100000 views: a Thank You.
Current mood: thankful
Category: Friends

My dear friends,

it's snowing outside right now here in cold Switzerland, but despite it all my little red heart is beating with glowing warmth.
I just noticed that my page reached 100000 views (I had to count those 0s twice) . When I first got my Myspace page, I didn't know what to do with it for the longest time until I put a song up wondering what would happen...eventually one person at a time it started spreading and today...well today is a great little day. :)

I am really flattered and filled with a lot of hope for the future. The new record is slowly coming along really well (I wish I could play you some demos right now) and things seem to be on a great track. The road in front is still very long and hard, but you have all made this process so rewarding and easier to believe in for me. I NEED to thank you for cheering me on, for helping me spread the word and for sharing your stories with me. Those of you who know me personally, know how much I can't stand clichés, but there is no other way to say this other than "I doubt I would have gotten this far without you."

I hope you are all staying warm out there. Here's to you! Each and every one of you.

Your very thankful minstrel,


Valente

10:45 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Valente on Arjanwrites.com
Current mood: pleased
Category: Blogging

Hello friends,

I hope the Holiday season has been a great one for all of you.

2008 is off to a brilliant start. Arjanwrites.com under the reins of Temposhark's very own Rob Diament, featured "Escape Artist" with a "Hot New Talent Alert".

Hat tip to Rob for thinking of me. I am beyond flattered!

If you'd like to read the blog you can follow the link here:

http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2008/01/hot-new-talent.html

Also, writing on the full-length record is continuing and I might hit acouple of cities in February to start trying some new songs on some fresh ears. I hope you can make it out to the shows.

I hope 2008 will bring you all the Happiness Success and Love that you deserve...ah to hell with it...even more.

Here's to a great year!

Valente

11:52 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

A Birthday Tale.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Writing and Poetry

Today I turn...old...er.

So I figured I'd tell you a story.

It was early evening on November 17th 1980 when my Mother started having contractions. Having had what she recounts as horrible experiences giving birth to my two sisters in hospitals (one in Switzerland and one in the US), she decided I should be born at home. So she planned ahead of time for a mid-wife to come and aid with the process (something which was somewhat common in Italy at the time). The problem is that I not only was in a rush to come out but also had horrible timing (as I still do to this day for that matter). See, I decided to arrive right during rush hour. This would pose no problem if it wasn't for the fact that the mid-wife lived in the exact opposite side of Rome.
To make a long story short, my Dad had no choice but to try and deliver me. The interesting part is that right as I made my entrance into the world, my Father didn't have quite the right grip on me so the first thing he did was...well...drop me.
And the first thing I did in this world was fall.
And of course I couldn't have fallen any other way than head first...smacking my noggin on the cold hard porcelain right inside the bowl of the bidé where I was being delivered.

To this day in my family the running joke is that the incident explains many things and that maybe just maybe, if it never happened, I would be a normal person like the rest of them. Personally, I am thankful for the fall. Had it never happened I wouldn't have such an iron-clad alibi for why I am who I am. Trauma CAN be liberating. Not all that is bad comes to harm you (as we say in Italy).

So here's to falling head first.

Have one for me tonight.

Valente

7:52 AM - 6 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

How to Help Spread the Word
Current mood: determined
Category: Music

Dear friends,

As you know, I don't have Big Corp with it's checkbook behind me. What I DO have is YOU and your passion and ideas. If you believe in what I do, help spread the word.

Here's a list of things you can do:

1. Put one of the songs on your page.

2. Post a bulletin. If you endorse the music, your friends will listen. They trust you more than "some guy with a Myspace music page"...and so do I. :)

3. Play your friends the EP in the car or at gatherings. See above explanation...and add a captive audience. :)

4. Demand a show through the "Demand it" box on my page. Even if there's already a demand in your city, add your name to it. Get your friends to do the same. The more people sign up in each city, the more likely I will be able to come play there sometime soon.

5. Put a banner on your page. Just copy and paste the HTML code from the box below. :)
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/valente"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1150/1173647225_db99b61421_o.jpg" width="504" height="144" alt="AEbanner1" /></a>

6. Tell your favorite local radio stations about the music. And if there's one in particular that you think would be perfect for this type of music, let me know!

