Music/Next Big Thing

The Toronto soulstress honed her sound in the company of Canadian R&B royalty. Now she’s coming for the crown.

For years, Savannah Ré has been a rising star in Toronto’s R&B scene, writing songs with local homegrown talents like Daniel Caesar and WondaGurl, touring with Jessie Reyez, and counting OVO Sound’s in-house producer Boi-1da as a mentor and collaborator. But now Ré is poised to finally break out big on her own—and the timing couldn’t be better. Ré’s debut EP, Opia, is like a much-needed balm as we bid adieu to 2020.

Opia’s soulful sound is inspired by the R&B icons that Ré’s sister introduced her to: Aaliyah, TLC, Lauryn Hill, SWV. It’s concise yet diverse, melding 90s R&B, chill pop and spoken word. Ré’s versatile voice, which jumps from coy and sultry to triumphant and anthemic, anchors each of the nine tracks. She digs deep into her own feelings, reflecting on the messy realities of dating, long-distance relationships, self-love, marriage and all the emotions in between. “Writing these songs was like showing my diaries to strangers,” she says.

Ré credits her producers Boi-1da and YogiTheProducer, who happens to be her husband, with helping her find her most authentic voice. Although the album is deeply personal, Ré’s intention was to write about universal experiences. “People might think, ‘Oh, she’s married and happy now, what does she know?’ But there’s so much to life before and within marriage,” says Ré. “Opia follows my journey, but I wanted it to be an open book for people to listen and be like, ‘Wait, I hear myself in these songs. I’ve experienced that.’”