At just 15 years of age, Ava Valianti continues to carve out a unique space in the indie-pop landscape. With her latest release ‘Distant’, the Massachusetts-based artist offers a snapshot of emotional maturity that belies her age, channelling the quiet ache of fading friendships through a vibrant, sunlit pop lens.
Built around bright production and a driving beat, ‘Distant’ isn’t your typical heartbreak ballad. Instead, it leans into the strange duality of growing up; the way joy and loss often sit side by side. Valianti’s voice carries the clarity of someone sifting through memories in real time, by reminiscing on shared laughter, inside jokes, and unspoken goodbyes, while the song’s infectious energy keeps things moving forward rather than wallowing in sentimentality.
Lyrically, the song lingers on the realisation that not all relationships end in dramatic rupture. Sometimes they just… fade. And that, she seems to suggest, is its own kind of heartbreak. Yet even in its most melancholic moments, ‘Distant’ pulses with resilience. It’s a song for driving with the windows down, smiling at the past, and letting go a little at a time.
With nods to the emotional vulnerability of artists like Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo, Ava Valianti continues to hone her craft as both a storyteller and vocalist. Her ability to balance introspection with radio-ready hooks makes ‘Distant’ a promising signal of what’s to come. If this track is any indication, her upcoming EP could be one of the most compelling indie-pop debuts of the year.
