Interview at The Ryman: Valley
Words by Kelly Carrazzone
In all its spectacular, historic glory, the Ryman Auditorium sits in Nashville’s world of unmatched musical experiences as a home for fans of any artist gifted enough to play on the golden stage. There’s a wondrous feeling of true storybook magic as one walks through those doors, instantly encompassed by decades of talent echoing off the walls, bouncing from the iconic church pews still in place.
Perched above the stage magic on the third floor, I was lucky enough to gather around with Valley band members Rob, Karah, Alex, and Mickey before the incredible The Band Camino/Valley/Nightly Ryman show last Tuesday to chat about their newly released single, upcoming “Last Birthday” EP (surprise!!!) and the absolute killer show they would put on only a few hours later.
Photo by Becca Hamel
I am always blown away by bands and artists who are unconditionally talented and yet, so kind. Any longtime Valley fan will confirm this four piece is always a pleasure to be around. In a world of internet-polished personas, Valley comes together to create a safe space of genuinity that is never taken for granted. Whether you are an avid concert-goer, casual music listener, or fall somewhere in between, Valley truly never disappoints.
After an amazing set last weekend at Wonderbus Fest in Ohio, Valley is geared up and ready to hit the stage in Nashville, TN. The band members were absolutely ecstatic to finally be back performing live. Riding off the high of their first festival show in America, the Toronto-based band are eager to keep getting onstage and connecting with their fans across the globe… while sprinkling in some new, unreleased music of course!
Photo by Becca Hamel
“The “sucks to see you doing better” EP was very on the nose with heartbreak and dealing with those tougher feelings. On this upcoming EP there’s a good balance of hopefulness. Even though some of these lyrics still touch on serious realities, the sonics feel so freeing and adventurous. There’s more to dance and be happy to, we can’t be sad all the time. We gotta grow!” -Rob Laska of Valley
For longtime fans of Valley, the oldies will always have a special place on their setlist. However, due to COVID-19 the band has yet to play songs off of their 2020 “sucks to see you doing better” EP. This Ryman show was extra special as the band curated a setlist of Valley fans’ wildest dreams, combining old, new, and even unreleased music. From “nevermind” to “Tempo”, Valley fans were WELL fed at the Ryman show last week.
When chatting with the band before the show, I was especially excited to hear a little secret that is, luckily, no longer hush hush. While Valley fans have been excitedly waiting for the September 1st release of the next single “Oh shit… are we in love?”, fans were in for a treat when they got the new single, new music video, and news that Valley’s next EP “Last Birthday” is set to be released October 1st!
Written and co-produced by Valley alongside Jorgen Odegard (Justin Bieber, “Holy”) , their brand new single “Oh shit… are we in love?”, gives an honest take on the bittersweet realization of falling in love. Diving headfirst into innocent infatuation, the “Oh shit… are we in love?” music video is a comical, colorful visual that really brings the song to life. If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to check out Valley’s new music video for “Oh shit… are we in love?” below!
After a phenomenal set by the band Nightly, the lights dimmed and Valley crashed onto the Ryman stage in all their radiant, energetic glory. The band instantaneously brought the Ryman to its feet, with every audience member jumping and singing along.
It takes a special kind of talent to have hundreds of fans yelling the lyrics to a completely unreleased song in a matter of seconds. Valley’s distinct level of engagement during their live performances paid off as their new single “Oh shit… are we in love?” was introduced. Only moments later, the crowd was happily bopping along, following Rob’s lead for their turn to sing “Slow down! Back up! Oh shit!” throughout the choruses.
Photo by Becca Hamel
“It is so ridiculously fun to build these songs to be massive live performances. We can make these moments so much bigger and crazier. Envisioning that as we’re creating the songs and rehearsing the sets is always so cool to see it all come together for our fans to really enjoy it!”
My favorite part of Valley’s set was during the bridge of “There’s Still A Light In The House” when it seemed the entire world had been stripped away, and the precious moment created between Valley and their fans in the Ryman Auditorium was timelessly beautiful. I am restraining myself from sounding like a broken record, but if you’ve seen Valley perform live, you know there is no dramatization when it comes to the cinematic brilliance effortlessly created each time this band takes the stage.
Fortunately, new music from Valley is right around the corner. The band’s upcoming EP “Last Birthday” will be released on October 1st, featuring “Oh shit… are we in love?” alongside “Like 1999”, “SOCIETY”, “Tempo”, and 3 brand new songs! You can presave Valley’s upcoming EP here!
For fans itching to experience the show of a lifetime, Valley is gearing up for the Rainbow Dreamland tour where they will open for COIN in cities like Chicago, Nashville, Los Angeles, and plenty more! Be sure to follow Valley on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to keep up with all the latest music releases and tour dates.
