Just back from Dallas/Richardson, Texas, where much to my surprise and delight, I snagged 2nd place (out of like 300 submissions, hair flip) at the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter contest. I brought my girl Rachel along and we had a gay ol time despite the weather thwarting our full set on the City Line stage! Hopefully they'll have us back next year for a do-over! Until then, I'll be dreaming of Torchy's tacos! 

Below is a snap of me backstage in the (temperature controlled, thank god) green room, acting like a goober who's never been shown such hospitality. I'll link to the "winners" photo, where as you can see, I've transformed into a sweaty street clothes monster. 

My new single Time Machine hasn't even been out for six full months, and it's already my most streamed song to date, with over 13K total streams and climbing! ​

Special thanks to Alex Dausch (electric guitars, production, mixing, mastering) Rachel Hall (keys, bass, production), Jules Stewart (drums) for helping me create this tribute to my late ex-husband. For those who still dabble in Facebook, you can read our full story here.

The track is getting lots of international love, which is semi-soothing to my grieving soul. Even though the song is quite sad, and I wish I never had to write it, it's kind of like the memory of Benny is traveling all over the place, which feels special, all things considered. 

Here are some blog write-ups to check out (your phone should help you translate)

Cosmonauta Radio (Mexico)
Parapop (Indonesia)
Indie Dream (Mexico)
R+ (Mexico)
Caesar Live n Loud (Portugal)

Annnnnd, my deep gratitude to all the outlets around the world who added the track to their playlists and are helping me find new listeners. Please make sure to follow their lead and add Time Machine to one of your playlists!

Direct Actu (France)
ParaPOP (Indonesia)
Impulse (Indonesia)
Cosmonauta RadioMexico
Women of Substance Music Podcast (US)
Indie Dream (Mexico)
Vibes Paradise (South Africa)
Sugarcoat (India)
Caoba Records (Chile)
Fran Laurito (Netherlands)
unhappier. (India)
Kiraz Müzik (Turkey)
JourneysWithMusic (Spain)
Alex Lesage (Belgium)
PY Müzik (Turkey)
Kiraz Müzik (Turkey)
mbti music (Netherlands)
cedar_swamp (US)
Arkhe Playlists (Spain)
Ze Rock Porto (Portugal)
R+ (Mexico)
Jackson Harden (US)
Caesar Live N Loud (Portugal)
VibesMovin' (Poland)
Dreams studio (Nigeria)
U N Indie Folk Music (Philippines)
Sound Safari Playlists (Belgium)
Island Music (Italy)
Americana Country, Singer-Songwriter Kev Rowe (US)

Find Time Machine on Spotify, Bandcamp, my store, and everywhere else you stream music. (Or, join Patreon for all-access to all my published and unpublished works including behind-the-song stories).
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Check your girl out on the cover of this month's San Diego Troubadour! (Story by Ashley E. Norton, photoshoot with Sydney Valiente). Thanks to Liz for featuring me!

Don't sleep on this one, folks! Tix are on sale now for our full band show at the Belly Up on March 27, sharing a lineup with Justin Froese and Brianna Grace. It's been many moons since I last played here with The Lovebirds at one of Steve Poltz's bday bashes. Took me a whole pandemmy and pregnancy to claw my way back in the mix, and I'm really looking forward to it!

Help us pack the place - we need your support in order for SD's premiere venues to continue booking local music nights! 

In this week's San Diego Union Tribune, the Arts & Culture section invited six local LGBTQ+ artists to share what it's like living in the U.S. today. I was honored to be one of those six and so happy to see fellow musician Kori Gillis featured as well! (Can't wait to get acquainted with the others!) Thanks so much to the UT for reaching out and asking me to participate! Please visit the UT website for the full accessible article, but below are a few screenshots I wanted to share because (for once) I don't look like a tired AF mom in sweatpants, and that needs its own Pride parade!

Thanks to the kind folks at Country Queer for featuring my latest single "Disappearing" in their roundup of new music releases. Peep the article here!

To accompany my new single "Disappearing" I surveyed people who embody roles/identities that are socially revered yet sytemically under-resourced. Their responses were curated into a community digital art piece called "The Disappearing Project." (Accessible transcript also available).

Respondents reflect a range of ages, races, religions, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, dis/abilities, financial means, etc. I know in my heart this tiny sample just begins to scratch the surface of our society's toxic treatment toward parents, educators, essential workers, and more. The overarching theme? People feel exhausted and alone. I don't expect this song or project to heal the world, but I do hope you take the time to sit with these words, reflect on your own responses to the questions posed, and move forward in your lives/relationships with the understanding that so much hurt is bubbling underneath nearly every interaction you have with nearly every person. 

So grateful to Global Texan Chronicles for always showing me love when I release new music. Peep the link to check out the single premiere and learn more about the inspiration and production. Couldn't have done this one with out the time and talents of Anna Ballew, Ben Grace Gilmore, and Salvatore Manalo!

Download mp3, Lyric, Art Bundle

I had a fun day at Amplified Studios talking to my pal Gary Lee about music and community, my two favorite things. Also got to perform three songs live! Take a listen here.

I was doing bathtime/bedtime mama duties when I got the news from friends that “No Stopping It” was nominated for Best Pop Song for San Diego Music Awards - gotta say it’s always nice to be recognized, but it’s especially gratifying and gratitude-inducing when I’m covered in toddler snot. Thanks to the SDMAs for the good work they do putting music in schools and for the nomination! Please vote (and share if you wanna) starting now and daily through 3/25!

VOTE: https://dosd.com/p/sandiegomusicawards

​Single artwork Sydney Valiente
Song Produced by Alex Dausch at Studio Studios, Vox Recorded by Mike Kamoo at Earthling Studios, Drums recorded at Jules Stewart studios. (I love all these people).