Heather Valley is a singer-songwriter based in Hamilton. A former courtroom lawyer, she lost everything after an abusive relationship with an American con man, but found a second chance in music. She is known for haunting and inspiring performances that mix storytelling and song, relating her harrowing story of trauma, loss, recovery and redemption. She uses her platform to advocate for mental health and to speak out against domestic violence.
Great Violence is the first single from HV’s forthcoming “Eternal Rest EP” (early 2022). The single is being released in celebration of her Nov 6, 2021 performance at TakeRoot and subsequent European tour. TakeRoot is the premiere Americana/Roots Festival in Europe, which takes place annually in Groningen, Netherlands.
“This song explores the concept of loss. When I wrote it, I was thinking about how people are often only able to relate and empathize with others by reference to their own experience. Even when a person is open and sensitive, their emotional conception of loss is as deep as the losses they have experienced, and they may not realize it.”
“Each verse of the song song starts with a fictional conversation between the author and another person. The author reminds the other person to be kind and that others may be coming from more vulnerable places, but the other person isn’t listening and keeps brushing the author off. Regardless, the author persists in trying to get their message across.”
“The line “it ain’t mercy unless you’ve known great violence” reinforces the idea that mercy requires an understanding of deep pain and that people who really get it have been there.”
The acoustic guitar and vocals were recorded live in one take. Renowned steel player Mike Brenner and multi-instrumentalist Thomas McKay contributed pedal steel and wurlitzer respectively, and Nimal Agalawatte added upright bass and mixed and mastered the track at Four String Audio in Hamilton.
Great Violence is a part of the Eternal Rest EP which will be released in full in early 2022.
