Atarah Valentine. A man passionate, honest, driven, explicit- an introspective extrovert, if you will. Recently signed with Atlantic Records, the pensive and prolific Mr. Valentine is currently translating his life into songs for his upcoming solo debut.
An unwavering pursuit of acclaim, the story of Atarah Valentine is one of clarity and delusion, simplicity and excess, vulnerability and prevailing strength. A Brooklyn-based artist from a coastal suburb of New Jersey, Valentine pursued a fashion career and began performing his music in Los Angeles before moving to New York to head the late cello rock band, New Radio. After spending several years gracing New York stages, culminating with a couple of nights at the Nordic festival, Iceland Airwaves, the band finally expired. Of late, Mr. Valentine is preparing his return, supported by a collection of former band mates and newcomers.
His songs, vocally-driven, traditionally- and electronically-crafted chronicles of love and longing, hope and despair are moving- sometimes physically, always emotionally. They are comforting and cathartic tales of loss, repulsion and suicide. They are desperate and devastating stories of attraction, love, and life. All delivered within a blend of strings and piano, organic beats and computer blips. It is a sound cultivated from a lifetime of musical experimentation, creation and performance that has led Valentine down many paths. Courses of distinct characters, ultimately leading to Valentines current seasoned and sundry sound.
From playful pop tunes to lush, brooding ballads, the songs of Atarah Valentine were born as explorations of life- efforts to make sense of the absurd and beautiful tragedy we are all living. Valentines hope is that his life's soundtrack will resonate beyond his own experience and, maybe, inspire others to approach greater resolve in their own.
-Anthony Garofano