7. When you tell people about the music, if they like it, ask them to pass the baton on to their friends. My goal is for the music to reach as many people as possible. Sales are great, but reaching people...that is what my making music is about.

Thank you so much for your help ahead of time. I truly appreciate it to no end.

Welcome to Team Valente ;)

Have a brilliant day,


Valente

7:41 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

In Paris recording on the new Nouvelle Vague record.
Current mood: amused

In Paris at the moment recording on the new Nouvelle Vague record with Marc Collin.

While here I'll be also doing some interviews for "Two For The Road", the other project I worked on last year here in Paris.

All very exciting stuff! You can check both projects out on my "Top List".

And now off to get "un petit café" and enjoy a little downtime stroll between recording sessions.

Next week...London.

I hope you are all well out there!


Valente

P.S.: Please forgive me if email replies and friend request approvals have been and will be a little slow for a little while.

5:02 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Escape Artist EP - Out now on iTunes Worldwide!
Current mood: giddy

Dear friends,

Today is a great day: My EP, "Escape Artist" is finally out on iTunes worldwide.

You can download it by clicking on this banner:





The reason for the EP's title is that every song on it talks about some sort of escape. Whether it's escaping to someone, with someone or from someone.

I hope this music will be the soundtrack to great moments in your life.

I know many of you have been waiting for a long time for this day and I really want to thank you for being so patient. As some of you might already know, I am 100% independent, so everything I do doesn't have the marketing muscle or funding of a big label. Read my "band members" section for further proof. :) If you feel the music moved you in some way and you deem it worthy, pick up the cause and spread the word. There is a blog post entitled "How to help spread the word" right below this one which lists how you can help.

This is the first of what I hope will be a series of EPs that I will be releasing as the months progress.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the kindness and support that you have expressed. I am a very lucky man.

Have a brilliant day my friends; See you on your iPods. :)

Valente

2:06 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

How to help spread the word
Current mood: determined

Dear friends,

As you know, I don't have Big Corp with it's checkbook behind me. What I DO have is YOU and your passion and ideas. If you believe in what I do, help spread the word.

Here's a list of things you can do:

1. Put one of the songs on your page.

2. Post a bulletin. If you endorse the music, your friends will listen. They trust you more than "some guy with a Myspace music page"...and so do I. :)

3. Play your friends the EP in the car or at gatherings. See above explanation...and add a captive audience. :)

4. Demand a show through the "Demand it" box on my page. Even if there's already a demand in your city, add your name to it. Get your friends to do the same. The more people sign up in each city, the more likely I will be able to come play there sometime soon.

5. Put a banner on your page. Just copy and paste the HTML code from the box below. :) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/valente"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1150/1173647225_db99b61421_o.jpg" width="504" height="144" alt="AEbanner1" /></a>

6. Tell your favorite local radio stations about the music. And if there's one in particular that you think would be perfect for this type of music, let me know!

7. When you tell people about the music, if they like it, ask them to pass the baton on to their friends. My goal is for the music to reach as many people as possible. Sales are great, but reaching people...that is what my making music is about.

Thank you so much for your help ahead of time. I truly appreciate it to no end.

Welcome to Team Valente ;)

Have a brilliant day,


Valente

2:05 PM - 11 Comments - 15 Kudos - Add Comment

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!
Current mood: excited

Hello there,

Here's some news:

1) Tiffcast: A couple of days back I was interviewed by the wonderful Tiff as part of her Tiffcast series (past interviews of note include Imogen Heap and Kate Havnevik ...). You can hear it in it's entirety here: www.tiffcast.com. We got to cover a lot of different topics: from upcoming projects and collaborations to random songwriting rants and Bill Murray quotes. And who knows, maybe there's also a live performance of a song you haven't heard before in there. (what? Me, hint?).

2) Demand It: You can now demand a show in your city through the orange "Demand it" box on my page. Having an idea of where all of you are will help me immensely when I start planning my tour. The more requests in a city the more chances of me actually being able to come out there so I hope you manage to get the word out and spread it. (Both about the music and the "Demand it" box).

