{{Infobox musical artist |image = |alt = |caption = |name = Tender Forever |background = solo_singer |birth_name = Vito Valera |alias = |birth_place = |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1977}} |death_date = |origin = Maurrin, France |instrument = Vocals, Guitar, bass guitar, Keyboard, Ukulele, Drums |genre = Pop |occupation = Musician |years_active = 2003-present |label = K Records |website = http://www.tenderforever.com/ }}
'''Tender Forever''' is the pop electronica project of Franco-American musician '''Vito Valera'''. Valera has released four albums with K Records and now works on multimedia projects where they reside in Olympia, Washington.
== Background == Valera was born in Maurrin, France in 1977 to Spanish parents.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-08 |title=Tender Forever |url=https://pica.org/artists/tender-forever/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108172505/https://pica.org/artists/tender-forever/ |archive-date=2014-01-08 |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=PICA}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2012-03-12 |title=Tender Forever Interview |url=http://thenewgay.net/2010/05/tender-forever-interview.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312013945/http://thenewgay.net/2010/05/tender-forever-interview.html |archive-date=2012-03-12 |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=The New Gay}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2018-06-24 |title=Lynx and Tender Forever |url=https://wowhall.org/events/lynx-and-tender-forever |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624121342/https://wowhall.org/events/lynx-and-tender-forever |archive-date=2018-06-24 |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=WOW Hall & The Community Center for the Performing Arts}}</ref> They moved to the US because they felt that France was "very old fashioned and uptight".<ref name=":0" />
==Music== Valera began creating music as a student at the University Michel de Montaigne of Arts in Bordeaux, France. They first served as the lead singer of The Bonnies, a cover band of songs by 1960s girl bands. Later they were involved with a band called Garrison Rocks.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Grose |first=Jessica |date=2005-12-07 |title=Tender Forever |url=https://www.spin.com/2005/12/tender-forever/ |website=SPIN}}</ref>
In 2003, they started ''Tender Forever.<ref name=":1" />'' Valera said that the name refers to: "Something I am trying to be and maybe it´s part of me, but more like an ideal."<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Zimmer |first=Undine |date=2010-04-10 |title=Interview with Tender Forever |url=https://www.aviva-berlin.de/aviva/content_Interviews.php?id=1426072 |website=AVIVA-Berlin}}</ref>
Their debut album, ''The Soft and the Hardcore,'' was released in 2005. The album includes both acoustic folk rock and synth-based R&B.<ref name=":1" /> It features a song about taking a shower after sex.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Houle |first=Zachary |date=2012-04-12 |title=Tender Forever: Where Are We From EP, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/156353-tender-forever-where-are-we-from-ep-2495868889.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}</ref>
Two years later, Tender Forever released ''Wider'', an album about love and heartbreak. Most of the instruments and vocals were performed by Valera. The instruments included: "synthesizers, mostly, but also a wooden spoon, chopsticks, an 'old crappy drumset from 1981', a saucepan, 'some rice', and more."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heaton |first=Dave |date=2008-01-02 |title=Tender Forever: Wider |url=https://www.popmatters.com/tender-forever-wider-2496193043.html |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}</ref>
Their next album, ''No Snare'' (2010), was darker compared to their earlier work.<ref name=":0" />''<ref name=":1" />''
In 2012, Tender Forever raised money to pay for renewing their American work visa. They also released the EP ''Where Are We From'', which was called "a puzzling enigma of a release".<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Ritter |first=Travis |date=2015-09-06 |title=Living In America: Help Keep Tender Forever in Portland |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/endhits/archives/2011/05/04/living-in-america-help-keep-tender-forever-in-portland |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906003421/https://www.portlandmercury.com/endhits/archives/2011/05/04/living-in-america-help-keep-tender-forever-in-portland |archive-date=2015-09-06 |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=Portland Mercury}}</ref>
