Tag: Paige Valentine

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paige Valentine Celebrates Life of Late Friend With “Cloud Dancing”

Songs dealing with grief are often sombre affairs, but Western Australian singer-songwriter Paige Valentine has flipped the script with her latest single, “Cloud Dancing.” Written after the loss of a close friend, this song celebrates moving through grief and reconnecting with the experiences that give you joy.

“The power of her friendship will never leave me,” Paige confirmed. “She loved swimming so much, living across the road from one of the most beautiful beaches in Western Australia…When she found out she couldn’t swim anymore it absolutely crushed her. She asked me to swim every day for her. We knew she had a few months left. So, rain, hail and shine I drove to the nearest beach daily. Often it was beautiful, but some days I had to laugh as I was trotting down into the freezing cold Southern Ocean cursing her name that she wanted me to swim. It turned out to be the best therapy and it was a way I could connect with her from afar.

“When I returned home after her funeral, I didn’t want to go to the beach, I didn’t want it to be real…After some time, I felt I should return. I was ready. When I walked over the hill to get to the ocean, I saw something I’d never seen before. From the furthest corner of the sky to the other, one amazing, beautiful cloud, with all the lights running through it, it took up the entire sky like a blanket. When I went to the sea I looked up from the water and it was the most incredible sight. I felt so held by the water and the sky. I thought to myself, I bet she’s dancing up there. Cloud Dancing.”

This is such a fun, optimistic song with real heart. It marks a bit of a sonic shift for Paige, whose music doesn’t normally have such a pop vibe, but I appreciate her evolution. She’ll play a stack of shows in the coming months. Check her out at all these venues:

8 August 2023 – Sofar Sounds @ Escape Reality – Escape Rooms Newcastle, Mulubinba/Newcastle
10 August 2023 – Sofar Sounds, Gadigal/Sydney
11 August 2023 – Sofar Sounds @ humii, Woolyungah/Wollongong
13 August 2023 – Sofar Sounds @ Sounds of Melbourne, Naarm/Melbourne
2 September 2023 – Beats in the Bay, Gutharraguda/Shark Bay
11 September 2023 – Wildflower Festival, Wudjari/Ravensthorpe
8 October 2023 – Out of the Woods Festival, Walyalup/Fremantle
25 November 2023 – Balmy Nights Festival, Kepa Kurl/Esperance

Image used with permission from Nettwerk Music Group; credit: Cedric Tang

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paige Valentine Wows Me With “Fool”

Perth singer-songwriter Paige Valentine has given me goosebumps this morning with her latest track “Fool.” It’s full of heartbreak and angst, but its summery sound gives it a hopefulness that balances the dark. The lyrics are direct and relatable and Paige’s voice has such an alluring tone.

“‘Fool’ was very much written as a continuation from the story of my first single, ‘Pure’,” she explained. “It examines the complex and melancholy journey through heartbreak, questioning whether the reward was ever worth the risk. It explores the feelings of unkept promises and unfinished plans, while also remembering the nostalgic warmth of a past connection.”

Live music is back in full force in Western Australia. If you’re lucky enough to live there, catch Paige Valentine at the following shows.

11 December 2020 – Assembly Yard, Fremantle (with Riley Pearce)
20 December 2020 – Clancy’s, Dunsborough (FREE)
21 December 2020 – The Quill Collective, Vasse (SOLD OUT)

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit: She is Aphrodite

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paige Valentine Shows Her Soul With “Pure”

Fremantle singer-songwriter Paige Valentine has floored me with her beautiful new single “Pure.” It’s an exercise in restraint, with sparse synths giving her stunning vocals space to shine. Paige co-wrote the song with her friend and current The Voice contestant Matt Gresham.

“I was beginning to witness a number of friends’ long-term relationships being tested and drew a bit on personal experience, when two people who love each other seem to drift apart chasing different dreams, or going through hardships, or just generally changing as people. Matt already had the chords ready to go, I ad-libbed the first verse and chorus while he was playing guitar. We both knew we were onto something really special and something that really hit a nerve, Matt even asked if I wanted to continue writing it – it was intense,” she recalled. “We finished the song half an hour later … vulnerable, personal, challenging songwriting. I went to Sydney and did some pre-production with Billy Otto, before returning to Fremantle and finishing the single with Dylan Ollivierre (The Money War). ‘Pure’ is about trying to remember why you love someone and wanting to get back to that innocence of when you fell in love.”

Paige has been making waves in her native Western Australia. She’s already been nominated for five WAM awards and been a finalist in the Vanda & Young International Song Competition. Something tells me we’ll see big things from her in the years ahead.

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit She is Aphrodite