Ilsey Releases Debut Album 'From the Valley'

California singer/songwriter Ilsey has released her debut album From The Valley. The release is accompanied by a live performance video of focus track “Someone Else,” which is streaming now on Ilsey's official YouTube channel. From The Valley is available now via Elektra.

From The Valley features an impressive group of collaborators, including acclaimed producer BJ Burton [Bon Iver, Soccer Mommy, Low], Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, Tommy King [HAIM, The Killers, Vampire Weekend], A.G. Cook [Charli XCX, Jonsi, Beyoncé] and more. Ilsey narrates each of the album's 10 tracks with deliberate care across breezy Laurel Canyon rock and sparse pop ballads, thanks to a tender, empathetic voice full of hard-fought wisdom.

In June, Variety exclusively announced Ilsey's signing to Elektra and announced the arrival of her debut record. The album was heralded by early singles “Yellow Roses,” “No California,” and “Heart of Gold (with Bon Iver).” “No California,” a 1970s-inspired track about a once-idyllic place turned sour, was praised by UPROXX for its “folksy, carefree energy.” 

“Heart of Gold (with Bon Iver),” a hazy, evocative cover of the Neil Young classic, was produced, mixed, and engineered by acclaimed producer BJ Burton. The track arrived to critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The FADER, Stereogum, Spin and more, with Billboard raving, “…there's a fullness to Ilsey's rendition — and with the slightly faster pacing, the ongoing search for that illusive heart of gold sounds more urgent than before.”

The track marked the second collaboration between Ilsey and Bon Iver – the artist also contributed feature vocals to Big Red Machine's single “Mimi” in 2021 (the collaborative project of Justin Vernon + The National's Aaron Dessner).

Born and raised in the shadow of Laurel Canyon, Ilsey grew up surrounded by music. She honed her songwriting ear listening to Motown and bands like The Beatles and The Pretenders, but also began to explore the music of Laurel Canyon, like Eagles, Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac. As a teenager, she found herself gravitating toward songwriters like Nick Drake and Ben Harper and learned how to sing harmonies listening to Patty Griffin.

After writing songs alone in her bedroom at age 15, she has since made her mark as a 2x GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, writing for the likes of Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Kacey Musgraves, The 1975, Shawn Mendes, Panic! At The Disco and more.

Photo: Caity Krone