Nov. 27, 2025

34. How to Lead Your Music from Creative Instinct Instead of Survival, with Valentina Sounds

Show Notes

Ep.34: There’s something magnetic about artists who refuse to be boxed in. The ones who follow their instincts even when the music industry begs for simplicity. Valentina Sounds is one of those artists, and the result is a catalog that swings from playful sarcasm to soul-heavy honesty without ever losing its identity. In this episode, I sit down with Italian-born, Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Valentina Sounds to talk about the winding path behind her genre-blurring sound. We dig into her classical training, her theater background, the stories behind her standout tracks, and the personal resilience baked into her latest work. Valentina opens up about navigating harsh early criticism, why she’s leaning into a more cohesive rock-soul direction, the challenge of re-inhabiting old emotions in the studio, and what she hopes listeners feel when they press play. If you’ve ever struggled to define your artistic identity, or questioned whether your work matters, this conversation is a reminder that sincerity, quirkiness, and craft can all coexist beautifully.

We Chat About:

How Black Sonic Revolver built a decade of underground momentum
The unexpected origins of the band name
Why comparisons to other artists make Leon shy
The balance between embracing inspiration and refusing to be pigeonholed
The therapeutic side of songwriting and why inspiration can’t be forced
The chaos of early shows, including being thrown into a drum kit mid-set
What it means to build community, not just an audience
The tension between being an artist and being a content creator in 2025
How the band captures their live sound on record
What “success” looks like in the short term and the long term
The legacy Leon hopes the band leaves behind

About Valentina Sounds:

Award winning Valentina Sounds (Valentina Raffaelli) is an Italian born/Philadelphia based singer-songwriter, performer, voice coach, and music director. Valentina’s music is catchy and creative, blending pop melodies with her background in jazz and composition.

Connect with Valentina:

Visit her website: valentinasounds.com

Listen on Spotify: Valentina Sounds on Spotify

Buy her music on Bandcamp: Valentina Sounds on Bandcamp

Find her on Apple Music: Valentina Sounds on Apple Music

Follow her on Instagram: @valentinasounds

Join her on Facebook: Valentina Sounds on Facebook

Watch her videos on YouTube: Valentina Sounds on YouTube

Follow on TikTok: @valentinasoundsmusic

Track her live shows: Valentina Sounds on Bandsintown

Other Resources:

Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX