SAINT VALENTINE’S NEW EP TRANSJESTER IS A POETIC ODE TO SELF-DISCOVERY
It takes both guts and a talent for whimsy to be able to create a musical concoction of fantasy, reality, performance and truth. Luckily for listeners, Saint Valentine displays both of these gifts in their recent EP Transjester. Using folk-inspired instrumentals, orchestral accents and Saint Valentine’s warm, expressive alto tone, this EP tells the raw tale of self-discovery and freedom — a tale that doesn’t hide from the internal and external struggles that come with the emotional navigation of stepping into one’s true identity. Transjester is an enlightening introduction not just to Saint Valentine’s musical artistry, but to who they are as an individual.
The New Jersey-based drag king has continued to sustain their message of self-expression, community and connection within a space they’ve created, where queerness and vulnerability burn bright. Expanding their artistry into the realm of music in 2023, Saint Valentine draws from their background in theater to add a mythical, fable-like quality to their EP, while still conveying a deep sense of humanness.
TRANSJESTER
The listener is graciously welcomed to the world of “Transjester” with a whirlwind of orchestral ambiance, adding a personal flair from Saint Valentine’s experience as a performer. As the orchestra fades, in comes thick guitar strums and subtle tambourine hits, or for the imaginative people, the bells of a jester’s hat. These instrumentals pair beautifully with Saint Valentine’s vocal tone when they sink into the song’s deeper notes, bringing in an air of melancholy. The character of “Transjester” is a cleverly eye-opening metaphor for the journey of transgender and queer identity. There is an exploration of the desperate longing for the courage to live authentically despite social constraints, which the character of the King can represent, as Saint Valentine solemnly sings, “Do you ever notice how jesters never hold their heads low? / How ever when they’re sent to death they jingle as they go?”
The jester evolves into a symbol of liberation, a liberation in which the fallen king yearns for. The unfolding of this theme is further represented in the shifting choruses — “Lay me down in the tavern / Where God will grace my feet” later alternates to “Lay me down with the village / Where they can meet with me” — showing a growth from seeking divine acceptance to discovering belonging among real people. “Transjester” is a heart-twisting integration of a personal confession and a pounding anthem for self-acceptance.
THE GOOD
Opening with a low, thoughtful strumming beat, the second track glides into a quicker acoustic pace with a classic “one, two, three, four” signal, which only adds to the charm of the EP. With every soft, nostalgic note, “The Good” allows the listener to not only learn about the connection Saint Valentine had with this person, but also invites the listener to share the admiration with them. The lack of drums in this track was an effective decision, enveloping the song with a purely guitar-led backing that really cements the intimacy of the story.
Saint Valentine displays the safety of finding comfort in another person, a person who brings out your inner child and allows you to forget about the worries of the outside world, as they gently sing, “Adulthood is approaching so quickly / But it don’t feel like it when you’re with me”. As the song closes out with the heartfelt proclamation “You’re the good thing that happened to me / Just had to wait to be eighteen”, the listener is left feeling both reminiscent and grateful of their own personal connections.
LETTER TO A FRIEND
Jumping into the diary pages of Saint Valentine’s 14-year-old self, the next track is achingly raw. “Letter to a Friend” breathes an atmosphere of dark vulnerability, feeling as though Saint Valentine is singing from inside their emotions. With their smooth, flowy vocal tone, Saint Valentine echoes the frustration and self-reflection within the honest question of “Will I ever get better?” The weight of these words is felt even stronger when met with the sharp, quick strums of the acoustic guitar, giving moments to the listener to ask themselves the same.
Graphic by Paige Firsten (Crave Music Magazine)
Near the track’s ending, the instrumentals build and build, both in tempo and in the additions of instruments. It transforms into a guitar-heavy, drum-heavy, along with spirited scrapes of a güiro, catharsis, turning pain into release. “Letter to a Friend” is brutal in its openness, yet gentle in its execution. This contrast makes the listener feel safe, finding closure in the admission of someone who went through similar experiences and feelings growing up.
FALLEN
The bittersweet conclusion of the EP discovers a sense of power birthed from pain. “FALLEN” has a hauntingly intimate quality that crumbles any emotional walls that have been built, and the strong choice to record this song live with bare vocals only emphasizes this quality. Saint Valentine softly introduces the track with the stark confession, “I don’t think I was born / I think I was made,” setting the tone for a song that confronts gender identity, faith, and the pain that can come from growing up.
With authentically simple vocal and instrumental arrangements, “FALLEN” encapsulates the turmoil that can fester within a searching 18year-old before stepping into adulthood. As the listener gets more and more engrossed within the emotion of the song, they are met with Saint Valentine’s real and honest belts, ones that spill over with shameless feeling that act as liberation.This track can be a reflection of a fallen angel grappling with religion and queer identity and by the final declaration — “I’m ready to be free” — it’s clear that there was no better way to close out the voyage of self-acceptance that was this EP.
Transjester is more than just four tracks packaged together — it’s a testament to how despite the heaviness and weariness that may come from one’s own journey of self-discovery, there is comfort and hope to be found within community and expression. Every track stands alone as a symbol of growth and identity, while still holding the ability to effortlessly weave together to portray phases in which people find themselves. From the King’s internal plea for freedom to the gentle nostalgia of connection, teenage torment, and the final hope that shines when finding your true identity. Saint Valentine refuses to shy away from truth, and with Transjester this fact only further invites listeners to discover their own freedom within it.
Keep up with Saint Valentine:
Website / Spotify / Apple Music / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube
