Artist Spotlight | Ava Valianti

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT | Ava Valianti | “Buttercups”

I don’t know what it is about slow acoustic guitar songs that really captures the complexity of human emotion so well, but as soon as you start listening to Buttercups, this fact is absolutely undeniable. But of course, Ava’s incredible voice has a lot to do with it too.

I’ve listened to a couple of Ava’s songs now, and the thing that immediately struck me about her is her voice. It is supremely soulful and proficient in its maturity. If you just listened without knowing anything about the artist, you would never guess that she was only 15 years old! It sounds like the voice honed over decades and of someone who has lived a storied life. And I mean this in the best possible way.

Ava’s skill as a musician is equally impressive for someone so young. As a fellow music producer, I was thoroughly impressed by the level of production present in Buttercups. The subtle inflection from guitar to piano to accompanying string back to guitar again is all excellent. And then, when the drums finally kick in, it is expertly done. I don’t know if Ava created the music all by herself or had help, but either way, Bravo!

Speaking of the drums kicking in, at this point the song takes a total turn and completely changes, and I for one loved it! It goes from a somberly serene sermon to an unmistakably upbeat and uplifting affair. The lyrics remain sober and poignant while the percussion really starts popping and the guitar ramps up.

From here on out, the song unfolds like a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, or, in perhaps a more fitting metaphor, like a blossoming buttercup. By the end of it all, I felt I had been on quite the ride, like zipping down an awesome water slide; it was all over too quickly. And, to continue with the theme park analogy for a moment, even with all the other charming bells and whistles contained within Buttercups, Ava’s voice is no doubt the main attraction.

After listening to Buttercups, it’s easy to see why Ava has been touted as one to watch in this new generation of music. The next time I see some wild buttercups growing in the wild, I will definitely think of this song. I had a lot of fun listening to it, and you will too.