We recently connected with Valerie Giglio and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Valerie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

Well, back in 2014 I was a healthy 42 year old, active, a lawyer by day with my own law practice as well as a musician by night. I had released a couple of CD’s and was a member of the Grammys and I was actively performing around Boston. Then one day I turned my neck too quickly and it broke the arteries leading to my brain, resulting in a stroke that paralyzed me completely on my left side. I lost my singing voice, musical ability, couldn’t play any instruments anymore either. I was in a wheelchair, spent months in Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston relearning to walk and use my left arm and hand, and then another year in outpatient rehab. That year, I relearned to sing again, literally note by note. But I had nothing, I could scream loudly and off key, that was about the extent of my vocal talents.. And it blows my mind because the day I had the stroke I was rehearsing for Chick Singer Night Boston where I was to perform in this showcase series. And I had been a singer my entire life. And overnight, I lost my ability to sing. It was a really trying time for me, but I had an extreme amount of determination to get this all back. I was so young and had so much I wanted to do. I just couldn’t accept that as my new life. But, I was not a bundle of optimism at first. I would watch my old Youtube vidoes and cry everyday in my hospital room. I just wanted my old life back and I wasn’t stopping until I did. My husband Mark was so wonderful, he slept in my hospital room on a pull out couch every night for 2 months, and he was also my 24/7 caretaker. So after months of daily inpatient and then outpatient rehab, I first relearned to walk and use my hand and arm. Then I relearned to sing. I even went to the Grammys in a wheelchair and got out of it to limp along the red carpet. But It was important to me to start living my life again, even with modifications.

Having a stroke was the biggest life changing experience for me. But as I was learning to sing again and my voice was weak and not that great, I got this idea that I wanted to audition for Berklee College of Music. Everyone thought I was crazy. After the stroke, I said to myself that the time is now to go for it and audition. I could barely sing at that point. So, I gave myself a 2 year deadline. I dedicated hours every day.. And in 2016 I auditioned and was accepted. Not only was it one of the biggest goals I set for myself – getting into Berklee after losing my singing voice 2 years earlier – but it was also a chance to shatter stereotypes about stroke survivors, that once you have a stroke your life as you once knew it is basically over or you cant function in society. That’s so completely not true. Sure, there are some things you might do differently but that’s OK. And maybe you have to find alternate ways to do some things. I was very lucky to have basically a total recovery but everyone goes at their own pace and that’s OK. And make no mistake, recovery is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes people see me and think it was easy, but really it’s the opposite of that. So many challenges, ups and downs, scares, setbacks, the whole thing…the things people don’t get to see. I wrote a book called Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist’s Triumph After Stroke, which detailed my journey with the hope of inspiring others to overcome whatever adversity they may be going through. And as far as who I am today, the music technology skills I learned while a student at Berklee studying electronic production and sound design allowed me to reinvent myself as an Electro Swing artist and producer. And I play electronic instruments. I cant play violin anymore because of my left hand being stiff, but I have discovered new and exciting electronic instruments. And for singing, my voice is back. I had always sang jazz standards, or Italian songs, and now I merge the old jazz and swing songs with EDM. It’s so much fun. And I produce it myself!

Valerie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Sure, I first got into music in elementary school, playing violin and singing. After high school I continued and joined a few bands before becoming a singer with the Al Vega Trio. Al Vega was a Boston jazz legend who taught me about the professional scene. I then released a couple of CD’s and joined The Recording Academy (Grammys) as a Voting Member.

My vibe has always been retro but with a modern twist. So a few years ago I decided to reinvent myself as an electronic artist in the Electro Swing genre, using the skills I learned at Berklee College of Music. I produce my own music. it was only fitting as my vintage/retro sound and style fit perfectly with this genre, Its a mix of Electronic Dance Music and old jazz/big band sounds from the 1920’s through 1940’s. I often write these songs with my co-writer Samuel Cerra, an accomplished vibraphone player from Italy. The music we write is upbeat and fun, a great show that really takes you back in time while keeping with modern EDM music. I perform throughout the Boston area and I love that I can give the audience a break from the stresses in their lives for a night and just enjoy and have fun.

A few things set me apart from others, namely the retro sound and style paired with modern beats…but also I love to shatter stereotypes and tell people that “hey, I had a catastrophic stroke a few years back, I lost it all and now here I am!” So it’s part of who I am and I hope I can inspire people to keep going for their dreams no matter how far fetched they may seem.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Like I said before, I had a catastrophic stroke at the age of 42, I lost my entire left side, was confined to a wheelchair and lost my singing voice. I lost my entire identity. But I relearned to walk, to use my arm and hand and to sing again. It was a tough road but I just refused to accept that was my fate. I had been a singer and even a dancer since I was a child, and there I was laying in a hospital bed for months. Not acceptable. I was determined to get it all back. And I would say I got back 95% which is fine by me. I live life normally and make modifications. I then decided to reinvent myself and attended Berklee College of Music, becoming an electronic music producer in the Electro Swing genre and enjoying every moment of it. play instruments again, but mainly electronic instruments. And I love it. I want to encourage others to go for things no matter how far fetched they seem. And believe me, the thought of auditioning for Berklee when I barely had a singing voice was a bit ridiculous. But you know what? It propelled me toward a goal, and I dedicated myself to getting my voice back. And getting accepted as a voice principal no less, was one of the proudest moments of my life. Resilience is key. I think we all have that inner self capable of far more than we think. And, I credit my loving husband Mark for standing by me and supporting everything I’ve done. I could have never done ant of this without his support and care for me 24/7. I mean, he even slept in a pull out couch in my hospital room every night for 2 months! And he changed his entire life to help me recover. What a journey its been. I’ve been lucky to have become a legislate advocate for the American Heart Association. I’ve sang the National Anthem for the Boston Bruins (NHL) and at Boston’s Esplanade, among other incredible opportunities. In fact, I’ve had more artistic opportunities after my my stroke than before! But the best part is that I can hopefully inspire people at the same time. That’s the biggest and best part of it.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Having a stroke and losing everything, I had to actually LEARN how to have patience. I was used to everything happening immediately my entire life, and never struggling with things that people take for granted every day, whether its brushing your teeth with your bad hand, or not being able to run for example. And, with a stroke, recovery is often very slow. You can see gains but they are tiny, until one day you look back and see just how far you have come. That was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn,

Contact Info:

• Website: www.valeriegiglio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/valerigigliomusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/valeriegiglio
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/valeriegiglio
• Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/valeriegiglio

Image Credits
Vintage Girl Studios