Valerie June
The Grammy-nominated, Tennessee-born, and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Valerie June has been recording and performing since she was 19 years old, climbing from Memphis coffee houses to national TV performances and getting name-checked by Bob Dylan. Her latest album The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers weaves a tapestry of folk, soul, gospel, country, blues, psychedelia, and symphonic pop, performed by an accomplished lineup of musicians with a dizzying palette of instruments (flute and banjo, mbira and Mellotron, saxophone, and synth) absorbed in free-flowing experimentation. The album (co-produced with Jack Splash) is acclaimed by fans and critics alike, and received a 2022 Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song and 2021 Americana Honors and Awards nominations for both Album and Song of the Year. June’s first book, Maps for the Modern World, is a collection of poems and original illustrations, available now through Andrews McMeel Universal Publishing.
Acts of Joy
Valerie June!!! Wow! What a pleasant way to spend this time learning from her, being inspired by her, and hear the answer to my question as to why I have loved her music so much! She is such a lovely person!
Thank you Valerie June! You inspire me! And I love “Astral Plane.” It’s my wake-up song on my alarm!
Thank you for sharing your Black joy. Yes, seeing spirits instead of color helps so much.
Thank you for this wonderful talk. And Valerie June, thank you so much for the music.
Amazing, so amazing session especially in achieving our dreams, oh yeah i love you
Thank Valerie June!!! I am grateful for encouraging to joyful😊 and the insight on breathe. I love you music and insight.
Amazing wisdom and light from you both, thank you so much!
Love Valerie’s comment about keep on dreaming, even when you are old… I am inspired to keep on dreaming…
Valerie is such a Joy. This is my first introduction to her and her work. I am now looking forward to learning more about her as an artist.
I so enjoyed the sense of joy & balance Valerie brings. “Dream even when you are old” Yes!
I’m an Aboriginal Australian woman in Brisbane and I haven’t come across Valerie’s work before.
I’m immediately a big fan!!! I love, love, love Valerie’s ‘Black Joy’ philosophy.
“Kill them with kindness”… Valerie’s Mum and Grandmother were wise women!
I, too, try to consciously choose joy and be intentional about spreading joy and kindness in the world – not just for me, but for those coming after me, and for my Ancestors.
And Rodney’s approach too:“How can every day be a demonstration of joy… for a year?” What a terrific question! Yes, it’s about choosing how we ‘be’ in the world, not what is out there and external to us.
Wonderful session, thank you!
I just love her joy! She lifts me up. Thank you Valerie June for sharing your wisdom and for radiating joy, love and hope.
Expanding joy as our super power – so much joy from hearing you today xx Breathe in to our inner joy and breathing it out – sharing the breath of joy is sooooooo beautiful!! Love always xx
Joy is better than medication when it is to be need.
Oh talk about inspiring! What a pleasure to hear this conversation. So grateful for the opportunity to listen to Valerie June!
You are so beautiful! And so full of energy! It’s really coming through to me here! Thank YOU!!
Her story is so common, glad she could rise above, heal and attempt to be whole.
Thank you so much for a wonderful conversation. I am so glad to be introduced to your work and your beautiful music!
Thanks so much for sharing how it okay to be present in who we really are. Joy is being with all parts of ourself in he dark and light honoring a true spirits. It was such a great joy in hear you speak on this. Love who we are and honor who we are all parts because we are Spirits having a human experience and standing on the shoulders of our ancestors as we are blessed to be the ones to get to heal thank you I feel it peace with your conversation more than I ever have love you love us love humanity.🙏🏾💚🦋💜
I can’t stop smiling……you are an amazing gift to the world!!
thank you VALERIE JUNE to make us breathing in JOY.
A Big thank you to Valerie and Rodney. I loved the idea of Joy as a Superpower!
I also resonated with what she said about dreaming. The dream has to be for the good of all.
I have believed for a long time, that what you think about with deep feeling is taken lovingly and enthusiastically by the Universe. And the Universe then helps you by manifesting the beautiful thought in unbelievable ways. Mostly in even more wonderful ways than you had thought of.
My husband and i have been facilitating workshops called Possibilities for over 25 years. Mainly through Joyous activities to help people discover their inner self. We now have a network of friends who share these activities with others. Magic wand !
May your highest dreams manifest for you.
Thank you! I look forward to listening to your music!
Such a beautiful interview, so inspiring, thank you both ❤️
Thank you both for this conversation. Valerie, I love your energy, and the words you choose to define joy are powerful and easy to visualize.
Valerie, thank you so much! I will start listening to your music