By BRUCE DENNILL
Singer-songwriter Katia De Vallier has released the single Nothing Should Stop You, produced by Daniel Baron,. It’s a soaring, personal anthem born from a pivotal turning point in her life – one that ultimately transformed her relationship with both music and her own ambition.
What are the aspects of music that most appeal to or thrill you as a listener, from lyrics to arrangements to instruments used to production techniques?
I absolutely love a big build up to a climatic moment followed by a strategically placed silence that eases back into the melody. This style of writing and production, I feel, takes the listener on an emotional journey and really helps the auditory senses
Are those the same things you try to recreate in your writing or performance?
It depends on the song or the experience I would like to convey to the listener. In Nothing Should Stop You, there definitely is a moment after the bridge where there is a small silence leading into the final chorus.
Which aspect of creating music comes most easily to you, and which requires the most discipline and practice?
Lyrics and melody. These come to me quite naturally and I need to record myself singing the melody as soon as I have it so I can develop the idea further. I have lots of rough recordings on my cell phone which I always detest listening back to – but as they say make it exist first, make it perfect later. I am by no means a producer. I have no idea how that side of music creation works. For this, I rely on Daniel Baron. Growing up, I never took piano or guitar lessons and my technical knowledge of music was limited. Recently, I have started piano lessons at long last and I am making great progress! I love piano.
Outside of the actual music, what is, for you, the most important part of a great new release (single, album, etc)?
A great release is one that moves people and sticks with them. The message, the melody and the moment they hear the song for the first time.
Live performance: which artist has most impressed you in terms of what they deliver on stage?
I love watching Shania Twain. Especially on her latest world tour. After so many years and at her age, she just keeps delivering for her fans. It is incredible I hope to see her live one day. In terms of acts that I have seen live, Bryan Adams blows me away every time. He is another musician who is timeless. Every hit he plays with the same amount of passion every single time. I love live music, so I could probably write a thesis including various performers and what I love and have learned from them.
What role does music play in your life on a day-to-day basis – listening to it, writing it, practising it, buying and selling it, performing it, etc?
Music has always been a symbol of hope to me. Writing and releasing original music had been a dream of mine for so many years and to be in the position where I am finally doing just that, is a blessing for which I am immensely grateful. Through stage performance and the music that I write, music is my medium for connecting with people regardless of code or creed. I love performing live and taking the audience on a journey where they feel things and have a great time in general. Practising my songs always feels a bit clumsy to me because I don’t have that energy of the audience. But it makes time stand still for me and creates a space where I think of nothing else. This is similar to practicing piano for me. I feel clumsy and I need to accept that being imperfect is part of the learning process. But when I get those chords right…it is the best feeling ever!
What is the story behind Nothing Should Stop You – the genesis of the song, the people involved, the muse behind its creation?
My most recent release is Nothing Should Stop You, a song that is deeply personal to me because it was born out of a significant turning point in my life. At the time, I was navigating the closure of the company I worked for and facing a great deal of uncertainty about my future. Music had always been a passion, but like many artists, I had spent years balancing it alongside a full-time corporate career. Having recently recovered from vocal surgery and begun writing original music, I found myself questioning what I truly wanted my future to look like. While going through the retrenchment process, I started considering the possibility of launching my own consultancy business. The idea would allow me greater flexibility to pursue music but it also came with all the fears and self-doubt that accompany taking a leap into the unknown. I spent months wrestling with limiting beliefs, practical concerns and countless worst-case scenarios. Then one day, while driving my usual route to work, I stopped at a traffic light and noticed a billboard with four simple words: “Nothing Should Stop You.” It was one of those rare moments where a message lands exactly when you need it. Those words struck me deeply and shifted something within me. For the first time, I felt an overwhelming sense of clarity and conviction that I could build both the consulting business and the music career I had been dreaming about. The song became my way of capturing that feeling and sharing it with others. Although it was inspired by a very personal experience, the message is universal. We all face moments where fear, uncertainty and self-doubt threaten to keep us stuck. Nothing Should Stop You is about finding the courage to move forward anyway. The song was written by me and brought to life with the support of a talented creative team who helped transform a deeply personal story into something that I hope resonates with others. The muse behind the song was ultimately that transformative moment of choosing possibility over fear and deciding to trust the calling of my heart. My hope is that anyone who hears the song finds a piece of their own story in it and is reminded that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things when they choose to believe in themselves.