The Valentina Story is the project of Valentina, a South London singer-songwriter with Italian and Filipino roots whose music draws on soul, R&B, jazz, and classical influences, with Amy Winehouse, Adele, and RAYE among the artists she names. Her debut single, “Our Head,” came out in late September through Cronx Records, and it has already been named Music Scene Magazine’s Record of the Week.
Our Head
“Our Head” opens on a short, Hammond-style keys phrase, followed by a tap on the snare rim and a hi-hat that sounds almost brushed, and then brass slips in, sitting exactly where it needs to rather than competing for attention. Underneath it all runs a warm bass line, more feel than flash, that moves through the scale and gives the track a foundation to sit on. The swing it sets up leans much closer to a late-night jazz club than to the soul and R&B tag it was submitted under. Over the top comes a smoky, low-lying voice that settles naturally into the lower register. Vibrato creeps in at moments, a phrase climbs while holding on to a single word, and a touch of growl and edge appears here and there, none of it added just to show off, so the attitude and feeling come through more than the technique.
The songs come from a real place. At around 16, Valentina dealt with bullying, isolation, and the pressure to change herself to fit in, and writing songs became a way to work through feelings she couldn’t otherwise express, especially heartbreak. That experience still shapes what she’s after, which is honesty and songs another person can recognize themselves in. Her route hasn’t been straight. The BRIT School turned her down at 16, and she later auditioned for BIMM in secret with her older sister’s help and got in. After a stretch working in estate agency, she left in February 2026 to pursue music full-time, a decision she describes as finally backing herself.
By the time the single arrived, she had already played COYA Mayfair, Bardo St James’s, and Ronnie Scott’s, where she first performed her own songs for an audience. She has also sung for thousands in Italy, where her family ties go back to childhood and where she addresses crowds in Italian even though it isn’t her first language. One night there, she was due to open for Italian singer Al Bano when he invited her onstage about two hours before the show to sing his song “Felicitร ” with him. She learned the Italian sections in time, with some verses adapted into English, and he ended up asking her to close the show alongside him.
A Christmas EP is in development, and in 2027 she’s due to perform at a major festival in Tuscany for an expected audience of more than 20,000. As far as reviewers could find, “Our Head” is the only release so far, and they’re already asking for the next one.
Final Thoughts
“Our Head” is an assured, swinging debut with a voice that’s easy to remember, and a strong first step for an artist who has already built her experience on real stages. It’s available now on Spotify. Follow The Valentina Story on Instagram.
What did you think of “Our Head”? Stay tuned to MusicOnTheRox.com for all your music news and reviews.
For a new way to discover music, check out app.musicontherox.com.
Thirty seconds. No artist name.
Our app plays you a song with the name hidden, so you decide on the music alone. Swipe right to keep it and the artist is revealed. Everything in it is independent, and nothing can be paid into the feed.
Want a review like this?
Send us your release and our editorial team listens to every one. Every submission is also considered for the Music On The Rox Spotify playlist, at no extra cost.
