Melanie Valera was part of a girl group cover band in her hometown of Bordeaux, France, before landing in Portland, Oregon and starting Tender Forever in 2005. On Soft and the Hardcore, which appeared later that year through K Records, Valera sang tender, personal songs about identity, relationships, and taking off your shirt, accompanying herself with simplistic acoustic guitar and laptop melodies. On 2007's Wider, Valera moved in a brighter synth pop direction that recalled labelmates the Blow, but by the time of 2010's No Snare, her music had taken on a darker, more polished sound. ~ Johnny Loftus