AshleYYY | We Create Music TV Interview
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by B. Vaughan with We Create Music TV. This was a fun interview, I was able to be authentically ME! ??? Hope you guys enjoy it!
ashleyyy-music
AshleYYY | Voyage ATL Interview
Today we’d like to introduce you to AshleYYY.
Thanks for sharing your story with us AshleYYY. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Let me just cut to the chase & give you the pivotal moments. =)
I remember sitting on the swing, singing Aaliyah’s “Back & Forth” with my best friend, on the swing set next to me. It was that day I made up in my mind that I wanted to be a Singer. That was 2nd grade.
For years, I performed in my room. My mother could not get me to sing in front of the family. I was too shy & too scared. Music videos were my training. I taught myself how to move. It wasn’t until my junior year in high school, at a random house party; that I bust out dancing – and SHOWED OUT! Everyone was amazed. I was shocked, I had finally done it!
I took that same zeal into my college career. Everyone knew me as “the Dancer.” I had finally given myself PERMISSION to be just that. Postgrad, I continued teaching & performing as a dancer. I also began doing lots of karaoke. That too was my training.
One early morning, I traveled to Illinois with my buddies to audition for a new TV show, “The X-Factor.” I made it to the next round & had to stay an extra night, by myself. I wasn’t picked, though. I cried in the taxi cab on the way back to the train station. I promised myself that if I wasn’t gonna be on TV, I had to post my very first YouTube video, singing.
Once I shared my videos, I received so much love & support from friends & family. I was relieved. Happy. Again, I had finally done it! Not too long after, an acquaintance of mine reached out and asked, “Have you ever thought about a singing career?” My response was, “Yes! All the time! Lol” That same person became my manager, mentor & one of my biggest supporters. Here I am, eight years later, still actually DOING what I love the most! I AM a Singer. It took me a long time to start walking in my gifts. I thank God for every experience that has got me to this place. As much as it tries to creep back up, I REFUSE to let fear stop me from living all of my dreams & being successful doing it!
Has it been a smooth road?
Hell no. (oops!) I believe my biggest obstacle has been me vs me. It’s very easy to see exactly what I want in my mind, but then another to actually DO alllll of those things, and figure out HOW to put them into action. I’ve learned that my same bad habits as a child & student have stayed with me throughout my adulthood. Once that “high” is gone or I’ve accomplished something and think I’m in a good place, it’s then on ME to push myself further. It’s on ME to not get complacent. It’s on ME to not procrastinate, to not look around at everyone else, to set my OWN timeline, get out of my head, motivate myself along the way, and EXECUTE!
Nobody really teaches you how to be an entrepreneur. I’ve been so accustomed to going to school (doing homework, reporting to a teacher) and working a job (clocking in, reporting to a hire up). As annoying as all of that was/still is, it has been my norm. So then, to be the face of my own brand and have to delegate those same tasks to MYSELF becomes a conflict when I’ve trained myself to move a different way, unconsciously. I can’t wait around for someone to give me a task anymore! Ha! So, the challenge is relearning. The challenge is self-discipline. The challenge is to change my way of thinking, know exactly what I want (and don’t want), practice great habits, execute every goal & repeat until it becomes my new norm.
My Lord.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a recording artist. =) I’m a singer, songwriter & dancer. (Hence the 3 “Y’s” in my name.) I believe I’m best known for my showmanship! I SHINE when I am on stage. I pride myself on stage presence and being able to sing live & dance at the same time. My goal is for every show to be better than the last. People are definitely attracted to the way I move. I specialize in hip hop & improvisation. I have a minor in Dance and 14+ years of experience as a dancer/performer.
I have to say I’m very proud of myself as a songwriter. I had no idea I’d be writing my own songs. I just knew I wanted to sing! I find I’m the most vulnerable when I write my thoughts down. The beautiful thing about music is that I can tell all of my truth, but in an artistic way that feels somewhat, safe enough to share with the world. Then when I hit the stage, I gotta be in tune with every emotion all over again.
I believe I stand out as an artist because I bring all of those skills together to then showcase. And I do it very well. Praise God.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
Music =) Right now, I’m putting my next project together. I’m antsy, excited (and overwhelmed) just thinking about the release! Haha. In between time, I will continue hosting my dance classes! I really enjoy being a choreographer and teaching others not just dance, but also confidence/stage presence.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AshleYYY.com
- Phone: 414-208-4694
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/AshleYYYMusic
- Facebook: Facebook.com/AshleYYYMusic
- Twitter: Twitter.com/AshleYYYMusic
- YouTube: YouTube.com/AshleYYYMusic
Image Credit:
Edward Griffin
See The Full Interview Here: Voyage ATL.
Welcome Back!
HEY WORLD!! Oh how I’ve missed you! 🙂 If you’re reading this, WELCOME BACK to a new & improved AshleYYY.com and Thank You for being here. We are already half way through 2017! Omg. I’m so glad the hot weather is here… now I just need to go shopping for the appropriate attire. (I’m still in sweatpants and jeans. Smh.)
WHAT’S NEW?
