Kristian Phillip Valentino currently calls Asheville, N.C. home. His musical palette falls between the lines of indie folk, singer-songwriter and Americana. His lyrics are a healing balm from the daily struggle as they wash over you with a deep reverence. Kristian (aka KPV) was also a finalist at the 2022 LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, a collaboration between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts.
NewSong Music: What sort of music was playing in your house when you were growing up?
Kristian Phillip Valentino: I grew up in a strict Pentecostal/Christian household so not much secular music was playing, mostly worship/Christian music. I did find MTV at a very young age though! So I was introduced to hip-hop and Nirvana when I was like 5 or 6.
What inspired you to become a songwriter?
I started writing songs in August of 2010. Within that one month, my dad passed away suddenly, I lost my job, and ended up homeless living in my car, and got broken up with in a relationship I really cared about at the time. I was devastated and started writing some of my first songs in the car. I was able to find my songs as a healing balm for myself. I just hope it can be that for others.
Do you have any recent or forthcoming projects to tell us about?
Currently I am working on a four-song EP which is being produced by Gar Ragland at Citizen Studios. I’m hoping to release in the Spring of 2023.
CONGRATULATIONS to stand-out duo The Singer and The Songwriter aka Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran on being the first finalist named in this year’s NewSong Performance and Songwriting Competition!
After a marathon of listening sessions this summer, carefully reviewing each entry submitted, we could have filled the entire slate of finalists with all of the excellence that’s come in so far.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far, for being part of this project & community. We couldn’t do this without you.
All ‘Early Bird’ entrants are still being considered for the remaining finalist spots, and we are accepting submissions through September 18.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far, for being part of this project & community. We couldn’t do this without you.
All ‘Early Bird’ entrants are still being considered for the remaining finalist spots, and we are accepting submissions through September 18.
The identities of Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran — a queer mixed-race-Mexican-American and first-generation-Vietnamese-American, respectively — inform their music. Together they create eclectic and heartfelt songs that tell emotionally honest and compelling stories. Their unique and vibrant style is sophisticated but playful.
The California-based duo met and began writing and performing music together in 2006. Together Rachel and Thu won the West Coast Songwriters International Song Contest, were nominated for Best Adult Contemporary Song at the 16th Annual Independent Music Awards and, this year, were named as a finalist in the prestigious Grassy Hill New Folk Song Competition for Emerging Folk Artists at the Kerrville Folk Festival. This year they also plan to release their fourth album, Dreams! The Dead! Ghost! Future.
It’s not too late! Submit YOUR original songs to this year’s NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition. Submissions are being accepted through Sunday, September 18, with a finale performance scheduled for Saturday, December 3, at Citizen Vinyl.
Sadie Gustafson-Zook is a versatile singer, intricate guitar player, and contagious songwriter. Her pure voice and hummable melodies balance with witty lyrics to create charmingly honest and relatable music. Indiana-grown, Boston-nurtured, and Nashville-based, Sadie has brought her lovable stories and songs to audiences across the country, in homes, churches, and renowned folk venues and festivals across the country, including Club Passim, The Purple Fiddle, Walnut Valley Festival, Red Wing Roots, and more. Sadie is a two-time Kerrville New Folk finalist, has been featured on the Folk Alley and the Basic Folk podcast, and holds a master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. On her new album “Sin of Certainty,” Sadie explores the process of questioning all that she had taken for granted, through finding a new community in the roots scene of Boston, studying jazz, and coming out as queer.
NewSong Music: What inspired you to enter the NewSong Contest?
Sadie: I have had a number of friends who have done well in this competition and it seems like NewSong treats the winners super well, especially in terms of continued publicity, and so that was a major factor that made the NewSong contest seem appealing.
What was your introduction to music?
My parents are both musicians so I was kind of indoctrinated into a family band at the age of 6 (once I had been playing violin for two years), but music has generally been around me for my whole life.
What is the first song you wrote that you were proud of, and why?
In 5th grade I wrote my first official song called “My Tears Are Melting Away,” which described an incident on the playground in which my crush was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, and I felt so many feelings about it, so I wrote those feelings into a song. I was proud of it because it was my first fully formed song that was more than a ditty, and it was a really helpful way for me to express my emotions (however dramatic they were as a 12 year old in love lol).
What instrument do you play, and why?
I’d consider myself a multi-instrumentalist, but for songwriting I’ve found guitar to be my chosen instrument. I love (and hate) how complicated and versatile the guitar can be. Even though I started playing when I was 12 I never run out of new things to learn! I also have been working on banjo and grew up playing stringed instruments.
