CLAUDIA VALENTINA INTERVIEW: Rising artist Claudia Valentina hails from Guernsey. Living in Los Angeles, London, and Berlin allowed her to meticulously craft and perfect a sound that is authentically hers — a unique blend of Pop, Hip Hop, R&B and Electronic music. Get familiar…

What five words define your sound?

Authentic, raw, genre-less, creative, very me.

Tell me something unique about your creative process

I have a pretty strange creative process tbh, I like to work with the same small circle of people and spend a lot of time alone, deep thinking my writing. When I’m in the studio with the people I work with, they kinda just know the process of me being a bit manic trying loads of different ideas for hours, until we find one really interesting sound that inspires me. 

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

There’s so much music that isn’t out yet that I’ve been working on over the last couple years, so it’s a hard one to choose but I would say one of the more raw ballads like ‘when I’m high’ so people can get to know me and my story.

What inspired you to make that song?

I wrote that song in LA and I wanted to express the raw emotions of how self-destructive but aware of it I am. I’m smart but make bad decisions by choice haha. Too self-aware for my own good, but still doing it anyway. 

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?

My whole project is really me diving into the highs and lows of who I am and the stuff I’ve been though. I really haven’t held much back in these songs, in what I’m talking about. I used to want to write songs talking about what I am now, but I would be too scared to be that vulnerable but now I literally DGAF at all! 

What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?

Mmmm worst was probably when my in-ears were playing two tracks at the same time, so I just froze and then made a joke in this awkward silence, and the crowd didn’t laugh.

What is your favourite song to perform?

I can’t wait to perform all the new music I’ll be releasing this year!

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?

Hannah Montana.

What’s the meaning behind your name?

Claudia means lame by definition, but in terms of what my message is, it’s that I get it. That I know what it feels like to be completely aware of your own faults, but not strong enough to stop them. That sometimes you’re the problem, and that laughing at how shitty life can be is the best way to deal with it.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

I would literally be dead cuz I have literally nothing else in my life that I like [laughs]. 

What’s success to you?

For a start just getting music out that I’m proud of is something I’m really looking forward to. I want to create a whole world around me as an artist and have the creative be pushing boundaries alongside to the music. If I can do that and I feel like it comes out how it is in my head I’ll feel I’ve achieved the mission. And then obvs global success AF.

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

Getting dropped by my label which I absolutely hated. I was young when I first got signed and it was really not a great time. I learnt that the hard way. What it is to be an artist and the years of disappointments that I had to go through to get to the person I am now. I’ve never felt so aware of myself and clear about what I’m doing. 

Where can people keep in touch with you?

Insta! TikTok! X! I be onlineeeeee.

Photo by KAPFHAMMER.