Premiere: Valerie the Vulture – James Dean

Detroit music scene staple and co-founder of Girls Rock Detroit Willa Rae Adamo is back again with her new rock alter ego Valerie the Vulture. Adamo has been kicking ass and taking names since 2015 when she formed Willa Rae & The Minor Arcana, an Americana act that mixed in a healthy dose of outlaw electric guitar and gothic gypsy rock. With such a strong start, it’s no surprise that Valerie the Vulture comes out of the gate swinging with their first single.

“James Dean” features a driving beat with hulking power chords which match the emotion of the lyrics perfectly. Using the bad boy namesake, “James Dean” tells the coming-of-age story of a girl who mistakes sex for love. The music builds throughout the song to a thrashing rock anthem as the narrator recounts her sexual assault and reflects on rape culture. “James Dean” comes to a crashing end as she reclaims her space and power from her very own “James Dean.” On this song, I found myself falling under the raucous spell of the music first before I really tuned in and listened to the lyrics. “James Dean” begs to be heard in a live setting where the listener can thrash around and sing along at the top of their lungs.

Check out “James Dean” below.

Can’t get enough of Valerie the Vulture? Check out their live performance at their double single release tomorrow, August 17th at Hidden Gate Gallery in Detroit.