Ava Valianti – January (2024)
Compared with the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams and Billie Eilish, singer-songwriter Ava Valianti is quickly making a name for herself as “a distinctive voice with indie-pop flair”. US-based Valianti is a rather new artist with only three tracks beneath her belt, two released in 2024; however, her sophisticated ease and elegant execution have her shining like a diamond among the industry’s pebbles. Catapulted onto the internal stage, she delicately wades into the music scene reaching far beyond her Massachusetts borders. From North America to Europe and Australia, Valianti’s songs receive frequent airplay, places on playlists, and critical acclaim. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘January’.
On the heels of her successful sophomore single ‘Middle Ground’, Valianti takes another stride into 2024 with ‘January’. Working alongside CP Pro Audio’s Chris Plante, ‘January’ mixes the intimacy of Lizzy McAlpine and the intensity of Billie Eilish in a kaleidoscopic wrapper of folk, pop and hints of indie-rock. One aspect I find intriguing about the arrangement is how it initially slips from wistful harmonies to heavier rock-inspired indie, then back again before culminating in a bright-light swirl of hard-hitting indie-pop and whimsical folk. The perfect rollercoaster of sound matching a whirlwind flood of feelings.
Tackling lost love and painful memories, ‘January’ is a rush of raw emotion from the outset. An ebb and flow from confidence surety to tragic vulnerability, ‘January’ oscillates between refreshing clarity and murky confusion. Ava Valianti explains:
“’January’ is a song about loving someone from afar, knowing that the person they’re with is a better fit than you are. The hurt is still there, and the feelings don’t go away, but you know that as hard as you might try, you’re not what they need. The song reflects the impact of memories, even as life moves forward and the feeling of being tethered to the past and what could have been.”
The theme song for “the one who got away”, Valianti reaches into your soul, grasps your heart and makes you lose yourself in tender tears with the honest ‘January’. It does not do to dwell on the past but sometimes it’s really difficult not to. While there is pain in this melody, solace exists as she shows at least one other person understands your heartache.
Find out more about Ava Valianti on her official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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