Paige Valentine is a Western Australia-based indie pop singer songwriter who has just hit my radar thanks to the release of her debut album, Lucky Blue.

By Graeme Smith

Lucky Blue is an album shaped by the places it was created as much as the person who created them. It feels like a collaboration between Paige and the remote and urban settings she found herself in, and even the album’s title references a studio with a blue door and a horseshoe hanging over it.

Partly put together in the city, and partly in the wilds of Western Australia, there’s a certain dichotomy about the record in every aspect, but Paige is able to expertly tie it all together through her unique point of view. It’s a very personal story too, and showcases both a transformation in Paige and her sound.

Paige has been crafting that sound since her first singles were released in 2020. They were warmly received, racking up millions of streams and catching the attention of NME and Rolling Stone Australia among others. Not wanting to rest on her laurels, she continued to expand her approach, and Lucky Blue is her most ambitious effort yet.

The album opens with new single High and we are into the emotion of its story straight away. It’s beautifully articulated by Paige’s charismatic and laidback vocals, and a stripped-back intro gives them plenty of space while the drama steadily ramps up to a soaring chorus. Navigate contrasts it with a slow and soulful moment with R&B undertones.

And we are given some wonderfully contrasting textures throughout Lucky Blue. Upbeat moments like the percussive Cloud Dancing and the groovy Retrograde are nicely punctuated by the quiet introspection of Horoscopes and the piano led heartbreaker Don’t Tell Her. The dreaminess of Hung Up sets up cinematic album closers Maps and a reimagined version of punchy early single Pure beautifully.

I have no doubt that Paige’s debut is going to win her a lot of new fans around the world, myself included. She’s got everything she needs to make it big, and Lucky Blue is a stunning debut. The album is out now on all major streaming platforms via Nettwerk Music Group and you can check it out below.