In this intimate conversation, we dive into the creative world of an artist dedicated to emotional depth and timeless sound. Luma Valen is an independent soulful pop and cinematic pop artist whose music explores themes of love, transformation, healing, and emotional connection. Her recent releases include the singles LOVE and Alive, created in collaboration with Grammy winning producer Humberto Gatica. Through the Luma Valen project and Luma Valen Entertainment, she continues to share music that blends emotional storytelling with a deeper message about self discovery and the universal power of love. From the symbolism of diamonds and thorns to the importance of inner grounding, Valen reveals how her art serves as a mirror for the soul. At its core, this music is about remembering the power of love and the rebirth that becomes possible when we allow ourselves to truly feel it.
Welcome to Blackbird News, Luma Valen! Luma, releasing “LOVE” just before Valentine’s Day feels like a bold statement. What inspired you to challenge the usual expectations around that time of year?
Love is never out of style. It is the air we breathe, the force that allows us either to flourish or to wither. Valentine’s Day often focuses on grand gestures of romance, yet the word Valentine actually comes from Valen, which means courage or valor. And for many of us, the greatest act of courage is simply allowing ourselves to open our hearts to love.
We live in a time where the deeper celebration of love is slowly disappearing beneath surface gestures. I felt it was important to remind people that love begins within. My single LOVE blends soulful pop and cinematic emotion, but at its heart it is about returning to yourself first and rediscovering the magic that already lives inside you.
I truly believe you cannot make anyone else happy until you reconnect with that love within yourself. Material things can be beautiful gestures, but they eventually lose meaning. When we rediscover our true sense of worth and inner peace, every relationship in our lives becomes healthier and more meaningful.
Releasing the song before Valentine’s Day felt very intentional because it gently reframes the conversation. Love is not only something we receive from someone else. It is something we cultivate within ourselves and carry into the world.
As I often say, love is not something we chase. It is something we remember.
Instead of focusing on grand romance, this song talks about self respect and inner grounding. Do you think people today are craving that kind of message more than ever?
I do. I think many people are beginning to realize that external validation can never replace inner alignment. In a time where social media often measures women by their appearance and men by their financial success or what they are expected to provide, it becomes very easy to lose sight of what love truly means.
LOVE is a reminder that our worth is not defined by the size of a gift or by outward appearances. Sometimes it is the smallest gestures and the quietest moments that bring us back to the purity of where love truly begins.
We live in a fast and demanding world, and I believe many people are searching for something they feel they have lost, even if they cannot fully name it. When they reconnect with it, there is a sense of grounding and familiarity, almost like remembering something essential about being human.
LOVE speaks to that quiet moment when you remember your own value again. It is about standing in your truth with grace. When that happens, relationships become a reflection of self respect rather than a search for completion.
Your aesthetic always feels calm, refined, and intentional. Has your personal style evolved alongside this message of self honor?
Absolutely. My style has always been connected to how I feel internally, and it continues to evolve from a very deep place. I do have a very personal style in how I like to carry myself. I love elegance, simplicity, and glamour.
Over time I have become more intentional about what I like. When I work with stylists, I am very clear about the direction and often share mood boards and references. Fashion is another form of expression, and it helps build the visual identity of each album era.
At the same time, I love being comfortable when I am not in front of the camera. Whether I am working or relaxing, I am always drawn to timeless and iconic looks.
Coming from the fashion world taught me how powerful subtlety can be. You do not always need excess to create impact. The same is true for music. When something is authentic and well crafted, it naturally carries your signature and authenticity. It is not a costume you wear. It is simply you.
If “LOVE” had a visual mood in terms of fashion, colors, or atmosphere, what would it look like?
For the cover of LOVE I had a very clear vision of the emotional atmosphere I wanted to create. I imagined a soft and luminous world filled with warm light, radiant skin kissed by the sun, metallic tones, and a sunset sky layered with clouds and delicate pastel colors.
Diamonds became an important part of the visual language because they represent transformation. Over time and under pressure something extraordinary is created. The word LOVE itself is encrusted in diamonds to symbolize that transformation and resilience. Just like a diamond, love endures pressure and emerges stronger, brighter, and more radiant.
The overall mood is elegant, artistic, and confident. It represents a woman fully in bloom and secure in who she is. The fashion feels effortless and graceful, with a flowing silhouette that moves beautifully with the body. Everything about the visual world of LOVE feels refined, timeless, and luminous while still feeling modern and fresh.
For the cover shoot I also wore a ring with a heart made of thorns. For me that symbol carries an important truth. You cannot fully understand love without also understanding the thorns. The experiences that challenge us, the moments that shape us, and the lessons that teach us how to love more deeply.
