Q&A: Ayleen Valentine Unveils Moody, Heavy Single “ask nicely”
DYNAMIC ALT SONGWRITER — Ayleen Valentine has released her new moody, genre-bending single “ask nicely,” that acts as a glimpse into her upcoming debut record. In "ask nicely," Valentine crafts a profound commentary on social constructs, exploring themes of emotional awareness, gender dynamics and the complexities of relationships. The song seamlessly weaves together elements of indie rock, third-wave emo, and the heavy, atmospheric sound reminiscent of Deftones' nu-metal influence. It's a musical journey that refuses to be confined to a single genre, showcasing Valentine's ability to navigate and blend diverse sonic landscapes.
What sets "ask nicely" apart is not only its genre-defying nature but also the fact that Valentine took complete control of the creative process. The result is a powerful and captivating performance that diverges from the softer vocal tones found in her earlier works, showcasing the artist's evolution and willingness to explore new sonic territories.
Valentine also takes on the roles of director and producer in the accompanying music video, further solidifying her hands-on approach to her craft.
The songstress sheds light on the inspiration beyond “ask nicely” as she reflects on her observations of a lack of emotional awareness in men, compared to the societal expectations for women to prioritize others.
“I started to notice that men aren’t as aware of other people’s emotions like women are, and that was frustrating to me in my relationship,” Valentine says. “I felt like men around me were constantly thinking about themselves and everyone else was an afterthought, whereas women are always taught to put other people first. So ‘ask nicely’ was me pleading for somebody to put me first. But even if I asked nicely, I would be met with disappointment.”
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna Magazine. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar yet, what inspires your artistic style and creative persona?
AYLEEN: The human experience and other artists that I look up to like Radiohead and Imogen Heap. I just love artistic things and things that make us feel emotions.
LUNA: Say if someone hasn’t heard of your music yet, which song would you introduce your discography to and why do you gravitate towards that song?
AYLEEN: Usually if someone hasn't heard my music, I’ll ask them what type of music they like first, because my discography has a lot of different genres. I have songs that are screamo, folk or rock, so I'll ask them what they like first. At the moment, I’ll show them “ask nicely” because it’s off my album that’s coming out.
LUNA: Your single “ask nicely” recently dropped and I absolutely adore the rawness in both the lyricism and sound. What is the inspiration behind the single?
AYLEEN: I was at my desk trying to make something and I made the first half of the song and I got stuck. I was listening to a lot of Willow Smith at the time and I wanted to make something that's heavier and more rock-alt leaning. I usually sing pretty soft, so I used it as an opportunity to really project and sing high notes which was fun and my neighbors got annoyed at me.
LUNA: Alongside the single, you also released an accompanying music video that you self-directed and produced and I really love how striking and bold the visuals are. What was the inspiration behind the video and how was your experience filming it?
AYLEEN: My inspiration was a lot of 90s rock bands like No Doubt. I love Gwen Stefani and I watched a lot of their videos. I thought it would be so cool to go on an overpass and make a rock video. I showed up with my friends and made the video and it was really fun.
LUNA: In your releases you touch on how men aren’t aware of their own emotions, let alone others as much as women are. How do you channel those experiences and frustrations into your songwriting and is it healing?
AYLEEN: It's very healing. Usually whenever I finish a song I cry. It's very healing, it's also a lot of emotions to process at the same time.
LUNA: “Ask nicely” is your first release of the year. Have you experimented or taken more creative risks, either lyrically, sonically or emotionally with this release compared to the work you released last year such as a/b__1 and a/b__2?
AYLEEN: “Ask nicely” is part of my album, and I feel like every single song on the album is a risk, like the fact that it's all over the place like there's a screamo song, there's a folk song, there's electronic songs, it's very genre bending. I think that's a risk in itself because it's hard to have a cohesive sound when you're all over the place, but I think it still is cohesive because it's all through my filter. I think every single song that I make, I want to have at least one risk that I'm taking. I want to be scared even.
LUNA: What can listeners expect from you in this new era of music?
AYLEEN: A lot of experimentation and having fun with it and not caring what people think. The entire record was produced by me, so I’m just doing what I like and what I think is cool and having fun with it.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for listeners?
AYLEEN: A cozy, emotional space. I want listeners to relate to my stories and to say ‘damn I really got what she meant by that and I went through a very similar experience.’ The album is very raw. The first track is called “Wanted to Kill Myself Today,” so it starts off at a very low point in my life and ends at a higher point. I feel like I want people to see the rawness and relate and hopefully feel better because that’s what music does for me.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would like to share with Luna?
AYLEEN: The rest of the year, I want to keep directing stuff and hopefully make another album for next year. I want to keep building my fan base and making things that I think are cool. I want to make things that I like and I'm proud of.
