Janien
Valentine
The first song I performed was at age three and it was at my father's furniture store in Buffalo, New York. My parents put me in dance class at age 5. I was a very chubby child and was constantly teased and mistaken for a boy. My 8th grade year, I auditioned for the 8th grade graduation ceremony solo. My music teacher was surprised to hear that I had a good voice. So I was adorned with a solo to perform in front of my graduating class. I was in my glory and I loved the attention.
High school freshmen year I began to live for music and singing. My voice was changing my body was changing and peoples attitudes towards me were changing. I thought I was destined to live my life in this 5-foot, 120-pound frame. But I dropped 20lbs. and entered high school unrecognizable to my former classmates. I auditioned for the school musical and received "Best Performer" from my high school director, all the while competing in vocal competitions across the state.
A local jingle/song writer was looking for a young girl to demo a song he had written, "All The Way For Us" and became my first producer. It was picked up and released by Amherst Records when I was only sixteen. The song was a huge hit... in Buffalo. After high school, I enrolled at Niagara University and dove into my performance classes getting straight A's.
At my first college audition I landed the role of... spotlight operator. My teacher informed me that we were to learn all aspects of theatre. I thought it was a crock. My parents weren't paying fifteen grand a year for me to be sitting up on a catwalk pointing a light at someone playing a role tailor made for me! I finally understood what "Show Business" is all about. As performers we must constantly prove that we are capable. From that realization on, I never stopped working and believing that my dreams were attainable. I now respect and welcome hard work and never stop striving to better myself in all aspects of my life and my career.
After college I turned to community theatre. Summerfare was the first to pay me to perform in the musical "Hair" I played 'Sheila' and received "Best Debut Performance" at the Buffalo Artie Awards.
My first audition in NYC was for "Starlight Express" in 1995. I got the job and relocated to Las Vegas. Soon after, I performed in my first lounge band, "The Naked Martini's" singing six nights a week, seven hours a night. This experience helped me develop great tenacity and strength. In 1998 I developed my own band which opened the "Le Cabaret Room" at the Paris Hotel and Casino.
Producers for the show "Notre Dame De Paris" at The Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, were auditioning worldwide for the role of Esmeralda. I was given a cassette tape, two pieces of sheet music and told to come back in ten minutes. Ten minutes later they took me onstage, I sang both pieces and the lyricist stood up and exclaimed, "This is my Esmeralda!" I worked to be my best in every performance and we opened to rave reviews.
After "Notre Dame" I starred in another world premier musical, "Men Are From Mars Woman Are From Venus." I was plucked from that show to co-star opposite Clint Holmes in his show at Harrah's Hotel followed by an award by the city of Las Vegas for "Best Local Thespian."
During my stint with Clint I took an acting class from Phil Valentine. I loved the class so much... I married my Phil Valentine!
I've since performed a plethora of local commercials both for TV and radio and I am currently song shopping with Captiva Records out of Austin, Texas. I recently finished starring and co-producing a sitcom pilot "Gags" with my husband co-starring in an independent film "Siren". This summer I will be starring in a debut musical variety show in China Town called "No MSG" by award winning producer Jerry Schafer.
Although I like to keep myself busy in show business my favorite role is playing Mom to 2 year old Sabrina, the absolute light of my life.
Helen Keller once said, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." I'm always ready for my next adventure!