Valerie June brings eclectic mix of folk, blues, and gospel to Vancouver Folk Festival

Valerie June, an acclaimed American singer-songwriter known for the wide-ranging nature of her work, will perform on the main stage of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Jericho Beach Park on July 19.

June's catalogue spans psychedelic soul, ebullient electric gospel, and introspective folk. She is equally hailed for her masterful original compositions and her sublime versions of songs by an eclectic array of artists—from Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" and Gillian Welch's "Look at Miss Ohio" to Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" and Nick Cave's "Into My Arms."

Performing with her ace rhythm section of bassist Matt Marinelli and drummer Caito Sanchez, June will deliver a setlist spanning pretty much all her records alongside a few covers. "It's all across the spectrum of what I do, as far as some rock 'n' roll songs, some blues, some folk, some country," she said. "Because I have so many records that I've done, I just like to mix up songs from each record."

June describes her creative process as one of receiving songs from outside herself. "I've been like that ever since I was little. I've just had different voices that I sing along with that come to me in my head," she explained. "To me, when I'm working in that space, co-creating with something that's invisible—that's another realm or another world—that's so magical to me."

The artist is currently on an extensive tour spanning festivals in Scandinavia, the U.K., and Canada, with additional festival dates in Ottawa and Calgary, alongside venue performances across North America.