ABOUT

VALERIAN SUN was founded in-late 2021 by drummer Jon-Mikel Valudes following a lengthy hiatus from past music projects; including From Ashes to New and Down & Dirty. Jon-Mikel explains, "After years of just listening to music, I constantly found myself wanting more from what's available. After realizing that I wasn't the only one that felt this way; it was only a matter of commitment.”

The first member to join was Guitar Player magazine, "Guitar Superstar" Champion, Trey Alexander; followed by former NBC's The Voice finalist, James Wolpert. The group began recording music together in late-2021, followed by the release of their debut single ‘All at Once.' Shortly after the debut release, VS was awarded "Best New Band/Artist of 2021" at the Central Pennsylvania Music Awards.

Since then, VALERIAN SUN has released seven additional songs, including their most recent single ‘Sorry.’

After months of acting as a trio, the band decided to reach out to another long-time friend in hopes of introducing a fourth member. After only a few phone calls, Stanford University's doctoral graduate of Music Composition, Hassan Ali joined as the group's missing link.

VALERIAN SUN's name is a reference to the valerian root (valeriana officinalis); an herb used to treat anxiety, stress, and depression. Drummer Jon-Mikel Valudes explains the significance of the name choice, "When we assembled this thing, mental health was a common topic between us. Personally, advocating for mental health is something close to my heart. In 2013, my older brother took his life two weeks prior of my 21st Birthday. It's a conversation that needs to be not only heard but truly listened to. You never know what's behind the casual smile and if we can use our passion for music to offer something positive that people can genuinely relate to; that's what it's all about. With enough light, together we can enjoy life that much more.”

VALERIAN SUN writes and records everything from scratch with multi-Grammy-nominated record producers Grant McFarland and Carson Slovak (August Burns Red, Silverstein, LIVE).