Meet Valerie Toledo | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Valerie Toledo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Valerie, why did you pursue a creative career?
I don’t consider music a career but a calling. I believe that any talent is a gift from God, the creator of all, and that our purpose is to glorify Him.

You know that feeling you get when you see a painting that is both beautiful and clever or a chess strategy that is both alien and inevitable?

It’s a little piece of the divine.

And when you’re the one behind the cool melody or the great piece of prose, you feel closer to God.

If we feel such a thrill making our imperfect passions come to life, how must it have been for Him in eternity past, speaking fields of lilies and entire galaxies into existence?

I make music because it is a reflection of the first composer, if you will.

Romans 1:20 reads: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been a singer-songwriter since childhood, and I’ve always approached my craft with unfiltered, child-like curiosity. I embrace the label of an “amateur” because it allows me to break free from conventions and experiment fearlessly with sound and narrative. I did not have formal or consistent musical training growing up (I JUST learned what solfège is a few months ago), but I see this as an advantage. It has enabled me to develop my own unique process.

That process makes me excited for the release of my debut album, which you can read more details about below.

For my album, I wrote most of the songs by sitting at the piano, singing the melodies in my head, and playing notes together until something sounded right. At the time, I only knew the simple formulas for playing major and minor chords, and for me it was enough. From there, I worked with talented friends to take my voice memos and turn them into real productions.

Some lessons for anyone embarking on a musical/creative endeavor:

-You don’t need to know everything about music to call yourself a musician (or whatever your artistic pursuit is). If you make music, you’re a musician.

-Listen to as many different genres and artists as possible, even if you don’t want to make that type of music. It sharpens your ear and makes you more willing to try different things in your music.

-Consider what people criticize, but remember, some people criticize what they envy.

-Reach out to others who know more than you and are better than you at what you do. You will learn the most from these people.

As mentioned above, I’m ecstatic for the release of my album, “WITHIN THE CONFINES OF YOU”. It comes out October 13, 2023 🙂

“WITHIN THE CONFINES OF YOU” explores how we as humans tend to live in the “confines” others suggest for us, making them into real places. These confines can manifest as a bad relationship, a toxic friendship, a negative opinion, a flicker of doubt, and more. This record is all about the confines I chose to live in. But it’s also about how I broke out.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Miami is so far-reaching that I feel like I’d have to take my friend all over.

For food, I’d head to Doral first. It has both hidden gems and well-established food spots like Doral Thai or Novecento. If my friend was looking for more “authentic” spots, I might go deeper into the suburbs and grab a bite at a Cuban bakery or restaurant (like Sergio’s).

For hanging out or relaxing I’d head to Coconut Grove. The picnic-perfect parks, walkability, and proximity to the water beckon to those searching for serenity. One park I’d recommend is Regatta Park.

I’d grab drinks at the bars in Brickell and hit Miami Beach, Wynwood, or Downtown for dancing and other nightlife. Wynwood tends to be a little less touristy, boasting rooftops, speakeasies, and other cool spots.

For culture, I’d take my friend to see places like the Freedom Tower downtown, Miracle Mile, and Calle Ocho.

The coolest part of Miami is its people. Talking to people who have lived here forever is the best way to get to know the city!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents. They are the ones who taught me humility, and I believe humility is part of true success.

A humble person is open to learning new things, seeks to work with people who are smarter than them, and admits when they need help.

It’s easy to do these things when we are just starting out, but true humility is maintaining this mindset even if you find material success (wealth, possessions, fame, etc.) down the line.

Humility is something we can practice every day, and I am so grateful to my parents for always modeling humility for me.

Website: https://music.valerietm.com/

Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/thevaleriemusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevaleriemusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevaleriemusic

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC3GJEPQVQWjAioP81rP2cdg?si=lydNGFfNs1X_1wy4

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4b41STzgrELduDJYggSb5U?si=T0Fyb0mURn2MkBTxQUEadQ

Apple Music Link: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/valerie/1706220032

Image Credits
Sabrina Warnick