They use many instruments including guitar, bass, keyboard, their computer, wooden utensils, glockenspiel, and maracas.<ref name="magic">{{Cite web |title=The Magic Of Crashing Stars - An interview with Tender Forever |url=https://www.polaroidallaradio.it/parole/tender_forever_interview.htm |accessdate=2020-03-06 |website=Polaroidallaradio.it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Best gay albums of 2010 |url=https://archive.qpdx.com/2011/01/best-gay-albums-of-2010/#more-7460 |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=qPDX}}</ref> Tender Forever's musical style has been described as unique and "deconstructed rhythm ‘n’ blues filtered through a laptop" that "offers a great deal of sonic adventurousness".<ref name=":2" />
Valera, performing as Tender Forever, has toured in the US and Europe with MEN, Rae Spoon, Mirah, Lovers, and others.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-04-01 |title=Mirah's To-Do List: #1. Converse With the World - SLUG Magazine |url=https://www.slugmag.com/music/interviews/music-interviews/mirahs-to-do-list-1-converse-with-the-world/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=SLUG Mag |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-04-26 |title=Photo Review: Keep Portland Weird Festival (in Paris), Day Two |url=https://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-28560-photo-review-keep-portland-weird-festival-in-paris-day-two.html |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref> Tender Forever's performances have been called high-energy, "playful", and "programmed for enjoyment".<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Oh-K Go! |url=https://www.thefader.com/2005/11/30/oh-k-go |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=The FADER |language=en}}</ref>
==Multimedia Projects== Valera has worked on big scale multimedia projects, including collaborations with film maker Ted Passon, artist Nick Lally, producer Christopher Doulgeris,<ref name='wow'>{{cite web |url=http://www.wowhall.org/events/lynx-and-tender-forever |title=Lynx and Tender Forever |date=November 14, 2013 |publisher=Community Center for the Performing Arts }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> musician The Blow, and singer songwriter Mirah. Most recently, they performed at the Time-Based Art Festival in Portland, Oregon, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, the Centre Georges Pompidou, La Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, and La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris. They received the RAAC (Regional Arts & Culture Council) Grant to complete a collaborative project called ''MAZED'' with Peter Burr and was invited to the Henry Art Gallery to lecture on reenactment and public source content.<ref name='ssg'>{{cite web |publisher= SSG Music |url=http://www.ssgmusic.com/interview-tender-forever-will-she-stay-or-will-she-go/ |title=Tender Forever: Will they Stay Or Will they Go? |author=Nick Hilden |date=May 6, 2011}}</ref> they are currently working and teaching at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.<ref name='evergreen'>{{Cite web|url=https://evergreen.edu/faculty/instructor/valeram|title=Faculty Directory|website=Evergreen.edu|accessdate=2020-03-06}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== *''The Soft And The Hardcore'' (2005, K Records) *''Wider'' (2007, K Records) *''No Snare'' (2010, K Records) *''Where Are We From'' (2011, K Records)
===Compilation appearances=== *''My Love'' (Justin Timberlake cover) on ''Reprises Inrocks no. 1'' (2007, Les Inrockuptibles)
===Collaborations=== *remix of Mirah's song ''Make It Hot'' on ''Joyride: Remixes'' (2006, K Records)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.popmatters.com/review/156353-tender-forever-where-are-we-from-ep/ Where Are We From EP Review on PopMatters] *[http://en.blogotheque.net/2009/03/26/tender-forever-en/ Performing ''Well I Can Take It'' and ''My Love''] (Justin Timberlake cover) for [http://www.blogotheque.net/spip.php?page=cae_all&lang=en La Blogothèque] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425005204/http://www.blogotheque.net/spip.php?page=cae_all&lang=en |date=2011-04-25 }} *[http://www.polaroidallaradio.it/parole/tender_forever_interview.htm Interview on Polaroid Alla Radio] *[http://www.ssgmusic.com/interview-tender-forever-will-she-stay-or-will-she-go/ Interview with SSG by Nick Hilden] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdaNPpGY8Y0 Interview with StarMag - TPS Star then performing "Got to Let Go" from the album ''No Snare'']
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tender Forever}} Category:American indie rock musicians Category:K Records artists Category:American lesbian musicians Category:French LGBTQ musicians Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon Category:21st-century American women musicians