Dolly Valentine is an American singer/songwriter born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She takes her name from her Grandmother - a strong-willed and influential figure who lived across the Ohio River on a farm in Kentucky. Dolly’s roots are embedded into the pastoral American landscape and imbued with a sense of historical mythology. The power of Dolly's lyrics, balanced by her soothing and empathetic voice - gracefully pieces together a comforting patchwork quilt of relatable stories and important questions.
One of the superpowers of Dolly Valentine’s music is the vivid sense of place she creates - inviting the listener to feel at home in the world of her songs. Inspired by legendary musicians like John Denver, Stevie Nicks, and John Lennon - her music builds a visionary and inspiring atmosphere.
Her retro-anthemic sound, outfitted with instrumentation of slide guitar, banjo, and ornamental keys is balanced with modern production to the likes of artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Sufjan Stevens, and Taylor Swift. Yet, her music doesn’t wander too far into the country-pop domain before it swivels around and aims like Annie Oakley at some cold-hard truth revealed through her rebellious nature and iconoclastic perspectives. Dolly is an artist who means what she says with deep precision and complex understanding. This essence of personal discovery imbues her music with a sense of hope that feels reassuring for those at any new chapter or precipice of life’s unknowns.
Living and touring in her van across the United States for several years with previous musical projects, Dolly then landed in Los Angeles in 2019 where she recorded her first songs as ‘Dolly Valentine’ with Sarah Tudzin (illuminati hotties) In March 2020, she finished recording her debut album with Grammy-nominated producer Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Vance Joy) at Bear Creek Studios, “How To Be Good” was released to international recognition in August 2020.
She is currently living in Europe and will be recording her next album at St. Mary’s Church in the Highlands of Scotland in Winter 2022. She looks forward to playing live again when the time is right.
