Beijing-raised, NYC-based ASH releases an astoundingly haunting debut single ‘Infatuated’. ASH is set to make waves with her unique brand of alternative R&B with this sensational debut single. We talk to ASH around the incredible debut release…
Hey ASH! We absolutely love Infatuated here at Urbanista! It’s so good to talk to you.
Thank you so much for having me!
ASH, congratulations on your debut single ‘Infatuated’! Can you share the story behind the song and what inspired you to write it?
When I started writing music, I knew I had to use one song on my first project to sum up how I felt about my first love. Drawing from that emotion to make ‘Infatuated’ was my way of neatly packaging up that experience and being done with it.
Your song captures the intense emotions of first love and heartbreak. How did you translate those feelings into the haunting soundscapes and lyrics of ‘Infatuated’?
The whole mood of ‘Infatuated’ was built from that bassline. Something about it felt so heavy and devastating, I had to lean into it in the rest of the production. I wanted the melody to also reflect that sinking motion and so fitting the right lyrics to flow with that came pretty naturally.
You mentioned that ‘Infatuated’ was the first track you produced while teaching yourself how to produce music. What was that learning process like for you whilst creating this track and your whole upcoming EP?
The learning process has been super fulfilling. Producing my music is super important to the way I can express my sound to a fuller extent and it also gives my writing and performance a really personalized space to explore.
Your music blends elements of alternative R&B with influences from rock, indie, and neo-soul. Who are your biggest influences and how have they influenced your sound?
Some of my biggest influences are FKA twigs, Sade, and Frank Ocean. They all have such a rich sense of their own artistic expression that I find really inspiring. These artists are characterized by their delicate yet soulful sound and emotionally poetic lyricism, and they’ve been rich influences to me.
Growing up in an international community in Beijing and attending an Ivy League university, how have these diverse experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Growing up in Beijing surrounded by family is a core part of my identity, and being exposed to many different expressions of culture in an international community definitely enriched my connection with art and music from a young age. I feel like my university and graduate school experiences then helped me refine my skills, whether in music or life, and all these things make up the foundation for which I’m now building my career upon.
You’ve mentioned that you aim to present a cohesive artistic aesthetic through your debut project ‘Holding Water’. Can you give us a sneak peek into what listeners can expect from this upcoming EP?
Since it’s my debut project, ‘Holding Water’ will serve as a proper introduction to my work – like an entryway gallery of my sound, artistic voice, and creative skills. So each track has its own vibe to showcase a different side, but they’re still very much bringing you into my world cohesively.
As someone who writes, produces, and performs their own music, what advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out and looking to develop their own unique sound and artistic identity?
Trust your creative intuition. The more you can detect what feels right to you during the creative process, the more your authentic sound will develop. When what you create feels authentic, not only will you become more curious about how to evolve your sound, but others will also resonate with that energy.
Listen to Infatuated on SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
