VALENTINA
BLACK

Born Valentina Serugeri in Verona, Italy, Valentina Black grew up surrounded by music. Her mother, also a musician, filled the house with Ella Fitzgerald and disco, while a young Valentina gravitated toward James Brown, Michael Jackson and Rihanna. Rock, R&B, pop and funk pulled her in early, and by her teens she was already singing with local bands twice her age.

Before music became her career, Valentina worked as a dancer for Italy's main broadcast networks, RAI and Mediaset, and represented Veneto at Miss Italia 2000, the national beauty competition.

Her professional recording career took off when Jimmy Carl Black — the legendary drummer of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention — recruited her as vocalist and Hammond organ player for the "Freedom Jazz Dance" sessions, impressed by what he called "her golden voice, a beautiful little angel." She recorded and co-wrote across the project under the stage name Valentina Black.

Since then her voice and rhythmic sensibility have taken her into studios in London, Los Angeles and New York, shaping a sound that blends hip-hop, soul, funk and pop with a rock, dreamlike edge. She has released more than 70 tracks and has opened for international artists such as Fritz Kalkbrenner.

Before her music career took over, Valentina built an extensive career in Italian television, theatre and advertising — from national variety shows on Rai and Mediaset to fashion runways for major designers.

She continues to reach a global fanbase of more than 2.5 million followers across social media, built organically over the years.

Labels: Toolroom, KMS Records, Moonbootique, Dvine Sounds, Juicy Music, Groove On, Frequenza, King Street Sounds, Moveubabe Music.

Radio & charts: "Everywhere You Go" topped the Shazam and iTunes charts, with airplay on BBC Radio, Pandora, SiriusXM and RadioDJ.

Selected production collaborators: Jon "John" Robinson, Guy Furious, Gëkkø, Matty Harris, Austin Leeds, Rob Murray.