With “Distant” out now, we took some time to hear from Ava Valianti. Read below to learn more about Ava Valianti, the story behind “Distant,” and what’s to come.

Hi Ava Valianti! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

Hi! I got my artist name by being born with it, I really love my name, and I have to thank my family for choosing it!

What city are you from and where are you based now?

I live in Newbury, MA, and I’ve lived there all my life!

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I loved to sing from an early age, and I was always performing onstage, but I didn’t really believe that I’d have a career in music until I started to write songs as part of a camp that I took the summer before my seventh grade year! I started writing then and never looked back.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?

I’d say that I’m so lucky to have a family that I’m so close to and that’s so supportive of me, which allowed me to explore this career! And, I’d say that having my whole family listen to different music helped broaden my sound and expose me to so many different artists!

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

I’d say that my sound is indie-pop, usually some sad lyrics with catchy beats that keep the acoustic feel while still adding some modern instrumentation! Hope that’s not too convoluted!

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

My two other passions that are really important to me are acting and photography, which keep me creative in other ways! I love acting and photography because they both help you see the world so differently by putting yourself into a new perspective.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

Well, I’m a pop girl at heart, so I’d say that Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzy McAlpine, and Lana Del Rey are some huge influences for me! But, I’d also say Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, and Fiona Apple are some of my greatest inspirations as well.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

I mean, having people sing your songs back to you is just the most surreal experience ever. To feel like your songs are making an impact and that people resonate with them enough to sing along? That’s so beautiful.

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

You have to trust your instincts and not give into your fear. This is true in the studio and on stage, because while you might have some doubts, your gut is always telling you what the right choices are, and that leads to more confidence and happiness around your work!

Now onto your release, ‘Distant.’ What inspired this song?What is ‘Distant’ about?

‘Distant’ is a song that I wrote about fading friendships, and how hard they can be to maintain. There are two types of friends in your life – a time and place friend, and a forever friend – and this song is about the painful realization that some friends aren’t meant to stay in your lives forever.

What is your favorite lyric in ‘Distant’ and why?

I’d say it’d have to be ‘I knew you like the back of my left hand, my right hand man,’ because it really pulls you into the song from the beginning, and puts you in my world. But, I must say, the best line to sing was definitely ‘Drinking out of shells at the beach, giggling as we told our moms that we were from the sea!’ It was just so much fun to record!

What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘Distant?’

I think the message of ‘Distant’ is that it’s okay to miss your old friends and to want the time back, and it’s also okay to let go and try to move on. Friendships are so complex, and ‘Distant’ lives in the imperfections of friendship.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

I’ll be at the Earfull series at the Burren in Boston on June 3, as well as The Delancey in NYC on June 26 if anyone wants to stop by!

Where can we follow you on social media?

I’m on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter at @iamavavalianti!

Before you go, let’s ask you something random. What are your favorite and least favorite foods?

For my least favorite, I have to go with steamed peas, which I’ve hated ever since I was a kid. And, my favorite food is definitely a cannoli, because who doesn’t love cannolis??

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!