Only a select number of musicians can lay claim to having Kanye West as a fan – and Irish singer-wongwriter, Valerie Francis is one of the lucky few.
Valerie released her debut album Slow Dynamo in 2009 and one particular track, Punches, caught the attention of Kanye West, and he liked it so much that he gave it a coveted spot on his blog – something which Valerie still finds hard to believe.
“It was and still is quite surreal. Made more so by the fact that the video had only been online for less than 24 hours. I’d love to know how he found it.” she told VIP magazine.
Valerie has been on the Irish music scene for close to a decade now, but her musical flare started at a very young age.
“I was always into music, since I was very small. Always singing and asking for presents of keyboards and guitars. I got my first keyboard when I was 7 and my first
Valerie, who’s described her sound as “musical hopscotch” in the past, has said she finds songwriting to be therapeutic and she finds inspiration from other artists, as well as her own life.
“I figure out stuff about myself and life through the writing of songs. It’s quite cathartic. Plus, I have always listened to a lot of music. It’s an endless preoccupation.” she said.
Speaking about her dream collaboration, Valerie reveals she is eager to work with one producer in particular.
“I love Nigel Godrich. It would be a dream to work with him. Nigel Godrich and an orchestra.” she said.
The future is looking bright for Valerie, as she is currently finishing up some new music and is taking part in the much talked about the Hennessy Lost Friday events.
Lost Fridays, taking place tonight at the RHA Gallery, showcases talent making waves in the Irish arts scene right now, a night featuring a carefully selected blend of Ireland’s most cutting edge and dynamic artists, musicians, poets and creatives spread across the RHA’s stunning gallery spaces – and Valerie is very excited about tonight’s event!
“I can’t wait. There’s so much going on that night – it’s a proper party. I would be attending if I wasn’t playing.” she said.
She will be joined by music producer Bad Bones and illustrator Holly Pereira at the event – and if you’re a creative soul, it’s definitely not to be missed!
Here’s a taster of what you can expect from wildly talented Valerie: