Vigorously with Val Kleinhans

TW: Mentions of mental health disorders and suicidal ideation. CHNNR is a solo artist blending nu-metal and hip-hop in his own unique way. It's kind of hard not to mesh those things when you were raised on both and music holds a special place in your heart.  Val and CHNNR talk about the passion behind being a music fan, what it takes to be a solo artist, their respective mental health journey...

Why is emotional regulation important? Does it mean you have to stifle yourself at all times? Maybe it's all just about balance. Val explores the topic of emotional regulation this week while sharing some fun stories about emotionally regulating while meeting rockstars for the first time. In this episode, Val shares her stories meeting the guys in Pierce The Veil, I Prevail, Jamie Campbell Bo...

Veronica Bordacchini of Fleshgod Apocalypse stops by to talk their upcoming spring tour in the US. Val and Veronica get deep about growing up Italian, while sharing some fun thoughts on horror and makeup too. Get more Fleshgod Apocalypse: https://shop.fleshgodapocalypse.com/pages/the-band Upcoming TOUR DATES: https://shop.fleshgodapocalypse.com/pages/tour-dates Get more Val at https://valkleinhans...

Arguably the talk of the past week, Afroman has made headlines centered around a defamation trial. A court case he would end up winning.  How did he win? What does this mean for musicians and content creators? What does it mean as a society? Val examines it all this episode. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Guitarist and vocalist Kenny Hickey created a decades long career that began with the niche and devoted audience found in Type O Negative . We knew about the guitar work, we knew about the vocals, but this episode dives in to what Kenny is up to now. SUN DONT SHINE, his latest project, has allowed him to experiment with vocals and production in ways he never had before.  This is how to make a care...

Val examines the Kelly Osbourne of it all griping that the comments surrounding her body are simply too much.  She asks, At what point does ‘concern’ stop being compassion and start being entitlement? Let's leave everybody's body alone.  Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Musician, mentor, and overall positive guy Mark Winters stops by to chat with Val about the importance of staying curious, learning music as an adult, and finding the bright spots when the world looks dark.  Check out Mark's Good Vibes Highway tour:  https://markwintersmusic.com/shows/ Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Have you ever entered a room and felt incredibly alone?  Was it because you felt you weren't worthy? Were you afraid to even open the door? Val chats about all of those social anxieties this week and offers tips on how to quell them. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

What is it really like to start a band in 2026?  DONT YOU DARE can tell you. They're in the middle of the fight right now.  Noah and Matt join Val for a conversation about Sacremento's metalcore roots, their journey in the music industry, and how they've learned to stay humble while along for the ride.  Get more DONT YOU DARE:  https://www.instagram.com/dyd.ca/?hl=en Get more Val at...

Zahna is an EARTH-SHATTERING VOICE that refuses to be silenced. Trust me, you'll hear all her highs, lows, cleans, and growls!  Val chats with solo artist Zahna about her journey in the music industry (in general and as a female), vocal techniques, her new music on the way, outfits, and her husband Nesdam . We cover it all! Get more Zahna: https://zahnaofficial.com/ Zahna Instagram: https://w...

Val chats with wellness expert Lane Kennedy about mindfulness and what are DNA can tell us about staying mentally healthy. Lane's journey began with an autoimmune diagnosis, leading her to a life free from alcohol and demonstrating the profound impact of mindful and nutritional choices on overall well-being. From bio-identical hormone therapy to the forefront of nutrigenomics, Lane's ded...

Val chats with Atara Glazer from Plastic Rhino about their new (MUCH heavier) single "Dark Horizon," their choice to stay independent, and their journey in the music industry. ___________________________________________________________________________________ STREAM THE SINGLE: https://open.spotify.com/track/2LRinVKgPQaiKySkTpFL04?si=aiVdP1jyR8S67lvB4HoUIA WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu....

Have you ever loved something so much… and then one day realized you hadn’t touched it in months? Val almost fell out of love with her hobby—and it scared her more than expected. In fact, sometimes, it’s an indicator that we're depressed and we've gotta try and do something about that. In this episode, Val shares her journey with her hobbies and how she found the joy in them again.  Get...

Music and media connoisseur Tori Kravtiz has been in the game as a pit reporter for Warped Tour and publicist for your favorite bands for a minute. If you were ever going to learn some tips and tricks on how to be succeed in either arena, she's the person the guide you - and that's exactly what this episode does.  Tori shares her journey making it in the music business and how she uses m...

Val shares where her head has been at lately while offering tips on how to navigate the very depressy winter we've been having. Hint: the key is believing you're worth fighting for. How Winter Affects Our Mood and Behavior | Scientific American Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Alex Sandra (Aleksandra Marshaniia) is a Georgian-American metalcore artist based between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Raised in a challenging, dysfunctional family environment, Alex turned to music early on, diving into nu-metal at just 15. This early start laid the foundation for her raw, emotionally intense style: think Wage War meets Lady Gaga.  Val and Alex Sandra chat new music on the way,...

Exhaustion isn’t proof of value — it’s often proof of imbalance. Val shares her personal observations on this topic while citing real world examples (including how exhausted Minnesota are by ICE at the moment).  She also offers tips on how to check yourself into better balance in your life. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

AI isn’t coming — it’s already here. It’s writing songs, cloning voices, finishing mixes, and even performing as “artists.” If music is the language of the soul… should we really let something without a soul speak for us? Val does a deep dive into the use of AI in music. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Can I be my own best friend? What happens when you become so bulletproof against outside opinions and external clutter that you've actually weaponized knowing your worth? Well vigorous ones, it's a beautiful place to be. The events in Minnesota this past week caused Val to explore ways to protect herself from the chaos and negativity that is inevitable in life. Come along as this former...

Genre-blending, playlists replacing scenes, and identity-less sound. What does it all mean? Does music need labels or do we? Val attempts to dive into how the lines blurred, who benefits, who loses, and why it feels confusing (and freeing) as a listener.  Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Ready for some ins and outs in 2026? These ones span daily interactions, fashion, music, and social commentary. Enjoy! Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

2026 is finally here! Val checks in with a full list of artists (new and old), tours, and announcements in music that you need to be paying attention to this year. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

We're ready to put 2025 to bed! Val shows up in her finest jammies and puts a bow on 2025 by dissecting the use of encores in live shows, recaps the year in a very general fashion (purely based on vibes), and shares hopes for 2026.  Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Val holds herself accountable in this episode, and explains how the didn't quite define Vigorously the right way when she first started working on it. This is the tale of the podcast itself, with tons of branding tips that allow you to dive into what works and what doesn't. This is the story of Vigorously. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/

Val looks back on a year in music (2025) that was ultimately a year of realignment, and an encouraging nudge toward reinvention. Music felt like a companion again, not content. It reminded us why we fell in love with music in the first place. Get more Val at https://valkleinhans.com/