audience so far?

I still feel it's a bit too early to judge, since it's only been a few months since my fresh start with English songwriting. But I do think it's a very important part of building my image as an artist.

Of course, my songs reveal a lot of my artistic sensibility, but they only show part of the story. Interviews like this one help complete the picture and add context, and I really value that.

 As a queer artist in Berlin, how do you see your identity shaping the spaces you perform in and the communities you're part of?

I’m a very new member of the queer community, as I only recently discovered my identity. So it’s still difficult for me to say that I’ve fully found my place within it. One thing is certain, though—Berlin is a great place to feel safe as a queer person and to find supportive people who accept you for who you are.

I wish I could say the same about Poland, where I’ve spent most of my life, but unfortunately, prejudice is still very strong there.

 With Friendship Wall now out and your EP on the horizon, what can fans expect next? Are there more videos, collaborations, or live shows planned for 2025?

In less than a month, on July 17th, I'll be releasing my next single, Ben Voyage. And no, that's not a typo—once you hear the song, the title will make perfect sense.

I'm really looking forward to this release because it’s humorous, sarcastic, and light in its musical layer—perfect for summer and for venting a bit after too many unsuccessful dating situations!

I’m also excited about some upcoming brand collaborations and hopeful that live performance opportunities will come my way soon (because I love to throw in a little stand-up show between songs)!