BURN THIS RECORDS RELEASES COMEDIAN ANNA VALENZUELA’S DEBUT ALBUM ‘MURDERPUSS’
Valenzuela’s comedy milestone coincides with end of her reproductive era
LOS ANGELES — Burn This Records is thrilled to be pushing out Anna Valenzuela’s firstborn comedy album, Murderpuss. Valenzuela labored for 9 years, 9 months in the Los Angeles comedy scene before letting her favorite material out into the world. That’s joke material, by the way.
“Why did I wait 9 years and 9 months to release my debut album?” Valenzuela asked. “That was me trying to be clever. I wanted to put out an album I’m proud of. With all the ups and downs of my life and the world at large, it took that long for me to complete it.”
A SoCal native who grew up just outside San Luis Obispo, Valenzuela quickly gained attention in the local Los Angeles comedy scene. Within two years, she earned a spot on Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, beating out several seasoned roasters to make her TV debut.
“My career took off quickly, but was immediately punctuated by women’s health issues,” says Valenzuela, who dealt with multiple reproductive health issues throughout her comedic rise, culminating in a full hysterectomy. “Since then, I’ve traveled the world to hone my craft as a comedian and cultivate the material for an alum I am truly proud of. To mark the end of my reproductive era, I present my firstborn album, Murderpuss.”
Valenzuela chose to get outside of her LA comfort zone to record Murderpuss in Fort Collins, CO. On a late November day in 2023, she took the stage to celebrate the culmination of all her hard work, which includes 21 years of sobriety.
Murderpuss, she says, is a story in three parts with the goal of connection. The first third covers her “rough and tumble humble beginnings” featuring jokes and stories about getting sober, family, and education. The second portion takes a journey through Valenzuela’s dating history, which she describes as “wildly unlucky.” The final piece of the album deals with women’s health issues as seen through the male gaze of the U.S. healthcare system.
“My humor comes from that moment where you have to laugh because if not you might cry,” Valenzuela says. “I want to empathize and commiserate with my audience. I love when folks approach me after a show and say, “That happened to me!,” “I’m also sober too!” or “Those jokes were medically accurate!” I hope that people feel less alone through their own life’s struggles listening to my jokes.”
Burn This Records founder and president Brandie Posey saw many of the hallmarks she looks for in a Burn This artist in Valenzuela.
“Anna’s funny, gutsy, honest, hardworking, DIY, and a blast to hang out with,” Posey said. “She fits right in with the label’s mission of community in comedy. Neither of us believe in the scarcity mindset that comedians often tear each other down with, and Anna lives that abundance as a value so well. Plus, she cracks my ass up.”
Valenzuela has worked some of the toughest rooms not only as a comedian but throughout her various survival jobs as an LA tour guide, treatment center employee, trolley driver, in-home health aide, and more.
“I know people are going to love Anna and Murderpuss because I’ve seen her win over crowds all over the country for years now,” Posey said. “She gets them all, from oil tycoons in a speakeasy in West Texas to a packed punk festival, Anna knows who she is and audiences gravitate to her authenticity.”
Murderpuss will be available for presale 9/9 and available everywhere 9/20.
Photo credit: Rae Mystic
About Burn This Records: Burn This Records was founded in 2023 by comedian, podcaster & producer Brandie Posey to create equity among artists by aiding in the production & distribution of comedy albums written & performed by some of the most original, hilarious voices you have or haven’t heard of yet. You can find long form interviews with each comic to accompany their album release on Burn This Podcast. In addition to full length albums, Burn This Records also produces the “Burn This” compilation series, where 20+ comedians come together on the same topic & “burn” their jokes for charity. Past compilations include Burn This Election which raised $5k for RAINN & Burn This Pandemic currently raising money for SELAH. Follow the label on Instagram @burnthisrecords for the most up-to-date release schedule.
About Anna Valenzuela: Anna Valenzuela has a radiant smile that's wonderfully at odds with her dark material. A trained black belt, she's fought her way to the top of LA's competitive stand-up scene with sheer force of will and killer jokes. She can easily roast the audience, other comics, and herself with equal aplomb. Anna's skills earned her a spot on Comedy Central's Roast Battle, where she emotionally destroyed her opponents while maintaining her balance in kitten heels.
Her warm nature draws audiences in, and her expertly crafted bits keep them coming back for more. She's in-demand in LA and out of state, having been featured at the Fest, (FL), Altercation Comedy Fest (TX), Limestone Comedy Festival (IN), and High Plains Comedy Fest (CO) and also makes regular appearances at The Comedy Store and the Improv. Accolades have come from other comedians too, Jackie and Laurie featured Anna as Comic of the Week on their wildly popular podcast. As much in demand for her opinions as her jokes, Anna's appeared on Fangirling streaming on Nerdist.