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Ashley and Skyler began working on original songs, such as “operator”, her first single in Los Angeles at Paramount Recording Studios and Kissame Recording.
She is currently finishing
up her music video for her second single “2 say 2 U".
Read our interview below with Ashley..........
You were discovered
on YouTube. What was that like?
It was such a cool
experience. I started off just putting cover songs on YouTube because it was
what I loved to do and I was getting such positive feedback. When I was
contacted, it felt so surreal. I've heard of things like this happening to
other people but I never thought it would happen to me.
What inspired your
passion for music and who has been there supporting you from the
beginning?
Ever since I was a little
girl singing has always been my passion. Since my mother was always playing
music in the house and singing, it became an everyday thing for me. At night
before bed, I would sing with my older sister who I shared a room with & we
would sing songs until we fell asleep, and this became a routine. I later
realized how much I enjoyed performing and singing, I wanted to make it a
career. Since then my parents have been by my side each and every step of the
way along with my family members and close friends.
What was your first
single about?
Operator is my first
single & it was made in the hopes that people would be able to just jam out
and enjoy it. It's meant to be a fun, upbeat, feel-good song. Especially for girls my
age.
Do you write your own
lyrics?
I wrote my song "2
say 2 U" which is my new single. The video to that will be released in the
next couple of weeks so make sure to stay tuned!
Was music always an
important part of family life? Did your parents play instruments and/or sing?
Music was always being
played though out my household. No matter what was going on, music was being
played. Although my parents did not play any instruments, they were always
singing and having karaoke nights were a regular thing for us.
What kind of music did
you grow up listening to? Was the focus on a particular area of music or on
many?
I grew up listening to
all different types of music. I would listen to songs from the 70s-90s,
country, rap, R&B, pop, indie, you name it. I wanted to expose myself to as
many types of music as I could.
How did growing up in
Brooklyn influence you as a person and your music?
Even though I grew up in
Brooklyn, I barely spent any of my time here. I always went to school far from
my home. Most of my time is spent in Manhattan. I was always being exposed to
different types of people which allowed for me to be exposed to different types
of music.
Apart from your own
experiences, who or what else has had a major influence on your music?
A lot of my favorite
artists have been great influences on my music and the way in which I sing. For
example, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Whitney Houston, Bruno
Mars, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and Selena. Also, a lot of
Broadway shows have influenced me greatly.
You have teamed up
with producer Skyler Lexx. How was it working with him?
It's such a great
experience. I'm able to do the things that I wouldn't be able to do on my own.
Skyler Lexx makes everything much more fun and worth while. Over all, I've had such a great experience.
Are you planning to
release an album anytime soon? Do you have any other musical projects?
I do plan on releasing an
album in the near future but as of right now, nothing is definite. I'm
definitely trying to come out with a few more songs and music videos.
Who have you always
dreamt of working with and why?
I've always dreamt of
working with some of my favorite artists like Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.
Since I grew up listening to them it would be such an honor.
Do you think people
are more receptive to artists taking new directions now?
I personally believe so.
If an artist is serious, then they should be taken serious.
From your experience
so far, what have you found to be most challenging? And how are you
dealing with it?
I believe that time
management is the most difficult for me right now. Since I'm 17 years old and
in my junior year of high school, I often find myself having to find a way to
balance out my studies and the responsibilities I have as a recording artist.
I've found that keeping a planner helps keeps me organized and on track with
what I need to be doing. 
What do you like to
do when you're not working?
When I'm not in the
studio, I like to listen to music and just relax. I love to read so I often
find myself in a really great book or writing down any new ideas that come to
mind. I try to stay active, so I'll maybe go to the park with my little brother
and niece and do activities or do other things like watching movies.
Do you have any
advice for young musicians?
Stay strong and keep
reaching for your goal. I know that as a young musician, things may become hard
and like it's all happening to fast but if you just take a moment to breathe
and take things at your own pace, everything will be fine. Also, don't feed in
to the haters and whatever irrelevant comments that they may have because at
the end of the day while they're hating on you and what you do, you're the one
who will succeed and be able to say that you've achieved your goal. Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..
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