Ashley, the new and up-coming pop girl has had a kick-start to her music
career after performing as a support act for Katy Perry’s latest Animal Tour.
She’s the newest success to the pop music industry, after making the charts
with her hit single ‘Rubber Ducks’.
I have
always been a lover of music, forever dancing and singing along to songs as a
kid and admiring the stars on telly, I always remember telling my mum how one
day I will make it somewhere in music – I had a real passion for music. Once I
got my hands on musical instruments I couldn’t go a day without playing,
whether it was practising or coming up with someone new. Obviously, as a child
my parents hated it because it was ear-burning to listen to as you can imagine.
However, having attended a school that was a music academy, this enabled me to
show off my given talent and gain confidence in front of crowds. This prepared
me for all sorts of little town concerts, festivals and open nights, and it was
from these practices where I got lucky in having the opportunity to take it a
step further. As they say, it’s who you know not what you know. There were
people in the crowds that loved me and had connections with workers in the
musical industry that would get me somewhere through signing me up on a solo
record deal.
What are your ambitions?
From a very early age I wanted to be a performing music artist, and it
was the teenage years where reality hit me and gave me the impression that I
would never be anything famous, but to stick to my small performances where I
could still do what I always loved. Whereas today it is to make a number one
hit single, even if it takes me 10 years and lasts a week, that is enough for
me. I couldn’t be happier with where I am today.
What has been your most memorable moment so far?
The moment I was told my song had made the charts. I
wouldn’t have cared even if it was to number 49 I would have been happy still,
but to be told it made it to number 19 made me feel as though I have achieved
something. I mean I enjoyed the recording of the video but this just topped it
off and made it all worthwhile, and I have been told it is still climbing.
How do you start writing a song?
Song writing is always fun, but hard work and frustrating
too. You have to work out how many syllables you can fit on one line, whether
it rhymes, if it is catchy and if it is good enough! I always start with
something random and see if it works, like what else is pop music about? I love
the bubbliness and quirkiness you create through words and a beat. However sometimes it can be a story which I
find is the easiest way to come up with lyrics, and has a bigger effect on
people as it has meaning or relation to, not just some random words thrown
together!
How did you come up with the song ‘Rubber Ducks’?
As random as it sounds this song came from one of my many
weird obsessions! I don’t know why but I have always had a love for
rubber ducks! I just find them so bright and cute in an eccentric way. Like why
wouldn’t you love rubber ducks? So really the lyrics come from my love for
rubber ducks, I did do some further research to see if anything could fit in
and work as part of the lyrics. I think every pop artist has to have that one
weird song where people just think how do you come up with this? And for me a
love for rubber ducks has made me song that fans seem to love, which also
allows me to have fun and enjoy a really upbeat and crazy music video.
Why do you name your showbiz self as ‘Ashley’ and not the spelling you
were born with?
To be
honest I use it for a label, personally I think Ashley looks more simplistic
than Ashleigh. Plus it gives me a different way of how people perceive me. As
much as I want to be one person, when you hit showbiz and the publicity of the
music industry, you have your side that is presented in the media and then your
side of how you are without the fame, and I like to separate these. Plus when I
get notifications or information, depending on how my name is spelt I know
which side of me it is for.
Ashley’s new album ‘This Is Me’ is available to pre-order now on iTunes
for £6.99, and available in stores from January 16th.
Interview text and photographs taken by Natasha Hares
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