Kat Harlton
Lead Photo: Lee Watkins
Decorated Canadian pop singer-songwriter, Olivia Penalva, recently returned with a brand new single, “Distance Makes A Love Story,”. With over 620 million global streams, 17 million YouTube views, and appearances on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Canada’s Emerging Artist Chart, Penalva has built a deeply connected international audience drawn to her emotionally rich, cinematic pop sound.
I had the opportunity to chat with Olivia about her latest single, what she hope fans connect with and what’s next.
Kat: “Distance Makes A Love Story” reframes self-growth through a romantic lens. What inspired you to tell a personal journey in a way that feels like a love story?
Olivia: I was coming out of a chapter that felt really heavy, and I knew I didn’t want to tell this next part of my story in the same way. When I started writing this song, I was in that in-between phase of losing my sense of identity and figuring out who I was becoming. During that identity loss period, or what I call the “Spiderwebs” era of my life, I was so focused on trying to get back to who I used to be. Eventually, I realized that was a losing battle, because that version of me had been through too much to stay the same. For me, this song captures the moment where I still felt like I could go back if I wanted to, but the real question was, would that version of me even accept who I am now?
We chose to frame it as a romantic relationship because it opens the story up. It doesn’t box it into just one experience, anyone can find themselves in it. That’s always really important to me when I write, that people can see their own story reflected in the song. And while it comes from something very personal, I wanted it to feel bigger than just my experience.
Kat: The song plays with dual meaning, romantic love on the surface and self-acceptance underneath. When you were writing it, which narrative came first?
Olivia: The self-acceptance side definitely came first. I was writing from a really personal place of looking back at who I used to be and kind of grieving her, while also recognizing that she’s the reason I’m here. There’s this conflict between missing that version of yourself and still knowing you wouldn’t undo the part of you that chose to grow and chase something more.
Kat: There’s a strong sense of motion in the production, especially with the driving percussion and saxophone, how intentional was that in reflecting the emotional “running” in the lyrics?
Olivia: That was definitely intentional, and a lot of the credit goes to my co-writer and producer Tavish Crowe. He really built the sonic world of the track. From the beginning, we wanted it to feel like it was moving, like you couldn’t quite sit still in it. Even the structure reflects that. Ending on the bridge instead of a final chorus felt right, because it doesn’t resolve, we haven’t crossed it yet. We’re still in it.
Kat: You’ve described the song as living between hope and hesitation, how do you personally navigate that space in your own life?
Olivia: I think I’m still learning how to sit in that space without trying to rush out of it. My instinct is usually to want clarity, to know I’m making the “right” choice, but I’ve realized a lot of growth actually happens in that in-between. For me, it’s about trusting that both feelings can exist at the same time. You can feel excited about what’s ahead and still be unsure or a little scared of it. I try to let myself feel both without judging it too much, and just keep moving forward anyway.
Kat: This track feels like a continuation from your album “Spiderwebs” in what ways does it expand or challenge the themes you explored on that project?
Olivia: It definitely is a continuation of that album. Spiderwebs ended with “Home” because, at that time, I was so desperate to get back to wherever home was, or to who I was before things got messy. This song opens with the line “I’m coming home next week” for a reason. There’s still that naivety and hope that maybe you can go back, like the door is still open. It definitely expands on those themes, but the bridge is where it challenges them. It shifts into that realization of “I miss you, but maybe this isn’t right anymore.”
Kat: Your music is often described as cinematic and emotionally immersive, do you approach songwriting visually, like you’re scoring a scene?
Olivia: Yes, definitely. Each project feels like its own little universe in my head, I can see the colours, the themes, even the people so clearly. I think my EP Assembly Required was really where that started for me, where I began treating each era like a scene in a film or a chapter in a book, almost like I’m scoring it as I go.
Kat: With over 620 million streams and major radio success, how do you stay connected to the vulnerability that defines your songwriting?
Olivia: I think for me, it comes down to staying honest about where I’m at in my life. The numbers and everything around it are amazing, but they’re not really why I started writing in the first place. Songwriting has always been how I process things, so if I lose that, I kind of lose the whole point of it. I also think the more things grow, the more important it is to stay grounded in real experiences. That vulnerability doesn’t come from trying to write something “successful,” it comes from actually feeling something and being willing to say it out loud.
Kat: The idea of wondering if you’ll still be “recognized” after you’ve changed is deeply relatable. Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked that feeling for you?
Olivia: I don’t think it was one specific moment, it was more a period of time. It really started when I was working in an environment where I didn’t have control over my own career, and it wasn’t a healthy environment. I didn’t feel safe speaking up, and over time I started to lose my sense of who I was within it. A lot of decisions were being made around me and for me, everything from what I sang, to how I looked, and who I talked to. I think what made it worse was that through all the erasure and manipulation, I didn’t feel strong enough to stand up for myself at the time. Even though I didn’t have control, I still carried a lot of that on myself. That’s where the feeling of not knowing if I’d still be recognized after everything changed came from.
Kat: You’ve cited artists like Sara Bareilles, Maggie Rogers, and Lennon Stella as inspirations, how have they influenced this new chapter of your sound?
Olivia: I think what I’ve taken from them is that something can be raw and real, while still being fun. One doesn’t have to cancel out the other, and that’s really the energy and sound I’m bringing into this new chapter.
Kat: As this single kicks off a new era with more music coming in 2026, what can fans expect sonically and emotionally from what’s ahead?
Olivia: Sonically, it’s a lot lighter and more playful, but still rooted in emotion. I didn’t want to lose the depth, just present it in a way that feels a bit more freeing.
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