Country artist Jay Valor is quite the triple threat: smooth vocals paired with the ability to write lyrics that connect universally supported by that country-rock sound. Valor has spent the past 20 years creating his own niche within the country music world while sharing the stage with some of today’s top artists including Chris Young, Parmalee, and Alabama.
We recently caught up with Valor to talk about how he created his sound, his latest single “World On Fire” and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
JV: Hi! I’m Jay Valor, a country artist, singer-songwriter born and raised in South Florida but currently living in Nashville. I’ve been a recording artist and touring musician for about 11 years. Growing up on a farm in Miami, FL, gave me a huge heart and love for animals. When I’m not doing music, I lend my time to helping and rehabilitating rescued animals. Aside from that, I’m a huge Mixed Martial Arts enthusiast!
CN: You have such a distinct country/rock sound to your voice. We know there’s got to be some country and even rock artists that have influenced you personally and as an artist. Please share.
JV: Absolutely! The very first band I was in was an alternative rock band in high school and I really fell in love with that sound. At the time, I was also really influenced by Korn – they were the first heavy band that really got my attention. I remember stumbling on their music video for “Somebody Someone” on MTV and it just lit something up in me. The grit in Jonathan Davis’ voice was the coolest thing I had ever heard. Chris Cornell, Freddie Mercury, voices like those also really got my attention. As a young musician, I really wanted to capture some of that rock/soul in my own music. When I moved over to country music, Chris Stapleton was my absolute obsession. Listening to him with The SteelDrivers, and Jompson Brothers really influenced the direction of my sound in general.
CN: When did your relationship with music and songwriting begin?
JV: It’s a long and crazy story, but I always jokingly say that I was sort of bullied into music. I started doing martial arts when I was 4 years old, and it was the very first thing I was ever passionate about. I never grew up with any musical influences, unfortunately, and never once had a desire to sing or even learn an instrument. My world took a turn when I was in 8th grade. I went to a really small private school that wanted to put together a Broadway production play “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Since there were about 60 kids in the entire school, we all had to audition. Terrified of having any lines in the play if I did get casted, I auditioned for snoopy thinking “The dog can’t possibly have any lines.” To my surprise, I ended up with the role of Charlie Brown and ended up falling in love with musical theatre. That led to starring in multiple plays. When I was 15 years old, I was introduced to The Beatles for the first time. I heard the song “Yesterday” and it completely changed my life. At the time, I had never been moved by a song that wasn’t attached to a musical play, and was emotionally overwhelmed. This led to me picking up the guitar and start songwriting.
CN: How would you describe your musical style?
JV: I would describe my style being on the soulful rock side of country.
CN: Tell us about your latest single “World On Fire.”
JV: With “World On Fire” I wanted to capture the emotion of being in a relationship where everything seems to fall apart and nothing seems to work. There are trust issues, both parties have messed up over and over again, and it all seems hopeless. However, the physical chemistry alone, is so intense that it makes up for all the downfalls. So you’re stuck questioning whether you’re in an extremely toxic situation, or experiencing the truest love. It’s a confusing predicament that is very relatable these days.
CN: We know you’re originally from Florida, but recently moved to Nashville. How are you liking it in Nashville now? What are some of the best things about living in Nashville? (Food? Music? Running into a celebrity?)
JV: I’m absolutely loving Nashville! What I like the most so far is the musical community. It’s something that’s severely lacking in South Florida. It’s nice to see so many musicians support each other and make themselves so easily available for collaborative projects. For networking, it’s hard to beat. I was also pleasantly surprised by the vegan food scene! As for running into a celebrity, I can’t seem to be at Losers on the same night as Post Malone. haha
CN: What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
JV: Being able to actually make a difference in people’s lives. It’s incredibly rewarding to create something that people can relate to and tap into their emotional needs. Whether it’s helping someone mentally escape for a while, helping them think more introspectively, or just bringing people together. Music is such a powerful tool. It’s not an easy job but it’s truly a blessing.
CN: What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
JV: I think being a creative helps you understand yourself and connect with yourself on the deepest level, and being able to express that allows us to connect to others.
CN: If you could give your future self advice, what would it be?
JV: Stop overthinking and just take action. Being both a perfectionist and having some serious imposter syndrome makes me doubt a lot of what I do. it’s difficult to think anything I do is good enough to release but I’m learning to grow out of that and stop being so hard on myself.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
JV: It’s hard to pick just one, but I’d have to go with Chris Stapleton.
CN: What’s on the horizon for Jay Valor?
JV: Currently working on a few projects I can’t wait to share with the world. I’m planning to release a couple more singles and hopefully a full album by the end of the year. I also have some pretty awesome shows lined up. Doing my best to balance it all without losing my mind but excited for the future!
For more information on Jay Valor, visit his website www.JayValor.com, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.