Prolific Bay Area singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Valley Taylor has never been one to shy away from following his curiosity wherever it leads. We’ve followed his musical journey over the years, from his debut album in 2024 through to his most recent release, One Hundred Billion Points Of Light. In some ways, Valley’s music has always felt like an open diary of his creative evolution, so it was great to finally be able to sit down with the man behind the music himself to find out a little more about what makes him tick…

By Jane Howkins

It’s been a while since we last worked with you. How have you been? Have you had a good 2026 so far?

2026 has been a pretty transitional year for me. I feel like we’re moving in a new direction with our sound, and personally, I think I’m trying to become a more distilled version of myself as an artist. We’ve also been without a live drummer for a while, which has actually pushed us to get more creative with rhythmic textures and how we approach arrangements. It’s been interesting seeing how something that could have felt like a limitation has opened up new possibilities for us creatively.

You recently released a new album titled One Hundred Billion Points Of Light. What can you tell us about the record? How has the reception been so far?

The record is without a doubt growing on me more and more every day. I went through a brief period before releasing it where I never wanted to hear it again after spending so much time mixing it. But now that I’ve had some distance from it, I feel incredibly proud of what we made. I think it really represents who I am as an artist and where I’m at right now.

As far as the reception goes, it’s had a pretty strong welcome into the world. I’ve seen a lot of people enjoying it and connecting with the songs, which is really all I could ask for.

You’ve released several singles this year. Do you have any more singles set for release soon?

I have zero singles planned for the rest of this year at the moment, but I do have some material ready for the new year. I’m planning to take some time off work over the next couple of months to focus on writing and recording new music, so there’s always a chance that release schedule gets moved up a little. We’ll see what happens!

We also covered your last album Doppelgänger, which was released in 2025. How has your songwriting progressed since then? How do the albums differ?

There was definitely an attempt to make a complete departure from my previous work, but fortunately for me, I couldn’t stray too far. I think I ended up making something that feels like an improved version of everything I loved about Doppelgänger.

Sonically, the two records exist in a lot of the same textures, but this one is a little more experimental and nuanced. Structurally, the songs take much more novel directions, and lyrically I feel like I explored some places I hadn’t wandered into before. The writing is a lot more toothy than my usual approach to songwriting and lyrical prose, which I really enjoyed exploring.

Who are your main influences as an artist? What have you been listening to recently that you can recommend?

I’ve been listening to Horse Laugh and Ear a lot lately. The album Rumspringa has been so refreshing to me. It reminds me of the first time I heard Set Yourself on Fire by Stars, which is a record I’ve always loved. It’s really just the best kind of music for riding BART to work at five in the morning.

Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?

I wish I did! I actually came pretty close to having something lined up for the fall, but work has been hectic at best, and a few other things came up that unfortunately made it fall through. For the rest of the year, I think the best we’re going to manage is some local shows around the San Francisco Bay Area. I’d absolutely love to make it over to the UK at some point, though.

You’re from El Cerrito. What is the local music scene like there?

El Cerrito is really great! I live right by a venue called Little Hill Lounge that has a deep history of live music in the Bay Area. I probably walk down there a couple of nights a week, usually to grab some BBQ from Double Barrel BBQ. The owner, Lorenzo, has become my go-to for Friday night dinner, and afterward I’ll pop into Little Hill and catch a couple of acts. It’s really nice having a place like that within walking distance. There’s something special about being able to experience live music so casually as part of your everyday life.

Do you have any side projects or bands on the go?

I’ve actually been spending a lot of time on a project called Atlas Exploding, which is a little creative platform I’ve been building to have conversations with other artists and musicians. I’ve been interviewing friends, collaborators and people whose work I find interesting, and giving those conversations their own little space on the internet. It’s been really refreshing to step outside of my own music for a bit and focus on what other people are making and how they approach their work. I think there’s something really valuable about documenting those conversations, especially with artists who might not otherwise get that kind of attention. It’s still pretty new, but I’ve been having a lot of fun with it.

Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year or next?

I’ve got a few things I’m pretty excited about! I’m currently working on a short film, which has been a really fun opportunity to explore some creative ideas outside of music. I’ve always been really interested in the visual side of making art, so it’s been nice to put some energy into something a little different. I’m also hoping to get back to playing live more regularly and experimenting with how we can incorporate more visual elements into our performances. Beyond that, I’ll be spending a lot of time writing and recording new music. I feel like I’m in a pretty interesting creative place right now, and I’m excited to see where it all goes.

Any last words for the fans?

Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to listen to the new record or support anything I’ve been making. It really does mean a lot to me. Be kind to yourself, make weird things and play more video games.

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