Ofilia: The Sound of Shadows and Strength

By Young N’ Loud Magazine

A Voice Born from the Echoes of Childhood

For Oliwia “Ofilia” Bartuś-Staszak, music was never a choice — it was a calling that started before she could even understand what sound meant. Born into a musical family in Poland, she grew up surrounded by instruments and rhythm. Her father could play guitar, piano, and drums, and her first toy, as she fondly recalls, was a piano. By the age of three, she was already playing simple tunes, humming melodies, and exploring her own voice.

But her path wasn’t always harmonious. Her early experiences in music school taught her the structure of melody, yet failed to capture her heart. The mechanical act of playing from sheet music made her feel disconnected from the soul of sound. “I didn’t like playing songs I didn’t care for,” she remembers. “It felt meaningless. But I loved to sing.”

It was during these formative years that Ofilia’s love for music began to take a shape of its own — raw, emotional, and unfiltered. With her brother on guitar, she would sing along to Guns N’ Roses and other rock anthems, developing a taste for the emotional honesty that defines her style today. She learned not from institutions, but from instinct, radio, and cassette tapes played until their ribbons wore thin.

Polish Roots and Global Resonance

Growing up in Poland, Ofilia’s ears were tuned to the sounds of American and British acts that dominated local airwaves. The influence of international rock culture seeped into her creative DNA, shaping her sense of musical identity. “The music market here has always been dominated by international labels,” she explains. “That’s why our radio mostly played American and British artists — they shaped us.”

This global exposure planted the seeds of her versatility. At fifteen, during an international music competition, she experienced her first performance with a live band. The rush of standing on stage and feeling the power of real instruments behind her was transformative. That moment defined everything that came after. “When I performed that rock song and felt the energy we created together, I knew I wanted to make rock music.”

Becoming Ofilia

The evolution of her stage name reveals as much about her artistic persona as her music does. Originally known as “Olifka” among her friends, a small slip of the tongue transformed the nickname into “Ofilka” — and eventually “Ofilia.” The name carries both intimacy and rebellion. “In Polish, all names of paraphilias end with ‘-ofilia,’ like in English,” she says, amused by the double meaning. “It fit the rock-metal vibe perfectly.”

Her stage name became a symbol of transformation — from childhood affection to artistic self-definition, from softness to strength.

The Alchemy of Sound

For over fifteen years, Ofilia led her band Arshenic, crafting a unique blend of rock and metal that drew from folk, gothic, and doom influences. Her music defies easy categorization. “If I were to find a common thread,” she says, “I’d say I make melodic music infused with nostalgia and sadness, seasoned with the softness of a woman’s touch and the dark vengeance of witches.”

Her creative process is fluid, emotional, and deeply introspective. Often inspired by words or phrases, she lets meaning guide melody. Sometimes, her songs begin as fragments — lines formed while daydreaming or humming in the bathtub, later evolving into full compositions. “The music becomes both a complement and a contrast to the vocals,” she explains. “Sometimes supporting them, sometimes wrapping around them like a soft blanket.”

For Ofilia, music is conversation — between sound and silence, darkness and light, voice and emotion.

Shaping a Journey Through Fire and Faith

When asked about defining moments, Ofilia refuses to single one out. “When you’ve been involved in music for twenty years, every productive moment is like another grain of sand that eventually builds the castle.”

Her career has been marked by persistence, evolution, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity. But it hasn’t been without challenges. She speaks candidly about the struggles of working in the industry: canceled shows, biased editors, and festival organizers who judged her sound as either “too heavy or not heavy enough.” “Making music means constantly exposing yourself to rejection,” she says. “Some people have someone who’ll break the window for them — others just keep hitting their heads against the door.”

That unshakable honesty led her to a turning point in 2023, when she decided to close the chapter on Arshenic. “The costs were rising, opportunities were shrinking, and I was surrounded by people wasting my time and energy,” she admits. “So I decided to move on.”

The Evolution of a Voice

As a vocal coach, Ofilia is her own harshest critic and most committed student. “I’m constantly learning and training, always searching for new tones and techniques,” she says. “My current vocal level is incomparable to how I sounded fifteen or twenty years ago.”

From early raw recordings to fully conscious compositions, her journey has been one of refinement and rediscovery. Home studios have replaced expensive sessions, giving her the creative freedom to explore her sound at her own pace. “Now I can take as much time as I need,” she says. “And that makes all the difference.”

Her most cherished performances remain close to home — literally. The shows in her hometown, surrounded by friends and fans singing her lyrics back to her, are moments she describes as pure connection. “Those were the nights that reminded me why I do this.”

Behind the Curtain

Offstage, Ofilia is grounded by her husband, a drummer who keeps her balanced amid the chaos of creative life. Her pre-show rituals, on the other hand, are delightfully human — from half-asleep car rides and morning coffee to guided meditations that center her energy before a concert.

She describes her music’s essence in vivid imagery: “The color and texture of my music feel like black silk laid over a moss-covered log, glistening with morning dew.” It is a description that encapsulates her sound — dark yet soft, powerful yet fragile.

Resonance and Message

Beyond melody and distortion, Ofilia’s purpose is clear. “I want my listeners to know they’re not alone,” she says. “That someone out there feels the same way and has walked a similar path.” Her work is about empathy — a shared emotional survival between artist and audience.

As she looks ahead, she senses change in the air. “I can feel that a new chapter is coming,” she teases. “Something still needs to happen — a spark before the next level reveals itself.”

What Comes Next

True to form, she remains mysterious about her upcoming projects. “I’m working on something new right now, but I don’t want to reveal any details yet. Let’s just say… it’s going to be a surprise.”

Her definition of success is simple yet profound: “Success is that moment when you look out into the crowd and see a full house at your concert.”

What keeps her “Young N’ Loud”? The thrill of discovery. “Doing new things, working with talented musicians, visiting new places, and playing big stages with great sound systems — that’s what gives me energy.”

Final Note: The Black Goat Who Doesn’t Fit the Herd

When asked to describe herself in one sentence that would make someone want to listen instantly, she laughs:
“Nobody cares, nobody cares less — I’m a black goat that doesn’t fit the herd.”

And if she could send one song into space as a message from Earth? Without hesitation: “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley. “If there’s only one song the aliens should hear,” she says, “it’s this one. Because it’s perfect.”

Oliwia “Ofilia” Bartuś-Staszak is more than a singer — she’s a storyteller of emotion, resilience, and reinvention. Her sound carries the weight of experience and the light of transformation. She doesn’t just perform music; she lives it, breathes it, and reshapes it with every note.

And as her next chapter unfolds, one thing is certain — Ofilia will keep singing from the shadows, turning darkness into melody, and reminding us all what it truly means to be Young N’ Loud.