Rachel of Valkyrie on Grief, Growth, and the Reality of DIY Music

Rachel Valkyrie interview, Portland music scene, women in rock, local musicians, music marketing tips, DIY recording studio, artist burnout, grief and creativity, band life, independent music production, songwriting inspiration, creative honesty, social media for musicians, Unfinished Pieces podcast, Isabelle Taylor, creative boundaries, studio life, music collaboration, Norse mythology band name, live shows

📖 Description:
In this episode of Unfinished Pieces, host Isabelle Taylor sits down with Rachel, frontwoman of Portland rock band Valkyrie and co-owner of a local recording studio. Rachel opens up about the meaning behind Valkyrie, navigating grief after losing a bandmate, and the balance between authenticity and burnout as an artist. The two dive deep into the challenges of music marketing, creative vulnerability, and setting boundaries as working creatives.

🎧 Listen as they discuss how to build community in music, communicate vision in the studio, and find your voice when art starts to feel like work.

#UnfinishedPieces #Valkyrie #PortlandMusic #WomenInRock #MusicInterview

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Meet Rachel of Valkyrie
00:35 Creating a space to be loud and dramatic
01:10 The story behind the name “Valkyrie”
01:45 Building the band and starting over
02:00 From musician to studio owner
04:00 Learning communication through recording sessions
05:20 When clients can’t articulate their vision
08:00 Losing a bandmate and rebuilding
10:20 Writing from grief and honesty
13:00 Burnout and creative cycles
16:00 Marketing as a musician
18:30 Why “just posting” isn’t enough
21:00 Helping other bands with social media
23:00 Making content that connects
25:00 The fun behind creative aesthetics
27:00 Growing Valkyrie and building momentum
29:00 Small band marketing realities
31:00 Advice for local musicians
33:00 Perfectionism vs productivity
34:00 Rachel interviews Isabelle about photography
38:00 Challenges of live music photography
41:00 Freelance lessons and client boundaries
45:00 When friends are clients
47:00 Creative boundaries and burnout

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