Review: "Distant" - Ava Valianti
- Hanna Hathaway
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
“Distant” is a casual, buoyant account detailing the disappointment of a gradual loss, brimming with the innocence of a young heart. Valianti sings “you say you’re gonna be real busy/ have to go to lots of parties,” as she mourns the creeping absence of a childhood friend that disconnects during the process of growing up. She tries to salvage the friendship as the two grow distant by questioning, “hey, do you still bicker with your siblings,” unable to crack the shifty glass that separates them. Valianti seems to process this grief by the end of the song, “I smile to you, you wave goodbye,” and accepts what stole her friend was a social “sickness”. Finally, she notes the speed and loneliness of the loss and leaves the listener with an ambiguous cliffhanger: “no forgiveness”. “Distant” begins with a lively history of friendship, followed by a freshly processed session of heartache.
Valianti’s sound resembles a softer version of sunny, indie-pop hits like “Calling After Me”, with additional bendy vocals that emit tragedy. Ava Valianti’s voice is indescribably sublime, flecked with dynamic fluctuations in tone and style that compliment the gut-punching story of “Distant”. She relieves sadness through sections of fluttery vocals, inviting listeners to sing along. The structure of the track compliments a chronological narrative that flows with an impeccable understanding of purposely placed repetition and the sound required to deliver it gracefully. In contrast to the bubbly beginning of the song, Valianti sharply inhales as the track closes, which may be attributed to a silent cry. This indicates her authentic struggle to swallow an unfortunate experience. Finally, Valianti’s slight vocal runs advertise her innate talent and the evident passion that's infused into her art. “Distant” converts the remnants of a silent cry into an effervescent hit that explores the vulnerability of loss and the frustration of acceptance.
At 15 years old, from Newbury, Massachusetts, Ava Valianti offers a balanced, impressive sound that is undoubtedly distinguishable from other indie-pop tracks. Ava’s voice is celestial and potent, her lyricism is devastatingly effective, and her instrumentals utterly align with the two. Valianti’s 2023 debut single, “Bubble Wrap” has reached thousands, along with her other popular songs, “Middle Ground”, “Laugh Track”, and “January”, with a combined 100K+ streams on Spotify. Proudly nominated for two New England Music Awards, with plays on over 150 radio stations, Valianti is steadily gaining recognition for her work. She has plans for live performances in Massachusetts and New York during early June and July, which all lead up to the anticipated release of her debut EP in the fall.
Written By Hanna Hathaway
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