The Big Apple, The Empire City, The City That Never Sleeps – New York City has plenty of nicknames. But for Valerie Ghent, New York City is her home. Raised in SoHo and Greenwich Village, she was born into a musical family: her father, Emmanuel Ghent, was known to many as a pioneer of electronic music, and her mother, Natasha Ghent, performed with American Ballet Theatre and Queens Symphony. Practicing and writing from a young age, following a 4-year apprenticeship with UK record producer Mike Thorne (Soft Cell, ‘til Tuesday, Communards, Laurie Anderson, Wire) she went on to be the keyboarding/vocalist and recording engineer for renowned hit singer-songwriters Ashford & Simpson.
In 2016, Valerie released her fourth album Velours, to critical acclaim in the US and Europe. The song “New York City Streets” – now her second most played song on Spotify- is a love letter to her native New York. Locals are sure to fall in love with lines like, “This place that I call home is in my bones/ I couldn’t live without walking on New York City Streets.” But it’s not just New Yorkers that love the song: Gina Loves Jazz from Germany called the track “a real gem”, France’s West Coast Radio says Valerie is “An artist to follow and discover without delay….soul-funk groove that reminds us of the heyday of Lisa Stansfield”.
With an infectious ebullience and a smile that lights up a city block, Valerie’s love of “the center of the universe” oozes from every frame. “New York City Streets” sizzles with an energy that’s undeniable! Filmed by Fredy Mfuko, Elisa Zazzera, and Tom Bisio, she’s right on target to say “Energy is coursing up from the street.” Valerie has taken to the streets of all five boroughs, and from Manhattan to Staten Island to Brooklyn to Queens to The Bronx, she takes the viewer on a compelling tour that will make any tourist feel like they’re right at home in this “city of dreams.”
