Bio
A healing balm from the struggle...
My home is in the blue ridge mountains of Asheville, NC. Most of my songs are for fans of Alt Country, heart on the sleeve Singer/Songwriter and Americana I've been told my lyrics can be a healing balm from the daily struggle because of the honest lyrics that come from a personally deep reverence, causing some to even tear up at my live shows. This upcoming EP, "The Sun is Setting" will be releasing on October 31st and this project has a darker sound/direction than previous releases. I found myself facing personal demons that I've been battling for a long time now. After finding some space for healing, therapy and self-love these 4 songs came out of that place. I hope you find some light, hope and healing despite the dark days ahead, friend.
LONG BIO
Kristian Phillip Valentino is a solo acoustic, singer-songwriter born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now residing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. His musical palette falls between the lines of Alt Country, heart on his sleeve singer-songwriter and Americana. Fans of Gregory Alan Isakov, John Moreland and Justin Townes Earle, will feel comfortable here.
After the passing of his father, ending up homeless and being broken up with all within one month, Kristian began writing songs in the summer of 2010, as a way to start processing all he'd been through and begin the healing process.
From 2010 until 2016 Kristian went under the moniker Ramblin' Pan. This project was an Alt Country, Indie Folk sound that was heavily influenced by Ryan Adams, Mumford and Sons, and Johnny Cash. He released 1 EP, "A Prodigals Tale" and 1 self-titled LP under the moniker. He also went on several national tours in various coffee shops and venues across the USA. But in the summer of 2016, Kristian decided to take a break from music after years of constant touring and some deeply traumatic family experiences.
2019 was a big year where Kristian had several life changes; including moving to Asheville,NC, getting married, and working through the healing process of the traumatic family events he experienced before his break in 2016.
Then in August of 2020 he started writing songs during the pandemic and eventually finished recording an album that was started in 2016.
The new album was a concept record based on the 4 seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The plot is a love story that starts in Spring and weaves through the other seasons leading to a breakup in the Winter. There are 12 songs, 3 for each season. Kristian released the songs as a monthly release to correspond with each season/month during 2021 culminating in an LP, “For Everything, there is a Season” at the start of 2022.
Valentino says that many listeners don't know that the break-up on Season was real - and it was with Hollie. Seasons was written and recorded after the couple parted ways, and for Valentino the project was a way to process the heartbreak. But that's not how real-life worked out. Kristian and Hollie found their way back to each other and are now happily married.
Then in 2023, Kristian wrote some songs for Hollie and released an EP, "Happily Ever After" that was released on the NewSong Recordings label containing a five-song collection of love songs.
Kristian was also a finalist at the 2022 LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, a collaboration between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts, and the 2022 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition. a collaboration between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts, and the 2022 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition.
There are a lot of exciting things happening this year, so make sure to join the email list to follow along in the journey.