South London singer-songwriter Valentina has officially begun a new chapter in her musical journey with the release of her debut single, Our Head, released on 18 September 2026.
Blending soulful influences with her own contemporary perspective, Valentina arrives as a young artist with a distinctive voice and a story shaped by family, resilience and a lifelong love of music.
Finding Her Voice Through Music
Born and raised in South London, Valentina comes from an Italian and Filipino family and grew up surrounded by music, food, family and performance. Her connection with Italy has remained an important part of her life, and she has already performed to audiences of thousands there.
Her musical influences include Amy Winehouse, Adele and Raye, alongside soul, R&B, jazz and classical music. Although she is a young artist, Valentina has developed what she describes as an older, soulful voice, bringing these influences into music that reflects her own generation.
Music became particularly important to Valentina during her teenage years. After experiencing bullying, isolation and struggles with fitting in, songwriting gave her a way to express emotions and process experiences that were difficult to put into words. Over time, music helped her reconnect with herself.
From Shy Performer to Thousands of Listeners
Valentina’s journey as a performer began early. Music was part of everyday family life, while her grandfather, an opera singer and guitarist, became one of her biggest musical influences.
She also took part in school productions after receiving a drama scholarship, developing her skills in acting, dancing and singing. Although she was once shy about performing, encouragement from her family helped her gradually build the confidence to step onto bigger stages.
That transformation has taken her from practising quietly at home to performing at venues including COYA Mayfair, Bardo St James’s and Ronnie Scott’s. Performing her own original music at Ronnie Scott’s was a particularly important milestone for the young artist.
Her connection with Italy has also provided some of her biggest performance experiences to date. At Minturno Musica Estate, Valentina performed in front of thousands of people, speaking to the audience in Italian and performing her music in a country that has been an important part of her life since childhood.
An Unexpected Performance with Al Bano
One of Valentina’s most memorable experiences came while she was in Italy, when she was due to open a show for legendary Italian singer Al Bano.
Just two hours before the performance, Al Bano invited Valentina to join him on stage to perform Felicità. With Italian not being her first language, she had only a short time to learn the Italian sections of the iconic song.
She accepted the challenge, and Al Bano subsequently asked her to close the show with him.
A New Chapter with Cronx Records
Our Head marks the beginning of a new chapter with Cronx Records as Valentina takes the next step in developing her career and bringing her music to a wider audience.
Authenticity remains at the heart of her approach. Having experienced what it feels like to change herself in search of acceptance, Valentina is determined to remain true to herself through both her music and her image.
Her path into professional music was not always straightforward. After being rejected by the BRIT School at 16, she later secretly auditioned for BIMM with the support of her older sister. She was accepted and eventually chose to leave sixth form to study music.
In February 2026, after briefly working in estate agency, Valentina made the decision to pursue music full-time.
Looking Ahead
The release of Our Head is only the beginning. Valentina is already developing a Christmas EP, while 2027 will see her perform at a major festival in Tuscany in front of an expected audience of more than 20,000 people.
With connections spanning South London, Italy, Dubai, New York and Los Angeles, her musical journey is increasingly international. Yet her ambitions remain rooted in something simple: creating music that makes people feel understood and connected.
For Valentina, music is about human connection in an increasingly digital world. Her debut single Our Head, released on 18 September 2026, represents the first chapter of that story — introducing audiences to a South London artist with Italian and Filipino heritage, a soulful voice and a genuine love of music.
The Valentina Story has begun.
