The keen reader might remember a pretty special and cathartic record we featured recently. ‘Soul’, by American songstress and spiritual being Starry Venus, has left its mark on us, with a flurry of cathartic imagery and bittersweet memories sparking a meaningful and introspective emotional journey. It’s certainly mission accomplished by the Arizona-based creative, fully committed to creating a safe space for informed transformation and spiritual healing.
A nuanced and boundary-pushing EP, ‘Soul’ reveals a wealth of spoken words and inspiring statements, all packed with healing powers and a constant reminder to the divine, both in lyrical and aural form. The record is further enhanced by Starry Venus’ transformative, hypnotising vocals, a true aural gift for anyone in search of an alternative truth and outlook on life.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with the American visionary to learn more about her artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey Starry Venus, thanks for chatting with us! We have recently reviewed your latest record, ‘Soul’, and it caught our attention from the get-go. A deeply reflective and cathartic EP steeped in divine lyricism and boundary-pushing sonic matter. Are you proud of the record? Did it turn out exactly like you wanted it to be?
Thank you for listening and connecting, I genuinely appreciate it. Yes, I think the album did actually turn out how I wanted it to be, for this particular batch of music. Even if the music sounds simple, there’s a lot of complexity in the layers and in finding the mixing balance, to maintain the open organic aspect. Even with the synthesisers and the way I was creating sounds, a lot was performed live in the studio. It wasn’t just programming or computer work.
There were intense times in the studio working on it, plus time stepping away from it. It had its own timing and pace, of when we would dive in and work it, and then step back and allow it to be. That process in itself challenges your linear mind, but I think that is the reason I’m happy with it. There’s a certain rawness that was important to me, which was maintained within all this layering and complexity. I’m happy with that.
Let’s take a wider look at your persona; What can you tell us about your ethos, and your way of life? For instance, how did you become so passionate about spiritual exploration?
It’s really not a persona, it’s more like a realisation, and becoming comfortable with who I am as a human in this world. Ultimately, that is what a lot of people call spiritual exploration. For me, it’s more like answering a question of what truth is. What does it mean to be in this world and be in this body and this consciousness? I’ve never adhered to any one thing, because I feel that the answer to that question and to what spirit is appears everywhere and in many things.
My name really is Starry Venus, it’s not just a persona! Having moved around a lot and lived in many deserts, in addition to Sedona, has been like looking in the mirror all the time. For me, being spiritual just means answering the question of “What is my spirit, and what is that spirit doing here?” That’s life.
You live in Sedona, Arizona, a beautiful place that I know for its mountain bike trails. You might have another outlook on it – how magical is Sedona, from your point of view? I guess the skies at night are golden…
I love this question and comment, because anyone who really knows the mountain bike trails is impressive. They’re off the charts here, and I admire anyone who can get down some of them.
Sedona IS magical, beyond any linear expectation of what magical even is. It’s fully alive here in every way, it’s more than just a desert. I’ve spent a lot of time in remote parts of Sedona, really feeling it. It’s magical in a way that can awaken parts of you that you may or may not be ready for. Being here has a way of showing you that it’s not just magical in a superficial way; it shows you that it’s magical to be alive. It’s magical to breathe, to be so physical and be here and be thriving. It takes you down to the bare essentials and shows you that those things are magic. The land will reflect that in many different ways.
A lot of people will say that there’s a divinely feminine aspect here, the “Mother Sedona” type of energy, and I find that to be my experience. There’s a constant reminder that magic is coming from the deep feminine energy, from the creek and the water, bringing so much life. This is a very nourishing desert. Being here shows you that there’s a lot of magic in being alive.
How does your songwriting process work? Is it deeply personal or collaborative work?
It’s deeply personal and extremely non-linear. There are melodies that have been with me for years, maybe a word or a lyric, and I’m collecting all these aspects from pieces of channelling, poems, musings, synthesizer creations. Then it merges with what I feel and sense in the moment, and the songs come from that. They become present in a moment. It’s like being an abstract painter but bringing very specific things in, and they all come together. I’m always driven by a very personal feeling, emotion or experience that I’m feeling and that I want someone else to have also.
Speaking of experience in the music industry, can you guide us through your other related endeavours? For instance, you have been a touring and recording artist, isn’t that true?
Yes, it’s true, I’ve worked in studios before, recorded, and toured around the US. With this project, I’m approaching it as a debut from where I am now as Starry Venus. After my previous work, I took a break from a lot of things because I walked into the world of answering the question of “Who am I”. So, coming from this perspective, it’s like looking at another lifetime when I think about previous work.
In terms of other related endeavours, I’m simultaneously working on films. I recently released a microfilm called Starborn, and I have new projects in the works for music videos and dance remixes. I’m also developing a company with Kira Mele (OMWE Productions) where we’re producing events with other people, and there’s a feature film I’m working on. Everything is a field of connecting and creating, and finding synergy with these creations.
The other endeavours are very fluid and important to me. The film is driven by the music. Music is driven by the film. I’m excited by the music videos coming out for these songs, in addition to the dance remix versions, creating a sonic bed that can open people up on the dance floor, diving more into that synth-driven sound.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
That’s an interesting question, because I had a near-death experience in the middle of mixing the music in 2024, alongside somebody close to me suddenly passing away. It was an interesting and challenging time because it slowed me down. I simply had to surrender in the middle of creating all this. Artistically, that was a huge challenge, as we’re finishing up these mixes, then it’s suddenly not possible because I had to work through this injury. I had to completely let it be, let it exist.
Sometimes, as artists, we forget that surrendering may be as important as any other part. At the time, my linear mind had an idea of what the timing should have been. But then that energy I was going through somehow got into the music, into the way I ended up finishing the project.
It showed me there’s always something much bigger, much more omniscient than we ourselves are. When we can surrender to that and accept it as part of the process, it puts us in the position of being able to create art or music that can move us into a more embodied place. It wasn’t something I anticipated at all and was very challenging, but I like what it taught me and how it influenced the process of creation, to have maintained the balance sonically between the raw and the produced.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
Music videos/films in production; dance remixes, which are going to be as boundary pushing as possible. I’m excited for those to come out and be another way to experience this music. Then there’s more, recording new music in the studio and continuing the film work, seeing how it can converge together. I’ll also be doing a tour and special kind of live experiences, most likely in 2026.