The silver glittering outfit was also very intentional. It reflects the stars and represents something cosmic, something not entirely of this world. Behind me, the sunset colors in the clouds tell another part of the story. It is the moment when the work has been done, the transformation has happened, and you can finally rest in your new light.
To me it symbolizes the light that already exists within every human being. Sometimes we have to dig deep within ourselves to rediscover it, but it is always there waiting to shine.
The thorns, the diamonds, and the light all tell the same story. Love transforms us, and through that transformation we rediscover who we truly are.
Working with Grammy winning producer Humberto Gatica adds a timeless quality to the track. What was the studio experience like, and did it feel different from your earlier work?
Working with Grammy winning producer Humberto Gatica was an incredible experience because he approaches music with both precision and emotion. He is a true master and an icon, with a remarkable ability to shape a sound that feels cinematic yet intimate and deeply personal.
From the beginning I wanted my music as Luma Valen to feel timeless while still sounding modern. Our intention was to create songs that would not belong to just one moment or era, but music that could resonate across generations. Humberto immediately understood that vision.
In the studio there is a deep respect for the song itself. Every detail is approached with care, from the arrangement to the smallest nuance in the vocal performance. I shared many of the sounds, emotions, and ideas I imagined for the music, and through that collaboration we were able to elevate those concepts into what I now see as the Luma Valen sound, a blend of soulful pop and cinematic storytelling.
For me music has to carry truth and meaning. I would never release a project unless it expressed something real that I felt deeply called to share.
The entire project explores different dimensions of connection, friendship, romance, loss, and rebirth. Which of these themes feels most personal to you right now?
Releasing this EP through Luma Valen Entertainment, with distribution through Symphonic, allowed me to stay closely involved in every part of the creative process as an independent artist. That level of creative freedom has been incredibly empowering, especially as people begin discovering the music organically.
This project is very personal to me because I never wanted to shape the message simply to fit a trend. For me, music has to carry truth and meaning.
At its core, this music is about sharing a frequency that moves people. I hope listeners truly feel it, save the songs, play them on repeat, and sing them at the top of their lungs the way I do.
There are moments in life when we realize that even the most difficult chapters have been guiding us toward a deeper understanding of ourselves. Music allows me to transform those experiences into something meaningful and hopeful. It becomes a way of honoring the past while stepping forward with clarity into a new chapter of expansion.
In a fast high pressure world, your music feels almost like a pause. What helps you personally stay grounded and aligned?
For me it comes down to returning to stillness. I feel like I have been expanding very quickly in many areas of my life and personal growth. At times it almost feels like I can see further than the present moment, as if the roadmap is already unfolding.
At the same time I remain relaxed and focused on doing my part while allowing the universe to do the rest. There is a powerful feeling of trust that comes with that understanding.
Spending intentional time with family, friends, and in nature helps me stay aligned. Reflection and creating from a place of intention rather than pressure are very important to me.
When I write, everything slows down and I reconnect with why I started creating in the first place, which is simply to express truth and connect with people through emotion and message.
Sometimes inspiration arrives late at night and I will write for hours without even noticing time passing. What begins as a moment can turn into hours, and sometimes even days, of creative flow.
When I record, everything shifts. My focus becomes extremely sharp and I enter a calm, centered state where I am fully present in the music.
How do you balance vulnerability in your art with maintaining your own emotional boundaries in real life?
Vulnerability in art is powerful because it allows people to feel seen and understood. At the same time protecting your personal energy is essential.
For me the balance comes from sharing the emotional essence of an experience without losing my sense of self. Music becomes the place where those emotions can be expressed freely and transformed into something meaningful for others.
There was a time in my life when I felt I was constantly giving without thinking about myself. Learning boundaries and self respect became an important turning point.
When you begin to stand in your truth, some people naturally fall away. In the end it becomes a beautiful lesson because it teaches you how to love others while honoring yourself first.
That shift allows you to redirect your energy toward your own growth and toward relationships that allow you to be fully yourself.
As this five song journey unfolds, what can listeners expect next, both musically and personally?
My music as Luma Valen explores different dimensions of love and connection through a blend of soulful pop and cinematic storytelling.
My release Alive is a song about friendship and the powerful role people play in helping us rediscover our strength during difficult moments.
My single Love explores another dimension of connection, telling the story of someone who has spent years protecting themselves from emotional disappointment, only to encounter a love powerful enough to dissolve their fears and open their heart again.
As the story continues to unfold, listeners will experience deeper layers of connection, healing, and transformation.
The journey continues with my next single Swept Away, releasing March 21, which expands the emotional and sonic world of the Luma Valen project.
You can connect with Luna Valen through Instagram @lumavalenofficial, TikTok @lumavalen, YouTube @lumavalen, Facebook @lumavalenofficial and Spotify
