Ava Valianti, who is only 17, already has a good grasp of just how complicated attention, attraction, and admiration can be. In her new song, “celebrity”, she takes the common notion of fame and looks at it from the inside, examining the situation that arises when a person becomes so fascinating that they start to feel as if they are larger than life. The song reflects the rose-tinted sensation of seeing another person as almost unreachable, in a way that the tiniest action can suddenly seem important and that every moment appears to revolve around them. Being both romantic and slightly dizzying, “celebrity” derives its strength from the honesty of this point of view rather than just showing infatuation in a glamorous light.
The song shows a warmer and more soulful aspect of Valianti’s songwriting. It goes beyond the indie-pop style of “petunias” and the guitar-based pop-rock of “Sophomore Slump”, with “celebrity” now exploring influences from jazz and R&B while still keeping her reflective lyricism at the heart of the song. This shift in direction seems natural since the subject of the song calls for a certain softness—the music provides space for the emotional impact of the lyrics, enabling the feeling of being completely absorbed by another person to occupy a position that is somewhere between romance and obsession. Instead of aiming for a major pop moment, Valianti lets the concept and the storytelling drive the song.
Since it serves as the first preview of her upcoming third EP, *kismet*, “celebrity” appears to be a significant opening into the direction that Ava Valianti is taking. The maturity shown in her way of looking at being idolized, while at the same time enjoying the fantasy of it, is what gives the song its individual character. Having already achieved more than 650,000 streams, airplay on hundreds of radio stations, recognition from songwriting organisations, and performances such as at the Grammy Museum, Valianti is forging an impressive independent career; yet “celebrity” is primarily not about these accomplishments but rather about demonstrating an artist who is willing to continue growing and developing. The song leaves the listener with the impression that *kismet* might reveal an even more personal and soulful aspect of her songwriting.
“Ava Valianti turns her infatuation into a kind of stardom, capturing the special magic that occurs when one person suddenly becomes your whole universe.”
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