Following the official release of her debut single “idcm”, we got to chat with the talented Valenttina Dias.
– Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your track “idcm” and what message you hope listeners take away from it?
“idcm” is essentially about a false acceptance that society shows toward other people’s lives, how everyone is always encouraging you to be true to yourself and pursue happiness, until you decide to actually embrace that identity. And having this be the subject of my first track is really fullfing. A lot of people, even close friends and family had something to say when I decided to start a musical career, judging my decision and not believing in me. This track is basically my anthem that I go back to whenever I get uncertain about the future and my career. And this is exactly the message I hope the listeners take away from it. People are ALWAYS gonna have something to say, so do it anyways, go for what makes sense to you. And as long as you put effort into it and be disciplined, it is going to work out.
– How has your background, growing up in Brazil and then transitioning to a musical career in the US, influenced your music and artistic style?
“One really curious thing that has recently come to my attention regarding my music and growing up in Brazil is that, at first, I didn’t know how to speak English, so all that mattered to me was if the song “sounded” good. Lyrics never mattered at first cause I didn’t know how to speak the language. This aspect really developed my understanding of melodies and of what makes a song emotionally appealing, sonically. It helped me “hear with the heart” instead of judging the song for what it was saying. And now, speaking the language, I put together my understanding of melodies, that has been carefully curated during my lifetime, plus an appealing and personal lyrical content. I feel like, in a broader context, it has also influenced my taste for rhythmic beats and an upbeat lifestyle. Being Brazilian, to me, has a lot to do with the way you see life and how you can always find reasons to have a smile on your face at the end of the day.”
– As a multidimensional artist, you’re not only a singer but also an actress and dancer, how do you balance these different creative outlets, and do you find that they inform each other in your performances?
“My acting and dancing definitely enhance my singing and my performances. I LOVE being on stage and giving the audience the whole artistic experience. A good song is one thing. A good song with a passionate artist on stage (or on social media) that knows how to communicate the message with their body language, facial expressions and visuals, is a whole different thing. I feel very lucky to have been a part of the acting and dancing world from a young age. Also, a really good thing about being a multidimensional artist is that you don’t rely entirely on one aspect of your career to feel good. Each area is like a break from the other one. When I need a break, mentally or physically, from singing, I dance, I act, and also the other way around. I do feel though, that because of my experience in these three worlds, I get more judgmental about my work in every single aspect of it, always being my biggest critic. But I like to believe that’s also part of the journey to greatness.”
– How do you approach the creative process when working on new music and do you have any rituals or habits that help you get into the right mindset?
“Before starting a project, I always like to just sit down with my producer or everyone that is part of the team, and talk about life. See where everyone’s at and get that first connection, that I believe to be crucial while working on music. I try not to rush into starting “the work” because a lot of times, a big part of the creative process is in the discussions that come out of that first connection. Then, I talk about ideas I might have and present references for it. The one “habit” I have during any creative process is tea! I’m crazy for tea and water and it’s almost like it creates a safe space for me.”
– Can you give us a sneak peek into your upcoming EP “Get A Clue”?
“Get A Clue” is a really fun and full of attitude EP. On the first track, “idcm” we say a “Get a clue!” to society and their judgments. The second track “Side Effects”, is a “Get a clue!” to myself and habits. And the third track, “Call Me Mean” the “Get a clue!” is dedicated to the guys that show up in my life. I wanted to confront each one of these groups or aspects of my life and I found that music was the best way to do so! You can expect a lot of influences from the golden age of pop, the 2000s and also some bilingual moments!”