Text graphic that says "USED TO BE VALENTINES" with a heart symbol replacing the letter A in "VALENTINES".

Used to Be Valentines blends the urgency of late ’90s pop punk with the emotional weight of 2000s emo and alternative rock, pairing soaring vocal hooks, massive drums, and melodic guitar riffs with lyrics about missed chances, sleepless nights, overanalyzed texts, and memories that never fully let go. Their debut album, The Good Years, explores reckless youth, longing, and the romantic chaos of “what if,” while the upcoming follow-up, Growing Pains, turns inward — confronting nostalgia, accountability, identity, and the difficult process of moving forward. Known for high-energy live shows that balance emotional vulnerability with explosive performance, Used to Be Valentines creates music for the healers, the spiralers, and anyone still learning how to let go without losing themselves.

VIDEOS

PAST SHOWS

A man with light brown hair, a beard, and wearing orange earplugs is smiling and making a rock and roll hand gesture. Next to him is a woman with short black hair, wearing a dark gray T-shirt with city names on it, smiling and also making a rock and roll hand gesture. They are posing together indoors, in front of a dark background.
Two men standing close together in a rustic indoor setting. The man on the left has a beard, glasses, and is wearing a black t-shirt and a black cap. The man on the right has a beard, is smiling, and is wearing a light-colored t-shirt. They appear to be enjoying a casual gathering, with a wooden wall and some hats hanging in the background.
Two men standing indoors; one with light-colored hair, wearing a white T-shirt with black text and white pants, looking down at a phone, and the other with dark hair, tattoos on their arm, wearing a black T-shirt, holding a small object, smiling and looking at the first man.

Used to Be Valentines has earned recognition beyond the local scene—most notably as a band supported by Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray—while staying deeply committed to community and purpose. The band performed a Gilman Benefit Concert in support of families affected by ICE and continues to organize benefit shows for causes they believe in under the banner Open Your Eyes Open Your Hearts. Alongside their advocacy work, Used to Be Valentines is dedicated to creating their own destination events, including the Used to Be Valentines Winter Formal and an annual Valentine’s Day show, turning their music into meaningful, can’t-miss experiences. Niels Sorensen and Rachel Lynch co-lead the band’s creative direction, with Niels writing the songs while personally designing all event flyers, merchandise, and album artwork, and Rachel shaping the band’s visual world through its videography, photography, and overall creative direction—together making Used to Be Valentines a fully self-built, artist-driven project from sound to story to visuals.

HIGHLIGHTS