St. John’s-based singer-songwriter Valmy uses her folk-inspired music to tell stories. Stories about loving and stumbling through the dark, at least that’s what her bandcamp bio says.

I wish my stumbling through the darkness lead to the kind of beauty that Valmy’s does. Her songs are poetic and sincere. She’s got a knack for delivering a story that feels personal but relatable. Her songs explore thoughts and feelings that are sometimes difficult to express.

Valmy’s latest single, 'The Darkest’ is a great example. It’s a reflection on loss and grief, and allowing them to take up the space they need. That might sound heavy, and I suppose it is, but it is not depressing; it’s sort of magical.

“It’s a wave that’s just about to crash,” Valmy sings, “you forget how to swim back.” It’s an apt metaphor for grief, I think — something you see coming, that pulls you under and there’s little you can do but learn to survive.

Valmy’s delivery is beautifully complemented by birdsong, keys and a cello performance by Amy Collyer-Holmes.

It’s well-worth your attention.

‘The Darkest,’ which is available on Bandcamp and all the usual streaming services, is the second single from Valmy’s upcoming full-length album. The collection is set for release in September 2023.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the album’s debut track ‘Paper Intentions’:

Listen to “The Darkest” and a whole lot of other great music from Newfoundland and Labrador on the NL Mixtape.