Exclusive Interview with ALEANDRO VALENTE

Pop singer and songwriter Aleandro Valente resides in New York City. He debuted with the single “Petty” in the spring of 2021, and his debut album “Bite On a Lemon” followed in September of that same year. Aleandro, an Italian native, performed his music all over Europe before relocating to the US. Most recently, he gave two nights of performances in Los Angeles. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: Originally, I’m from Sicily, Italy but my family moved to Switzerland when I was young. Growing up I’ve always performed in all kinds of places and knew I wanted to become a Popstar. I started writing songs around the age of 13. I wrote my first song, “Never Give Up” for a School Project and they ended up teaching this song in the Choir at school. It was surreal. A couple years later, I wrote the “Intro” to my new album and promised myself it would be the opener to my first album. When the pandemic hit, I really started working on my album and released my first official single “Petty.” Everything transpired from there. A year later, I moved to New York City and now live here full-time.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: Everything I do and create is self-taught. Growing up poor, we never really had the money for things like singing classes, instrument classes or any kind of hobbies. Now that I’m obviously more financially stable, I have a Vocal Coach that helps me get the best out of my voice.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘ALEANDRO VALENTE’?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: My first strongest musical influence was Whitney Houston. Later on, I also fell in love with Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. I love big singers and big songs. Aleandro Valente is my legal name and I’ve always been told that it has a ring to it, so I decided to just keep my entire name. I did think of dropping “Valente” and just move forward as “Aleandro” but I prefer them together.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: The key elements are definitely my Harmonies. I love creating and listening to harmonies. They give the music depth that just can’t be achieved with computer programs or instruments. There’s just something so special about layers of vocals that create a heavenly sound. I’d also like to point out my talk-singing as I often incorporate moments where I either just talk or rap and those are usually the most fun parts of my songs.

5. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

ALEANDRO VALENTE:

I grew up in a poor, abusive, immigrant family. We never had the same opportunities or stability that most of the kids we went to school with had so we always had to work twice as hard. With that came bullying and it was usually targeted towards my weight or sexuality. Coming out was not an option for me because of my household, and I was called slurs on a regular basis on a topic I didn’t even understand myself at the time. Once I graduated from Business School, that bullying finally stopped. Career wise, I haven’t really encountered any hardships so far except for how expensive it is to finance on your own music career.

6. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: Well I definitely think you can hear who influences my music but I also think that you can clearly hear a lot that is authentic to me. The longer I worked on my album the more I learned what suits my voice and what sound just really works with what I want to express and it’s definitely still developing. Interest creates interest, so I don’t think it’s anything bad to sound like your influences in the early stages of your career. My most authentic piece of my album in my eyes is “Bite On a Lemon” and I would like to adapt more of that into my future work.

7. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: I think music is an important tool to talk about today’s issues and I will always use it as a platform to bring awareness to issues that need to be addressed. For example my song “ROY. G. BIV.” is an LGBTQ+ anthem that talks about gay rights, trans rights and women rights. “Dangerous Love” talks about an abusive relationship that I’ve witnessed and experienced first hand. “Not O.K.” talks about mental health issues and so on. Music is a bridge and will always be important in influencing our politics, cultures and society.

8. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: I think both is equally important. Of course, I want to share my story with my audience but it’s also important for the listeners to be able to identify themselves with my songs.

9. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: The first time I’ve experienced genuine happiness and peace in my life is when I started immersing myself in the creation of my album. It has helped me process so many things that I’ve never gotten to really share or talk about. Also, the connection it brings between me and my fans is the best. So yeah, I’d say it’s very fulfilling. Of course, it’s also important for my music to eventually fill my bank account too you know. haha.

10. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: Usually it’s starts out with an Idea and some Lyrics that I write down. Then I get into the sound of the song. I have a topic in my head and I can hear what that topic or that Lyric sounds like. It’s weird, but it’s like every word has a different sound in my head. I’m very specific when it comes to finding that exact sound I hear in my head, so I spend hours every week just listening to different instruments and beats to find something that gets closest to it.

11. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: Writing an entire album and releasing it was a huge moment for me in my career. It made me understand I have what it takes to become the artist I want to be, even if other people don’t see it yet. I made one of my biggest dreams become reality. Another moment was when I finally moved to the United States got to perform my first show in America. Absolutely surreal.

12. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: I try to ignore it as much as I can because the negativity can sometimes be overwhelming, especially the homophobia. Criticism is good, but some people just want to hate and that’s okay too. Whatever floats their boat or makes them feel better about themselves for a day. Let your work do the talking.

13. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

ALEANDRO VALENTE: I have to say working in a home environment to write and record music is my favorite. I love performing and connecting with my audience too but there’s just something very intimate about the recording process. I also have stage fright but I’m working on it.