Our obsession with Ava Valianti seems to grow with every listen! We have featured a slew of her previous single, so when we heard that the talented star was back with Buttercups, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to hear the song in full and share our experience.
Establishing with a very brief “oh”, and an intricate acoustic guitar soundscape, Ava Valianti opens Buttercups with intricacy as she sings, “You smell like cinnamon, you turn on the kitchen light…”. The opus expands with metaphorical yet situational prose as Ava takes us on a personal journey with reference to lived reality.
There is a cinematic allure to the song, a poignant intimacy, a raw authenticity – something that transmutes through Ava’s wider discography. Fans of Lana Del Rey‘s Ocean Blvd era would be able to connect with this.
The build of the track with astral piano and textured drums really energizes the piece and allows Ava Valianti’s sublime vocal range to shine through. The is even a nostalgic edge to what manifests with Buttercups. It is truly poetry in sonic motion.
The tempo shift mid way through the track is a trip! We are thrust into a higher octane frequency as Ava showcases her alternative pop-rock sentiment and we find ourselves grooving with the visionary ingenue.
Buttercups switches up once again with a slower vibe to wrap up the track, with a cerebral Hammond organ and ethereal vocals from Ava as she sings the refrain, “Aren’t you my buttercup, my buttercup baby?”
The final note is cosmic and speaking on the release, Ava confesses, “Buttercups is a song that encapsulates the experience of love, loss, and searching for purpose. It’s a song that’s centered around memories that are hard to let go of – the cinnamon smell, the creaky doors, the buttercups – and how even when things are complicated, those memories remind me why I cared in the first place. This is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever created, I truly had so much fun making it, and I hope that comes across when you listen!”
Ava has already built an impressive live performance résumé. She has opened for pop artist Jessica Baio at Brighton Music Hall (Allston, MA) and shared the stage with folk legend Lucy Kaplansky at The Firehouse Center for the Arts (Newburyport, MA).
She is also set to open for Grammy-nominated Andrew Duhon at the Prescott Park Arts Festival (Portsmouth, NH) on August 21 and perform at the River Ruckus Festival presented by 92.5 The River (Haverhill, MA) on September 13! Ava has also performed at iconic venues like The Bitter End and The Delancey in New York City and sold out her headlining debut at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth, NH. A full list of upcoming shows is available on her website.
Naturally, we have added Buttercups to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Ava Valianti, and anticipate future releases from the rising star!