Ava Valianti – “petunias”
Ava Valianti Blooms Bright on petunias
Ava Valianti’s debut EP petunias arrives as the most complete portrait yet of an artist we’ve already followed closely on Loop Solitaire. Earlier this year we covered her single Laugh Track and Distant, both of which now take their place inside a larger story of growing up, falling apart, and slowly finding clarity again.
The EP opens with First Day of Spring, a short cinematic introduction built from childhood audio that feels like a curtain lifting on Ava’s world. It’s gentle, nostalgic and sets the emotional temperature for everything that follows. From there, the journey blooms. Buttercups drifts in with delicate acoustic warmth and a touch of melancholy, a soft reflection on the small moments that shape us without warning. Laugh Track and Distant remain some of the most striking songs here, each brimming with Ava’s signature mix of vulnerability, youthful ache and sharp melodic instinct. Hearing them within the EP gives them a new emotional weight, threads in a larger tapestry.
Two new songs mark a bold step forward. Hot Mess is arguably Ava’s most mature moment so far, leaning into a rockier indie-pop edge where her voice cuts through with confidence and grit. It feels like the sound of someone pushing past self-doubt and stepping fully into their own skin. On the other end of the spectrum sits Running on Empty, the EP’s closer, a beautiful late-night acoustic ballad that ties everything together with quiet introspection. It’s the kind of ending that lingers.
What makes petunias so striking is its cohesion. Every track feels connected emotionally and sonically, yet each reveals a different facet of Ava’s artistry. Her storytelling is tender, honest, and remarkably self-aware. The production is polished without losing its intimacy, allowing her voice to remain the heartbeat of the record.
For a 16-year-old, this EP is extraordinary. For any age, it’s impressive: a luminous, emotionally rich debut that confirms Ava Valianti as a young artist with something real to say, and the talent to make the world listen.