Jodi Valentin – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the singer-songwriter, Jodi Valentin, shares what she does before every show. You can check out her rituals, after the break.

There’s a photograph of me, 3-years-old at my first recital, with an enormous smile singing “Mr. Sun” in a baby-pink flower dress. That being said, performing has become a natural extension of myself through the years, from cover songs like “I’ll Be There” by Jackson 5, to my originals like “What You Desire.” After moving to NYC in 2012, I made it my mission to perform in as many notable venues as I could; I’ve played The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, Pianos, The Bowery Electric, Zinc Bar, and many more. With each performance, I’ve learned so much about myself as an artist— tunes that I thought were my favorite would surprisingly get shelved because they didn’t resonate the same in an audience.

Before every show, I’ll spend a decent amount of time preparing a set list; There are Jodi Valentin staples that you can expect at every show, from my originals “What You Desire,” “With My Baby,” and “Stay the Night,” to cover songs “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles and “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey. When I have a show coming up, I’ll spend a few days before the show making sure I take proper care of my voice— hot water with lemon, limited dairy consumption, vocal exercises, and singing through every song. The morning of, I’ll go for a 30-45 minute run to really warm up my lungs and heart.

Ironically, I spend the most time figuring out what I’m going to wear. As an artist, image is one of the first things an audience sees… whether it’s your online presence, or you physically at a show. My music is very feminine, so I dress to that occasion, wearing heels and usually a dress or a romper. If I feel confident about my image, it positively effects my performance. In the next few months, I have gigs lined up in NYC at Pianos and Rockwood Music Hall (Nov 5, 7pm).

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