Global R&B star ASH is making waves with her EP Holding Water. Born in Beijing, and trained in classical piano the age of four the soulful singer songwriter was destined for a high flying career in business before the pandemic sent her back to her first love – music.
She shares her story with Entertainment Now.
How did your musical project first start? Is there a story to tell about it?
I always loved music and performing since I was a kid, but never considered it a feasible path to pursue so I was on a more corporate/business route academically and professionally. When the pandemic hit at the end of my third year of college, I finally had time to rest and reflect, and it allowed me to notice that I had been betraying and ignoring myself by trying to fit into places that I knew didn’t fulfill me. That’s when I first taught myself production and tried writing original music and it brought me such an immense clarity and sense of purpose. I went back to finish my last year, applied and got accepted into music school, and have been committed to music ever since. I’ve never felt so aligned with myself.
What was your first gig?
I believe my first gig was singing in a local talent competition at home. I was ten and it wasn’t connected to my school at all, but I somehow found it and signed myself up for it. I practiced on my own at home for weeks then asked my mom to take me the day of. I ended up winning second place after a high schooler. I think that really sparked a passion in me at that age and I became more involved in performing any chance I could, often accompanying myself on piano or guitar, eager to continue expressing myself in this way.
What three words best describe your musical style and why?
I’d say moody, intimate, and encompassing. My music is driven by a core emotion that I then build out into a world of its own so it really envelops you in a specific mood or state of mind.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Some of the biggest musical influences are FKA twigs, Sade, and Frank Ocean.
Tell us about your new release.
Holding Water is my very first project as an artist so it really calcifies my journey through some of my earliest experiences in life. Each song in the project releases an old knot of something I’d been holding onto in my mind and body. In processing my experiences through music making, I learned that letting go of my need for emotional control was the only thing that could create the mental clarity I craved. Holding Water illustrates this notion of transience and acceptance of emotion’s everflowing nature.
What inspires your lyrics?
I use my music as a means of reflecting on and processing my life experiences, which allows me to be open and honest about the lessons I’ve learned from them. In my lyrics, I try to relay those lessons while also painting the emotional process I went through to get there. My writing is like therapeutically analyzing my emotions in a journal.
Do you have any upcoming tour dates?
Not yet, but I’m going to be back home in China doing a press tour for the EP release. We’re stopping in Chengdu, Shanghai, and Beijing where I’ll be holding listening parties, performing, and attending other media events.
What are you/your band working on next?
I’ve still got some visuals lined up for this project that I hope to share soon! After my press tour in China, I also plan to perform more of this project back in the U.S., especially around NYC. Beyond that, I’ve actually almost finished my next little project that I can’t wait to share with everyone next year!
Listen here:
