Valerie Sassyfras Listens to Her Fans

In a new video interview, the one-woman act tells of changing a song title to suit fans better.

Valerie Sassyfras is an acquired taste. The one-woman show frequently features her accompanying herself on accordion with rudimentary, DIY backing tracks to fill in just enough of the blanks. She has played Cajun music, country music, but nothing on her new album, Sassquake!, sounds like either. She has played a standing gig at the Piccadilly, and she currently plays Thursdays at 5 p.m. at Lebanon’s Cafe, Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at Maple Street Cafe, and Sundays at Bistro Orleans from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As a solo artist, Sassyfras brings a buoyancy to her performance that’s charming if seemingly out of left field. She has the bubbly self-confidence of a middle school student council president, which is all the more intriguing because she’s no longer in middle school. Late this summer, she opened for Boyfriend at Tipitina’s, and these days she’s finding her following among indie rock fans at Gasa Gasa and Bywater bars. Her positivity raises the question, Is she for real? 

When Vincent Kanyan interviewed her recently, he came away thinking she was. The artists who shaped her music aren’t the ones you might expect, and Sassyfras is more practical than you might expect. Her years in show biz are obvious in some ways and a complete surprise in others.

Valerie Sassyfras will play a Halloween part at the Old Point Bar Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m., and on Saturday at 3 p.m. she’ll perform her new album, Sassquake! at Louisiana Music Factory Saturday at 3 p.m.