Vigorously with Val Kleinhans
Welcome to Vigorously with Val Kleinhans—a podcast that shares thoughtful conversations with guests and solo reflections centered around navigating life with effort, energy, and enthusiasm.
Hosted by media personality and style maven Val Kleinhans, this show celebrates those who live life out loud. This is a podcast exploring the intersection of music, culture, and personal growth through thoughtful, engaging conversation. Episodes feature in-depth interviews with artists and industry professionals, and solo discussions that reflect on creativity, mental health, and the experiences that shape who we are.
With a balance of insight, honesty, and curiosity, Val offers a distinctive perspective on both the entertainment world and everyday life. From navigating emotional challenges to sharing behind-the-scenes stories, Vigorously creates space for meaningful dialogue without losing its sense of authenticity.
For listeners seeking both substance and personality, Vigorously with Val Kleinhans delivers conversations that are as reflective as they are engaging.
New episodes drop weekly—let’s live vigorously.
Inquiries: val.kleinhans@gmail.com
Episodes
183 episodes
Crying at Buffalo Wild Wings & Rating Rockstars I’ve Met
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 regulatin...
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34:54
Veronica Bordacchini on Growing Up Italian, Fleshgod Apocalypse & 00s Gaming Nostalgia
Veronica Bordacchini of @FleshgodApocalypse stops by to talk their upcoming spring tour in the US. Val and Veronica get deep about growing up Italian, while shari...
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1:00:42
Because I Got Sued …Free Speech, The Afroman Way
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 mea...
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32:13
Kenny Hickey Reveals Type O Negative Studio Secrets & the Rise of SUN DONT SHINE
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 i...
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39:41
The Kelly Osbourne Comments Have Gone Too Far
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 bo...
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25:31
Mark Winters on Curiosity, Aerospace Engineering & Songwriting with Good Vibes
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 <...
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47:57
How to Get Social When You’re Afraid To
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....
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23:05
DONT YOU DARE on Sacramento’s Metalcore Roots and the Reality of Starting Out
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, thei...
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50:05
Zahna on Brian “Head” Welch, Marriage, and Surviving the Music Industry
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 fema...
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48:59
Lane Kennedy's Mindset: Mindful Intention, Your DNA, and What It Can Teach You
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...
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38:20
Plastic Rhino Reveal a New Sound and Heavier Horizons
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._______________________________________________________...
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25:44
I Almost Fell Out of Love with My Hobby
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...
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22:40
Tori Kravitz on Warped Tour and Succeeding in Music and Media
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 eithe...
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37:45
A Winter Menty B
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.
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33:13
Alex Sandra on Navigating Crisis and the Immigration Process
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 ju...
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25:14
Exhaustion Is Not a Flex
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 ...
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27:25
AI in Music Is Here… But Should We Let It Stay?
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 i...
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26:43
Weaponize Knowing Your Worth
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 Min...
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27:23
Are Music Genres Even Real Anymore?
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...
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27:15
Ins and Outs for 2026
Ready for some ins and outs in 2026? These ones span daily interactions, fashion, music, and social commentary. Enjoy!
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41:00
Music to Watch (and Listen For) in 2026
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.
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32:47
Encore!
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.
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29:22
I Defined “Vigorously” the Wrong Way
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 int...
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31:45