VALEREE – it’s fine, i’m fine EP

As I have mentioned in the past, one of my favorite things to do is find awesome music randomly while I’m just surfing the web. If you just know where to look and pay attention, you can find so much great and underrated music when you’re casually online. If you are frequently on Tik Tok, you can find a lot of cool new music even if you are not looking for it. In this edition of great new music I found on Tik Tok, I am talking about the new EP it’s fine, i’m fine from Valeree. I first came across her on a viral video she had about the restaurant she worked at cutting the percentage of tips paid to wait staff to help give more pay to the chefs instead of just paying the chefs with the profit the restaurant makes. This enticed the whole wait staff to walk out of the restaurant and quit, leaving Valeree out of a source of income. Because of this, she asked the viewers of this video to check out her new EP, and I did. I am very pleased that I ended up checking this project out. Valeree’s new EP, it’s fine, i’m fine, is a breath of fresh air in the current Pop music world, as it is unlike anything else you will hear coming out today. It is very retro and unique, and I promise there will not be another piece of music you have heard this year that is similar to this EP. With that being said, here is how I feel about Valeree’s new EP it’s fine, i’m fine. Please let me know in the comments below if your opinion about it’s fine, i’m fine, and let me know in the comments what your favorite songs from it are as well.

Oh-oh, don’t need a fortune. I don’t need to be rich to sleep well at night. No, wouldn’t it be nice to work to live instead of just survive. Woah, what’s a girl do to stay afloat. No, no matter how hard I work, I just keep on being broke… – ‘Broke’

it’s fine, i’m fine starts out with the track ‘Broke,’ which is an upbeat and fun track that highlights her excellent vocals and lyricism. The instrumental for ‘Broke’ has a 2000s style Jazz-Pop feeling to it with a bit of a 1960s or early 1970s R&B music tint to it. It is very bright and funky and will make you want to dance, and it is not very overpowering intense. The fact the instrumental has this low-key quality is a good thing because it puts the focus on Valeree’s voice, which is excellent. I am sure this sentiment will be a theme in this project, but the vocals on this track remind me a bit of Amy Winehouse and 1960s R&B artists like Billie Holiday. Lyrically, ‘Broke’ tells the story of Valeree of how Valeree has very frugally since she was 19. No matter how much she worked and how much she tried to find new ways to make money, she always felt like she was penniless. Valeree states that she does not want or need to necessarily be rich, as she just wants enough money to be comfortable and do not have to worry about how she will pay every bill. The next track, ‘Deity,’ is a lot slower and more deliberate than the song that precedes it. The combination of vocals and instrumental on this track are very powerful, and they remind me a lot of Adele. The instrumental for this track has a Southern Blues and Folk sound to it that is very reminiscent of Adele’s album 21. This Bluesy and somber sound brings out the power in Valeree’s voice in a major way; she exhibits an insane amount of emotion on this track, and it draws me in as a listener. On ‘Deity,’ Valeree is singing about how she wants her love and her sexuality to be a sort of god to her lover. She wants her partner to desire her so much that the partner worships her body. The lyricism in this song is pretty intense, and it matches up with the energy of the vocals and instrumental extremely well. Following this, we get ‘Waste My Time,’ which is another track with a sound that is sort of a combination of old-school funky R&B and Jazz-Pop. It also sort of has a show-tune sound and feel to it. Once again, the instrumental is low-key and in the background enough that it puts most of the focus on Valeree’s vocals. Her vocals stand out in such a bold way on this track, and anyone who appreciates strong singing should be into this song. On ‘Waste My Time,’ Valeree is singing about how much she loves to be with and talk to her partner. She does not want to do anything besides waste time talking to this person, as they fulfill her so much.

‘How Can You Love Me’ follows the Jazz-Pop theme that most of this project has had so far. The instrumental for this one is very bright and colorful, which creates a nice juxtaposition with the lyricism in it. The instrumental on ‘How Can You Love Me’ has a bit more of a modern feel than the last couple of songs. Instead of sounding like it could be from the 60s or 70s, the acoustic Jazz-Pop sound this song has reminds me of a lot of Pop music from the mid-2000s. I would compare the sound of this song to artists like Andy Grammar, Sara Bareilles, and Vanessa Carlton. In ‘How Can You Love Me,’ Valeree is questioning if her partner can accept her for who she is and wants to be. She feels like this person is constantly trying to change her and mold her into something that she is not, and is sick of feeling like she is not enough for this person. She knows that the way she is probably does not work for everyone, but she is disappointed because she thought this partner liked and appreciated her quirks. it’s fine, I’m fine rounds out with an old school Bluesy R&B track called ‘Ain’t I A Fool,’ which is very reminiscent of Etta James. This song has so much soul and so much emotion, and the low-key nature of the instrumental makes the listener focus on how powerful Valeree’s voice is. Her vocals and so captivating on this song, and once again truly make the listener feel the emotion that she is putting into this track. On ‘Aint I A Fool,’ Valeree is singing about how she is mad at herself for trusting her former partner. This person fooled her constantly with their lies, and ultimately ended up making her very unhappy. ‘Ain’t I A Fool’ is yet another song that highlights Valeree’s vocals and lyricism in a major way.

it’s fine, i’m fine is an EP that highlights a style of Pop music that is not prevalent at all in 2021. Valeree’s style of music on this project is very old school and eclectic, highlighting elements of many different kinds of Jazz Pop, and Blues. Some of the music from this EP reminds me of the late 2000s, and some of it reminds me of the 1960s and 1970s. This kind of music is so different from Pop music that is big today, making it stand out and sound so fresh. Valeree’s talents as a lyricist and vocalist shine through on this project. Her voice is so powerful that it is easy for the listener to feel the emotions she felt when recording the tracks. The lyricism is very raw and honest, and the way she writes makes it easy for her listeners to relate to what she is saying. Valeree’s it’s fine, i’m fine is a great project that stands out among Pop music in 2021, and it makes me excited to see what she does next. Until her next release, though, this EP will most definitely be in my music rotation.