ASH is an artist whose music transcends traditional boundaries, creating a sound that's as unique as it is captivating. Drawing from her rich cultural heritage and classical music education, she fuses elements of R&B, rock, indie, and neo-soul to craft a sonic universe that's entirely her own. Her work is more than just music—it's a complete artistic experience. From the melody to the mise-en-scène, ASH's creative vision is a cohesive masterpiece, with her music videos serving as vibrant extensions of her songs, each rendered in striking Technicolor. Her powerful vocals, coupled with intricate instrumental arrangements, bring her lyrics to life, resonating deeply with listeners and making each word feel profoundly relevant.
ASH, your music blends alternative R&B with elements of rock, indie, and neo-soul. How do you navigate combining these diverse genres into a cohesive sound?
It’s not really such a conscious decision, to combine these genres, but more that it’s the music that has had the most potent influence on me and my artistic expression. I just try to make music that I like and that inevitably ends up being a mix of the music that I resonate with most as an individual.
Your latest single, ‘Reverse Psychology,’ dives into complex emotions and relationships. Can you share more about the inspiration behind this song and the message you hope to convey?
I think we all want to try our best in relationships to make things work and a big part of that is being honest about what you want and taking at face value what other people say they want. But when they turn that on its head as a manipulation tactic, it makes you question if you can trust your judgment in the relationship and that’s super dangerous, even when they say the intention was to keep you.
You’re known for being highly involved in every aspect of your music, from writing and producing to directing your music videos. What drives you to be so hands-on in your creative process?
I feel like I’m finding the right balance between wanting to do everything myself and outsourcing for the things that would be better to outsource. At the end of the day, I just care a lot about the final product translating in a way that feels natural to me so naturally I will want to be super involved in as much of the process as I can. But I’ve also learned so much from the collaborations that I’ve had and want to have more collaborative experiences so like I said it’s a balance.
Raised in Beijing and now based in New York City, how have your diverse cultural and geographical experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I’m really grateful for having grown up in my hometown while also having a really international experience and being exposed to arts and culture from all around the world. I feel like it showed me how endless the possibilities are which I think gives me a lot of room to create from so many sources of inspiration while having deep roots in my own identity.
You’ve mentioned that you taught yourself multiple instruments in your teenage years. How has this self-taught background shaped your approach to songwriting and production?
I’ve never really thought about it like that but having a self-taught background has definitely shaped my approach to songwriting and production and learning new skills now. I feel like it really helps me form a good relationship with each practice because it’s built on me being focused on teaching myself the skill rather than just how well I can perform if that makes sense. When I don’t know how to do something that I need to express myself best, I just have a strong need to go and figure out how to do it, and I think that’s what drives me to try to teach myself whatever I need to make the music sounds the best to me.
Your debut single ‘Infatuated’ was well-received. How did the success of this track impact your approach to ‘Reverse Psychology’? Did it change your creative process in any way?
I actually had already finished all the music on the upcoming project before releasing ‘Infatuated’, but for the video, I definitely wanted to use the visuals for ‘Reverse Psychology’ to show another side of me as an artist. The ‘Infatuated’ video was more of an introduction to my visual world and the next video will be a dance video so I’m super excited about that!
Balancing academic pursuits with your musical career must have been challenging. How did your education at the University of Pennsylvania and The New School shape your development as an artist?
I do think that I really used those experiences to gain a lot of skills, both professionally and in life. I spent my undergrad studying marketing and communications and worked in creating graphic content for other artists so when it came to doing it for myself I felt like I had a good foundation to build on. Grad school was just cool to be in an environment focused on making music and I used that structure to help drive the creation of the upcoming project. It was a good time in my career to have deadlines honestly.
‘Reverse Psychology’ captures a sense of desperation and heartbreak. How do you channel these intense emotions into your music, and what role does vulnerability play in your songwriting?
I usually start all my songs from the instrumental composition first before I really write any words to them so I can just focus on creating an emotion first before trying to put words to it. Vulnerability is such a core part of this process as it requires me to really open up emotionally and listen to how I can channel it creatively.
You’ve worked with Grammy-award-winning mixing engineer Jeff Ellis on your forthcoming EP. How did his involvement influence the final sound of your project?
When I had sent the EP to Jeff, it was pretty raw and dry with almost no effects on the tracks so he really brought out all the emotion in them through the mixing. He also talks about working from a place of tuning into the emotional aesthetic being the most important part so he was really able to get what I was going for each track, which made it such a great collaboration.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for your music career? Are there any particular goals or collaborations you’re excited about as you continue to make your mark on the global stage?
I’m really excited to just keep creating and making music. I’ve started working on my next project and it’s been really cool learning about myself as an evolving artist. I know the right people will resonate with my art at the right time so I’m just trusting the process and continuing to create. I hope to do more live performances as well both in the city and back home in Beijing and continue to meet more artists to collaborate with all around the world.
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