How did the pandemic impact you as an artist (for better or worse)?
I went through many different phases in the pandemic as it relates to my artistry. I started off with a lot of momentum, running a kickstarter, and practicing for hours every day (though I could only do covers- for whatever reason I was pretty much unable to write for a large chunk of the pandemic). Then I kind of got into a slump where I wasn’t making much music at all. Around this time I also got a remote part-time job (in addition to teaching voice/guitar lessons over zoom), which took a lot of the pressure off of music to pay my bills. I think was a very positive thing that allowed me to start creating music again without the added stress of “I should be booking.” That being said, I felt really removed from music for a long time and I wasn’t sure what my future would look like. Between 2020-2021 I was also recording an album (in chunks) which felt like a really distinct detour from my normal pandemic life (and a reference to my pre-pandemic life). It was a really welcome reminder that I am a musician and I am skilled, but it also felt pretty surreal to travel to NYC, record, have this whole very musical experience, and then come back home to my slow indoor life.
Does the place where you grew up inspire you as an artist? If so, in what way?
I grew up in a liberal Mennonite community in Indiana, and there was a huge emphasis on the importance of being of service to other people, which I think was confusing to me for a long time as it related to my songwriting. I found myself feeling like I wasn’t doing a good job unless I had a really tangibly service-oriented profession (like being a teacher or social worker, etc). But as I’ve grown up a bit and lived outside of my hometown I’ve found that my songs are actually quite helpful to a lot of people, and that devaluing their power is a disservice to my artistry. So I suppose I keep that in the back of my mind when I write songs now– the acknowledgement that simply by sharing my own experience I can help someone else feel more heard and understood, which is a really important job!
In what ways does the craft of songwriting still surprise you?
It’s so easy to fall into a pattern of how I write music, and the more I write, the more clearly I can see what my tendencies are. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of music and writing a lot, and it’s been a joy to notice interesting things that other songwriters do in their work, and to experiment with ways that I can incorporate those ideas in my songs. So I guess it’s just surprising that it’s such a unique process and there are so many ways to write a song!
What are some of your creative goals for this year?
I recently moved to Nashville, and since arriving I’ve found myself really digging into my creative pursuits (in all mediums). I’ve gotten really into print-making and embroidery, I’ve been digging into arranging my room, I’ve been spilling out songs (and keeping track of what I’ve written so even if it’s not a keeper, I still have record of my work), and I started the year strong with morning pages (freewriting 3 pages each morning- an idea from the book The Artist’s Way), which I’m hoping to recommit to soon. In addition to prioritizing these more solitary creative pursuits, I want to work with other people more, maybe make a band (especially since I now live around so many musicians) and play music with my friends!
We love to keep up with our past NewSong Music Contest finalists and winners, and, over the years, we have amassed a busy and hardworking group of musicians we admire.
NewSong songwriters live and perform across the continent and beyond, their work spans multiple genres, and these artists are always putting out new material. To keep track of all their news and upcoming shows, we will be highlighting NewSong artists in our weekly roundup.
We’ve put together a list of five shows, publications and recordings we think you should be paying attention to this week.
We also want to extend our thanks to all who submitted to the NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition. The submission period closed Sunday, Nov. 4, and we are very much looking forward to listening to your songs!
1. NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting competition to take place at isis music hall in asheville, NC, dec. 15
Thank you to all who submitted their songs to this year’s NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition this year. The submission period closed Sunday, Nov. 4, and we now start the exciting process of selecting a total of eight finalists to compete in the live performance finals, held on December 15 in beautiful Asheville, NC at Isis Music Hall.
2. Wilder adkins — ListeN: “Marietta” // artist to record grand prize record at echo Mountain Studios
Wilder Adkins, winner of the 2016 NewSong Music Competition, returns to Echo Mountain Studios later this week to record music for his grand prize album. The album is slated for release next spring. In the meantime, we encourage you to listen to “Marietta,” one of the Bruce Springsteen covers the Adkins released this fall.
From Popdust: “The idea to cover such an iconic tune popped into his mind when he was asked to pay tribute to Springsteen at an ATL Collective concert in 2017. Adkins tells Popdust, ‘Someone told me at the show that I was too melancholy and not angry enough to sing Springsteen’s version of ‘I’m Goin’ Down,’ so I rewrote the verses to make it all my own,’ he said.”
