Ava Valianti, this Massachusetts-born firecracker, ain’t here to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Nah, she’s here to detonate your brainstem through your stereo! At just 15, this indie badass slams down her sixth single, “Distant” (out May 23), a freaking kaboom of stage-diving adrenaline mixed with the throat-grab of growing up and losing your childhood crew.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2023 with her debut “bubble wrap”, Valianti’s been etching her legacy into the fuzz-cloaked underworld with the riff-sniper control of a fuzz-soaked fireblast. Tracks like “Middle Ground”, “January”, and “Laugh Track” prove she’s not afraid to get down and dirty with life. She’s already snagged two New England Music Award nominations and came in as runner-up at the International Acoustic Music Awards. But “Distant”? This track shows she’s not just playing around anymore—she’s stepping up her game big time.
Don’t think this is just another whiny breakup song. “Distant” moes into that slow-burn heartache when your friendships start fading away. It’s not about dramatic fights or backstabbing – it’s about time being a sneaky little bastard. Valianti’s lyrics hit you with nostalgia – picture those old, faded photos and inside jokes that don’t make you laugh anymore. But the music? It cranks everything up to eleven. You’ve got jangling guitars and a beat that won’t quit, clashing with the bittersweet core of the song. It creates this crazy tension that’ll have you hooked like you’re in the middle of a wild festival mosh pit. This is the kind of song that’ll have you pumping your fist in the air while your heart’s breaking into a million pieces. Only Valianti could pull off something this paradoxical and make it sound so damn good.
Live, Valianti’s a force. Having shredded stages at NYC’s The Bitter End and Cambridge’s Charlie’s Kitchen, she’s prepping to launch “Distant” at Watertown’s The Branch Line on June 3rd. With a debut EP dropping this fall, she’s not just knocking on rock’s door—she’s kicking it down.
“Distant” is for anyone who’s ever watched a friendship fade in the rearview. Valianti’s nailed that rare balance of catchiness and depth, proving she’s not just “one to watch”—she’s already here, amps raised to maxx.
Rock on, stream on, and keep that volume knob twisted to the right.