Exploring the Inspiration Behind Valley's New Album 'Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden' - Exclusive Interview

Kristine Bautista
Sep 6, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jun 30, 2025

About Valley:

Valley is a JUNO Award-nominated band which formed in 2016. The band is composed of Rob Laska (lead vocalist), Alex Dimauro (bassist), and Karah James (drummer). The band has amassed 1.1 billion global streams and performed at renowned music festivals such as Governors Ball and Life Is Beautiful. Their US TV debut took place during Stephen Colbert’s #LiveAtHome sessions, they sold out shows at the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver and played at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall while touring to promote their album "Lost in Translation" last year. Valley faced a pivotal moment last fall, undergoing therapy to navigate the challenges that come with being an established band on the road and coping with the pressures of sudden success.

About 'Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden:

'Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden' Cover

While touring with Dermot Kennedy, Valley discovered an old demo titled “Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden” written in 2021 during isolation in a cabin. This, along with the track “Like 1999” released in February 2021, marked a shift to a more pop-oriented sound. “Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden” encapsulates themes of love, loss, and optimism, while “Like 1999” set the tone for Valley's pop-focused direction seen in their recent albums. Valley's new chapter includes performances at SunFest in West Palm Beach, opening for The Beaches in Toronto, and appearances at Festival D’ete and the Calgary Stampede. The album reflects Valley's growth and is described as their most intimate and special record, fulfilling their long-held dream.

What I thought about the album:

This album is very inspiring and has a lot of relatable themes from renewal to growth to heartbreak, and I love how this album is a very special and moving album.

Q&A With Valley:

Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden feels like a fresh start for you all. What specific experiences or moments inspired the themes of renewal and growth on this album?

We created this album with Chase Lawrence, who produced most of our songs and we made this album as a way to renew and grow as a band.

If you could describe this album in just one color to represent the overall feeling of the album, what color would you choose and why?

Yellow, because its bright and is hopeful

Check out Valley's Discography:

Valley's going on tour this fall!