3) EP News: Next Wednesday I am going to be Mastering my EP here in L.A. . It should be out by the beginning of September as a digital only release . (I will post on my page when it will happen and where you can get it). That way all of you who have been asking will FINALLY be able to hear some Valente music on your iPods and you'll be able to take me everywhere you go. Ha!

4) Two For The Road: On September 17th "Two for the Road", the album I just finished in Paris with Marc Collin (producer of Nouvelle Vague) and Katrine Ottosen will be released worldwide. You can hear some sample tunes by going here: www.myspace.com/twofortheroad1

5) Spreading the word: Last but not least, some of you have been asking how you can help spread the word about the music (being that I am 100% independent). For the time being what you can do is put out bulletins letting your friends know about the music and forcing them (gently of course) to come check out my page. If they like it they'll stay, if they don't, they won't. Long live word of mouth.

I hope all of you are doing well out there. Thank you again for all your support and kindness. The future looks very bright; I hope you'll join me along the way.

Have a brilliant day,

Valente

6:36 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Lyrics matter to me.
Current mood: hopeful

HOME by Valente

Another sleepless airport
My light blue shirt stained with sweat
The jet lagged crowd bumps into me
My bags were lost and my flight's at three

But if I close my eyes
I'm in your arms
Where every fear goes calm
Where you hold me tight
And breathe so slow
Your heartbeat sounds like Home

The cities keep on changing
But the feeling's the same
There's no one place where I belong
Just rooms to rest and then move on

But if I close my eyes
I'm in your arms
Where every fear goes calm
Where you hold me tight
And breathe so slow
Your heartbeat sounds like Home

Rainy streets and downtown trains the only thought that keeps me sane's that one day I will find my way Home
And London Tokyo Rome L.A. it doesn't matter where I stay as long as you're a reach away I'll be Home

Where I close my eyes
and I'm in your arms
Where every fear goes calm
Where you hold me tight
And breathe so slow
Your heartbeat sounds like Home

Where I close my eyes
and I'm in your arms
Where every fear goes calm
Where you hold me tight
And breathe so slow
Your heartbeat sounds like Home



ORIGAMI BABY by Valente

White hotel room cluttered floor
A trail of clothes leads to the door
Tell me why we just met now
And why two strangers feel so comfortable somehow

I think we're both lost in a world of squares
Honey won't you help me make new shapes

Let's fold into one
My Origami Baby

In this confessional with sheets
Staring at the cieling while we tangle feet
You ask the questions I need to hear
And understand the things I've tried to explain for years

I think we're both lost in a world of squares
Honey won't you help me make new shapes

Let's fold into one
My Origami Baby

The city smokes the night
In a shower of shimmering lights
I should but I can't sleep
Cause the future suddenly turned so bright

And I finally fit

Let's fold into one
My Origami Baby

Let's fold into one
My Origami Baby



SHATTERED GLASS by Valente

I found some letters that I didn't write
And now I am not so sure that I believe the reasons why you left
My darling I would love to take you back
But did we need to spend some time apart or did you need some time with him?

And I don't know how to fix this trust
Cause guilty or not dear it shattered like glass
And it feels like the shards are trapped in my chest

My heart is pounding like a violent drum
'Cause I keep on wondering about the details of what I'll never know
Tell me was his sweat ever on your back
Or am I really just a jealous fool who thinks that he's been fooled?

And I don't know how to fix this trust
Cause guilty or not dear it shattered like glass
And it feels like the shards are trapped in my chest

Am I too proud and scared to forgive what I can't even prove
Or is this love strong enough to be repaired instead of being replaced?

And I don't know how to fix this trust
Cause guilty or not dear it shattered like glass
And it feels like the shards are trapped in my chest

The one thing that now is clear is that I need to choose between Love and fear
Tonight

3:04 PM - 9 Comments - 20 Kudos - Add Comment

in Brazil they call me Vallency

A while ago someone pointed out to me that I was featured on a well known Brazilian radio station (I believe it's called Radio UOL). Well the other day someone actually sent me a recording from said show. I am the first featured artist in the clip...Portuguese is such an interesting language.

Enjoy:

http://audio.uol.com.br/uolmusica/podcast/2006/06/mu20060605.mp3

P.S.: A LOT more news coming REAL SOON. Oh...you'll see.

11:12 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment