Valley - Do You Need To Be Entertained? The Tour

Multi-JUNO nominated alternative-pop band Valley haveamassed more than 1.2 billion global streams and built adevoted international fanbase with their signature blend ofnostalgic hooks, heartfelt songwriting, and high-energy liveshows. Following the success of their Gold-certified hit“Like 1999” and acclaimed album Water the Flowers, Prayfor a Garden, the band return with “Vending Machine,” aplayful, nostalgic alt-pop anthem that marks the start of anexciting new era.

Known for electrifying performances, Valley have appearedat major festivals including Boston Calling, Governors Ball,Osheaga, and Festival d’été de Québec, opened for PostMalone in front of 80,000+ fans, made their U.S. late-nightTV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, andsold out their 2024 North American headline tour.

A magnetic new force on today’s indie scene, Moody Joody deliver a wildly original brand of party music. Beneath the pure pleasure of their high-energy sound, the Nashville-based trio’s glittering and guitar-heavy alt-pop contains an emotional depth that comes from exposing the quiet undercurrents of a chaotic night out: the little-seen moments of longing and loneliness, next-day regret and life-changing reflection. On their forthcoming debut album Plain Jane, co-lead vocalists Kaitie Forbes and Kayla Hall and multi-instrumentalist/producer Andrew Pacheco share a barrage of songs both outrageously fun and powerfully cathartic, all born from a personal metamorphosis that Hall refers to as “abandoning the versions of ourselves that we’ve outgrown and fully owning who we are today.”

A bold new step in their steady rise—including earning elite playlisting with songs like “Velvet Connection” and performing at major festivals like Austin City Limits—Plain Jane spotlights the eclectic sensibilities at the heart of Moody Joody: Forbes’ indie-rock roots, Hall’s lifelong passion for timeless country storytelling, Pacheco’s background as a classically trained pianist and self-taught producer. As the band’s chief lyricists, Hall and Forbes first connected soon after moving to Nashville from their hometowns (St. Louis and Salt Lake City, respectively), then linked up with Pacheco after he and Hall crossed paths at a Pale Waves show. On a whim in summer 2020, the three musicians released the first song they ever created together—a wistful but euphoric track called “The Heat.” “Kayla and I had been collaborating on songs for years by that point, and we were so bored in the pandemic that we finally decided to put something out,” Forbes recalls. “We just threw it out into the world without having any kind of following or industry support, but somehow it got playlisted and everything happened organically from there,” Hall adds. As “The Heat” gained traction on Spotify, Moody Joody tapped into that momentum and continued turning out singles, eventually signing with Photo Finish Records and releasing their debut EP Dream Girl to abundant acclaim, including winning praise from the likes of The Fader and Rolling Stone and landing on Atwood Magazine’s Best of 2024 list.

Produced by Pacheco—with contributions from Moody Joody’s frequent collaborator Scott Harris (Dua Lipa, Role Model)—Plain Jane takes its title from a fictional protagonist whose whirlwind journey from fumbling self-discovery to unapologetic self-acceptance closely mirrors Forbes and Hall’s own experience. “A lot of these songs came from releasing ideas of perfectionism and exploring who we are as woman, all under the overarching construct of the Plain Jane character,” says Hall. “Part of our ethos as a band is embracing our humanness and everything that entails, but we also love to just write about going out and having a crazy time. We’re definitely not afraid to admit that sometimes we’re a little messy.” Recorded at Pacheco’s home studio and at Brooklyn’s Mission Sound and Shifted Recording, the fiercely open-hearted album unfolds in a series of interwoven storylines revealing the deep intentionality of Moody Joody’s artistry. “Because we live in such a singles-focused culture, it might be tempting to pick the ten catchiest songs we could write and call it an album,” says Pacheco. “But we’re all such album-oriented people, and it felt important to create something more conceptual that shows the band’s full range.”

In a potent evolution of their unbridled musicality, Plain Jane expands Moody Joody’s sonic palette while channeling the ecstatic vitality of their live show (a rowdy affair featuring Forbes on guitar and Hall on keys), thanks partly to contributions from touring drummer Brodie Glaza. With its rare collision of carefree attitude and raw vulnerability, the album bounces from the sweetly quirky observation of “Little Blue House” to the disco-leaning confession of “OOPS!” to the acoustic-guitar-laced ache of “Loretta’s Last Call.” On “Heart-Shaped Bed,” Moody Joody offer up a gang-vocal-fueled anthem of dizzying lust, adorning their outpouring with shimmery synth and frenzied guitar tones. “That song started with us just trying to curate a vibe, and spiraled into a story of this fantasy-like perfect night,” explains Hall, noting that the track’s hyper-romantic imagery was largely inspired by the dreamy kitsch of Nashville’s Dive Motel and a magazine cover photo of Marilyn Monroe. Meanwhile, on “Suburbia,” Moody Joody present a stark and soul-baring track that builds to an epic crescendo featuring a live string section. “‘Suburbia’ started as a love song about being left behind after someone gives up on their dreams and goes back to their hometown, but over time we realized it’s more like a message to ourselves,” says Forbes. “Over the years I’ve had moments of feeling so isolated and wondering if I ruined my life by leaving home and pursuing music. But when I listen to that song now, it feels like a reminder that the suburban lifestyle wasn’t meant for me, and I’d never be happy there.”

For Moody Joody, the act of unveiling their most intimate feelings on record brought its share of anxiety. “I grew up in a very religious community where your path through life is essentially carved out for you—and if you choose to leave the religion and lifestyle like I did, it could be perceived that you’ve lost your way and your light,” says Forbes. “It was scary to write these songs and be so honest about where I’m at now, but ultimately I think it was the best way to become more comfortable with myself.” And with the release of Plain Jane, the band hope that their audience might unlock their own sense of fearlessness. “I think we’ve gotten so much stronger when it comes to showing up with reckless abandon and telling our stories in a completely truthful way, and I hope that helps other people to feel more confident,” says Hall. “At the same time, I really love the idea of someone turning the album up loud in the car with all the windows rolled down, and feeling so excited to go out and follow their dreams the same way that we did.”