Fans of 2015 NewSong Music grand prize winner can now pre-order the artist’s new album, “Game Changer,” on bandcamp. The aptly titled work examines the artist’s tentative first steps into a new world, post-heartbreak. With a clear head, Kilgour touches on the complicated nature of romance and relationship, sets up a stunning defense of queer love, and reassesses her priorities as a citizen of a changing wider world.
Recorded in Asheville, NC at Echo Mountain Studios and produced by Gar Ragland, the EP will be released on NewSong Recordings and features captivating string arrangements by violinist Sara Pajunen.
4. kelly english — Listen: “Bite The hand” (boygenius cover)
Kelly English returned to Echo Mountain Recording Studios in October to record her sophomore album with NewSong Recordings. Just this week, she released a cover of the boygenius song, “Bite the Hand.”
English competed at the NewSong LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition where she met producer Gar Ragland and toured Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC. English says her experience competing at LEAF was an “eye opener” that pushed her to keep pursuing her career as a musician.
Listen to her first album, City Limits, on Spotify.
5. Beth snapp — Performs 11/10 at White Birch
Beth Snapp continues to perform in support of her recent EP release, Don’t Apologize. The new EP, tellingly titled Don’t Apologize is a collection of soothing and supple melodies, underscored by a bracing backing band, it offers astute observations about the challenges, expectations and ability to overcome obstacles — either self-imposed or those that result from outside interference.
This week, you can catch her at White Birch in Abington, VA on Saturday, Nov. 10 and another show Friday, Nov. 16 at the Down Home in Johnson, TN.
For more information about this week’s show, visit the Facebook event page. Listen to Beth Snapp on Spotify.
We love to keep up with our past NewSong Music Contest finalists and winners, and, over the years, we have amassed a busy and hardworking group of musicians we admire.
NewSong songwriters live and perform across the continent and beyond, their work spans multiple genres, and these artists are always putting out new material. To keep track of all their news and upcoming shows, we will be highlighting NewSong artists in our weekly roundup.
We’ve put together a list of five shows, publications and recordings we think you should be paying attention to this week. The deadline for the 2018 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is in less than a week! You have until Sunday, Nov. 4 to submit your original music.
1. 11/4 deadline approaching for NEWSONG MUSIC PERFORMANCE & SONGWRITING COMPETITION
We’re including our Nov. 4 submission deadline first in the lineup because you have less than a week (!) to submit. Now in its 17th year, the NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is one of North America’s premier showcases of emerging performers and songwriters across an array of genres.The final deadline to enter this year’s competition is Sunday, November 4.
Beth Snapp continues to perform in support of her recent EP release, Don’t Apologize. This week, you can catch her at Model City Tap House in Kingsport, TN on Saturday, Nov. 3. “To me, this EP is a continuation of a journey,” says Snapp. “My second project was largely an account of just coming out of a storm. I had survived, I knew things were going to get better, but there was some healing and processing to be done. As time passed, and I did the work to heal, I emerged into a new place. I realized that surviving the storm wasn’t enough. I realized I was put on this Earth to do more than survive.”
In honor of Max Hatt / Edda Glass recording a new album in Seattle this month, we would like to spotlight the Jazz-Americana duo’s previous album, Ocean of Birds. As grand prize winners of the international NewSong performance and songwriting competition, the duo’s prize included the recording of this album in April 2015 at Asheville, NC’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios.
”I was mesmerized from the first moment I heard them,” says album producer Pat Sansone (Wilco, The Autumn Defense) of their cinematic sound. “They have the ability to create a deep sonic landscape with only voice and guitar, with songs that posses a mysterious and soulful magic.”
Purchase Ocean of Birds on Bandcamp. Listen to the album on Spotify.
4. Chris velan – “Amateur HOUr” launch show in Montreal
Chris Velan will play a show at Petit Campus in Montreal on Thursday Nov. 1 for the launch of his latest album, Amateur Hour. A single off the album, “All Time Record” charted on CBC Radio’s top 30 songs of the week in September, and the record has been met with praise from critics. A reviewer from Exclaim! writes, “Amateur Hour gleams with thoughtful and crisp writing and explorative musical shifts.”
Buy tickets here. Listen to Amateur Hour on Spotify.
Kristian Phillip Valentino: I grew up in a strict Pentecostal/Christian household so not much secular music was playing, mostly worship/Christian music. I did find MTV at a very young age though! So I was introduced to hip-hop and Nirvana when I was like 5 or 6.
