Valerie June Unveils Themes of Joy and Resilience in Her New Album

In these challenging times, Valerie June strives to maintain a positive outlook, hoping her music serves as a source of joy for her audience.

“I’ve reflected on what [positivity] truly means amidst a dark world or during tough times when you feel defeated or that things aren’t going as planned,” June, 43, shared exclusively with Us Weekly in connection with her new album. “I remind myself, ‘How can I find joy in those moments?’ I draw inspiration from my ancestors, being a Black American from the South. My ancestors toiled in the fields and endured enslavement, truly understanding hardship. I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my life — and many of us in America — not to have experienced those severe struggles ourselves, thanks to those who fostered joy for future generations.”

It’s the appreciation of that fortune that fuels her perseverance.

“We must continue to believe in joy, just as they did,” she emphasized. “That’s why I’m here today, a free woman who can write songs all day and enjoy simple pleasures like playing with a rubber duck in the bathtub. I don’t have to do anything but bask in the benefits they paved for me. … Finding joy in dark times comes from exploring humanity’s history and recognizing, ‘Hey, we made it.’ We’ve made it, we’ve made it, and we will keep moving forward as long as we keep the light shining in our hearts.”

From the very start, June’s new album, Owls, Omens, and Oracles, focuses on the pursuit of happiness. The opening track, fittingly named “Joy, Joy!”, starts with the lyrics, “There is a light you can see / That is yearning to be free / A concealed light deep within / Learn to trust your spirit guide / There is a light you can discover / If you take a moment to uncover.” The song builds to an infectious crescendo of drums and guitar that’s impossible not to dance along with, complemented by June’s distinctive Tennessee twang.

This track serves almost as a manifesto for the entire album, which features collaborations with M. Ward and the Blind Boys of Alabama. “All I Really Wanna Do” echoes the doo-wop vibes of ‘60s girl groups, while “Sweet Things Just for You” is a fervent love song expressing a willingness to “swim more than a thousand seas” just to be with someone special.

While June acknowledges that she still encounters difficult days, she approaches both life and her music with a commitment to focus on the positives.

“It’s taken me years to grasp this,” she shared with Us. “I’ve found myself in a pit of my own depression thinking, ‘How am I supposed to find any light or joy? Forget that.’ But now I understand. … It’s not that you’re always smiling. It’s more about having a resolve, a sense of trust.”

She began recording the album last July, although some tracks have been in her repertoire for over 20 years. “My Life Is a Country Song,” for instance, is “so old,” yet she finally opted to record it, knowing she might adjust it later.

“A song can exist in many different forms; it’s not permanent like a tattoo,” she elaborated. “You can always tweak a lyric or add an instrument. [There are] countless ways a song can live, so I decided to release it.”

June is reluctant to choose a favorite track from the album, noting that “the songs can be envious of one another,” but she expressed excitement to perform a few live, particularly the energetic rocker “Endless Tree.”

“I’m getting all kinds of Iggy Pop vibes from this track,” she playfully remarked. “It’s bursting with energy, and I just want to jump on stage and perform it. I want to embody every lyric, especially in today’s climate with all the political tumult and the multifaceted crisis we face with climate change and everything converging at once. We really have to confront it all. I feel like there’s an anthem for this moment—it’s about learning to disagree while still coexisting on this planet and building a harmonious life together. That’s what we need to do. And if you need a song for that, I wrote it.”

Owls, Omens, and Oracles is available now.