At 17, Ava Valianti is already developing a musical identity that feels remarkably thoughtful. With “celebrity,” the Massachusetts singer-songwriter turns her attention to one of the most fascinating parts of attraction: the moment when admiration becomes something bigger, when another person starts to feel almost larger than life.
The song explores idolization through a romantic, rose-colored perspective. Ava describes the experience of becoming so enamored with someone that their smallest gestures suddenly feel significant and that person gradually becomes the centre of your world. There is something intoxicating about that feeling, but “celebrity” also recognises the potential danger of placing someone on a pedestal.
What makes the concept particularly interesting is the contrast at its centre. Ava is herself pursuing a career where she could eventually become the person others look up to, yet here she flips the perspective and explores what it feels like to make someone else the star. That gives the song a layer of self-awareness that goes beyond a straightforward love song.
Musically, “celebrity” also represents a new chapter. Following the introspective indie-pop of her debut EP petunias and the more guitar-driven pop-rock of Sophomore Slump, the single moves toward jazz and R&B while keeping Ava’s imaginative and emotionally observant songwriting at the forefront. It feels less like a complete reinvention and more like an artist expanding her palette without abandoning what already makes her work personal.
That evolution is important because Ava’s strongest quality is her ability to turn an internal feeling into something listeners can recognise in themselves. The idea of seeing someone through a rose-coloured lens is familiar, but her framing of that experience through the language of celebrity gives it a fresh angle. It captures the strange power someone can have over your attention when you are completely fascinated by them.
“celebrity” also arrives with considerable momentum behind Ava. As an independent artist, she has built a growing audience through streaming, radio, live performances, and songwriting recognition. She has performed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and Nashville’s The Basement East, while earning recognition from organisations including the Boston Music Awards, New England Music Awards, International Acoustic Music Awards, and American Songwriter.
But the numbers and accolades are secondary to what this single reveals artistically. Ava is clearly entering a new phase, and kismet promises to continue that movement toward a warmer, more soulful sound.
With “celebrity,” she manages to make infatuation feel both dreamy and slightly unsettling — a reminder that sometimes the person we place on a pedestal becomes less like a human being and more like the version of them we have created in our own imagination.
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