VALERIE JUNE’S “ORDINARY WORLD” IS A COSMIC WONDER
Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter Transforms Duran Duran’s Classic Track
Today, acclaimed singer-songwriter Valerie June shared a transcendent cover of Duran Duran’s early 90’s classic “Ordinary World”. Find it HERE and watch the official video HERE.
June originally recorded a short portion of the song as the musical bed for Tractor Beverage Company’s recent ad campaign, titled “Escape The Ordinary.” The 90 second TV spot tells the story of a cup that dreams of a deliciously beautiful world. (The widely seen commercial has now been viewed more than one million times at YouTube and seen 73 million+ times across all platforms, watch it HERE.) The overwhelming online response from fans around the world encouraged June to record a full-length version, which became available for the first time today.
Valerie June on “Ordinary World”:
With modern times often full of heaviness and darkness, how do we find the strength to survive and grow? From the changing climate to wars and our personal stories of loss, it can be overwhelming to dream of a more harmonious life for the entire planet. I recorded my cover of “Ordinary World” because, despite the challenges we face every day, there is beauty to be found in the ordinary. Though we often think of change as an enormous process, it is the little things that make significant shifts when multiplied; one small and simple act of caring for the earth or a stranger is a way to see the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. The toolbox that helps us create a world of joy and peace must have simple, tiny actions.”
Produced, recorded, and mixed by Matt Marinelli, “Ordinary World” features Valerie June (vocals), Dan Iead (pedal steel) and Marinelli (bass, drums, guitars, keyboards and backing vocals). With her one-of-a-kind musical vision, the GRAMMY-nominated artist re-imagines the track (a #1 smash for Duran Duran in 1992), rendering a gorgeous and ethereal dreamscape all her own.
The single release coincides with World Soil Day – Dec 5, 2023. Held annually, the event focuses attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocates for the sustainable management of soil resources.
Released in March 2021, June’s most recent album, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers is sweeping and ambitious with earthy R&B production and a touch of psychedelia amidst its astral folk-pop orchestration. Produced by June and Jack Splash, the album garnered near universal acclaim. Uncut called it, “a psychedelic tour de force” that is “powerfully, elegantly subversive,” and Rolling Stone proclaimed the LP, “career making.” At the center is June’s spellbinding vocals and infectious sense of wonder that finds the Brooklyn-via-Memphis artist narrating the often-precarious journey to joyful possibility. The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers is a transportive, deeply affecting work – a potent catalyst for those foolish enough to dream. Find it: HERE
The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers follows June’s 2013 breakthrough, Pushin’ Against A Stone, the widely adored The Order of Time—a 2017 record that earned the admiration of Bob Dylan and landed on best-of-the-year lists, and Under Cover, her 2022 covers EP which features brilliant interpretations of songs by Frank Ocean, John Lennon, Nick Cave, Gillian Welch, Bob Dylan, Joe South, Nick Drake and Mazzy Star. June’s version of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,“ has amassed over 3 million views on YouTube.
Earlier this year, the multi-talented artist released her third book, Light Beams: A Workbook for Being Your Badass Self, an interactive journal that inspires readers to choose a path of kindness and love in every moment. Find it HERE
Look for Valerie June on the road in 2024!
TOUR DATES
Jan 20 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn Ballroom
Jan 22 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
Jan 30 – Feb 3 – New York City – Café Carlyle
June 2 – Virginia Beach, VA* – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
June 5 – Tampa, FL* – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater
June 7 – Alpharetta, GA* – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
June 8 – Alpharetta, GA* – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
June 9 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks (supporting Trevor Hall)
* Support for Tyler Childers
Photo Credit: Photography by Brights
More info on Valerie June:
valeriejune.com
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