Singer-songwriter-producer Joy Valencia is completing her first album with the juicy flavors of late-1960s psychedelic pop and a twist of cabaret. A lover of all music styles, she was inspired to move her artistry in this specific direction. "Call me crazy, but I'm feeeelin' it," she says.

According to Joy, she has wanted to be a singer since age four. As a child, she would splice together parts of different songs to make her own mixes, and she'd record herself from tape to tape over and over again so it would sound like she had multiple voices. As she got older, her desire to explore the production side of music helped her hone a sound that is all her own—one that earned her the title of Stereofame.com’s “Artist of the Month” in September 2010. Her careful attention to the works of myriad artists before her helped Joy, along with her husband and co-producer at Elytron Productions, mastermind a music repertoire that is inimitable and fresh.

Of writing, she says, “My songs are taken from life, only exaggerated. I don’t care how out-there the idea is, I’ll go there.”

Stereofame.com describes a few of Joy’s songs:

“On ‘Don’t Wake the Lion,’ a hypnotic tribal drum beat set behind a sparse organ drone showcases Valencia’s adept ear for crafting unexpected melodic hooks and clever lyrics, calling to mind the best of artists like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos. Elsewhere, on tracks such as ‘Wallet,’ Valencia shows a more playful side with a McCartney-esque ode to being broke complete with a boozy, saloon-style piano hook and delicious harmonies.

Valencia…proves that she’s just as comfortable singing tender ballads as she is about lions in her bed. ‘If You Love Me’ displays Valencia’s more introspective side with haunting piano lines and hushed, almost whispered vocals that feel like pillow talk.”

Chicago-born, Los Angeles-based Joy studied Music Production & Engineering, Songwriting and Voice at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She plays guitar and piano and counts melodies and lyrics as her mainstays while writing background vocals are her specialty. To learn more, visit www.joyvalenciamusic.com or become a fan at www.facebook.com/JoyValenicaMusic. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.