Well, the last 5 months have been very interesting to say the least lol, and definitely full of new experiences. My birthday is at the top of the year, so I always have lots to reflect on. Prior to my birthday, I was reminded just how effective it is to write down your greatest heart’s desires. So the night before my birthday, I wrote a letter to myself. I wrote down all of the things I wanted, desired to be, where I want to go, and what I want to see in my life. As my thoughts kept flowing, I began to write in present tense, as if everything had already come to completion. I was claiming things as though they were. It felt good. It left me with a greater sense of hope & more to look forward to this year.
Believe it or not, I started to see some of those very things come to fruition. It was awesome! But my work wasn’t done. Faith without works is dead; right? We can ask God for something all day, but if we don’t put our faith into action, then we’re just waiting on Him to do all of the work, when we have to do our part, too! I believe God will give you what you ask Him for, but it comes with a price. Not only will you have to challenge yourself & do things that you’ve Never Done Before, but you’ll also be responsible for what it is He’s given you.
“We change our desires by changing what we give our attention to.”
For a while, I was in a bit of a transition/trying/learning phase, both professionally & personally. Now I find myself feeling more at peace. I feel more confident & optimistic about the decisions I’ve made, my goals, and opportunities I’ve committed to. Every so often I have to go back and read what I wrote out loud… or stop and take a look at what I put on the vision board hanging in my bedroom. I gotta keep what I want before my eyes and on my lips. So when you see me posting all these scriptures & quotes, it’s not just to help motivate you, but to push myself as well! In due time, I’ll be able to reveal what’s in the works & share more of my experiences with you all. For now, let’s just say… my mind is at ease, I’m still smiling, I’m putting the work in & expecting God to show out! 🙂 Yasss!!
NEW MUSIC?
My Lord… Ya’ll just don’t know how much I am ITCHING to share these new sounds with you! I’ve been in a creative space for months and still going. I’m taking my time. I don’t know how long it will take me to complete, but I REFUSE to get off track. I am striving for perfection and can’t wait until it’s ready to reveal. In the meantime, let’s jam out to some familiar tunes, shall we?…
COVERS
“Steal from the best, but make it your own.” -Tyra Banks
I decided to add some spice to Drake’s “Fake Love” and totally rEmiX “T-Shirt” by Migos. Now the latter song is special to me because it comes from a real place. I remember listening to the original song and being so captivated by the melodies and the repetition of the lyrics, “Mama told me.” As I sat at my dining room table ready to write, those lyrics started to stick with me. I wanted to take those words and elaborate on what it really means to listen & learn from your mother. So I wrote my own version and titled it, “Mama Told Me.” Big shout-out to ALL the mothers handlin’ they business E-VER-RY-DAY! Thank You Mama.
VIDEOS?
“Always find a way to do what you love the most.”
I’ve been creating more frequently! (I’m so proud
) Not only is it fun to just be able to sing & dance to all of my favorite songs, but I also enjoy spending time on the presentation of it all. I just have a ball editing videos! Lol I don’t have a studio in my home (yet!), nor do I rent studio space every time I want to dance, so I create from home. I think sometimes limitations force you to be creative. 🙂 Check out some of my latest work HERE. Follow me on Instagram for fun snippets & motivation! And please don’t hesitate to send me your requests! I love a challenge.
COUNT ME IN!
As always, I am grateful for all of you who continue to support me. If you are a newbie, Welcome! I’m happy to have you. Be sure to Subscribe HERE for everything AshleYYY… music, blogs, merch, events, AshleYYY Diaries & more! Thank You for being a part of this journey… Let’s ride!!
“Be Thankful. Choose To Be Positive. Keep Smiling. Be Kind. Walk In Your Purpose. Do The Work. Speak What Does Not Yet Exist & Expect Greatness!“
Love,
~AshleYYY
AshleYYY Puts Her Spin On “FLEX” By Rich Homie Quan! [AUDIO]
Good Evening World!
How ya’ll doing?! …I hope all is well and everybody is starting their week off riight! As mentioned in a previous post, my team & I were on a much needed break. During that time I had the opportunity to at attend a beautiful wedding reception, plus visit family & friends in the Midwest. Praise God to be able to travel. Once I got back to Atlanta, it was bAcK2Bi’ness! lol Last night we hit the stage at the Music Room for “The Xperience” R&B/Hip Hop concert. If you missed out, no worries. I have two more shows this weekend! It don’t stop. 🙂
“Now back to the lesson at hand…”
So I don’t enjoy listening to the radio all the time because a lot of the rap music sounds the same and I can’t always relate to the subj
ect matter. However, there are times when a song will catch my attention & pull me in. I will admit Rich Homie Quan’s “Flex” did just that. lol I love how catchy the hook is and the music itself.
One day I was playing around with the instrumental and started thinking how I could turn this song around, lyrically. I wanted something sassy, something I could relate to, yet still keep it fun & catchy by utilizing the original melodies…
“Walked on the stage, mic in my hand, don’t speak, hips sangin, Oooh / Baddies by my side, left to the right, everybody lookin like, O-o-uh-oh!..” Lol Yass! (Shoutout to my girls, Mychala & Marquita who hold me down on stage 😉 )
Take a listen to the FULL song below, tell me your thoughts on my cover & please share!
Download: Rich Homie Quan Feat. AshleYYY – “Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) Remix”
Peace Out! TTYL 🙂
~AshleYYY #TeamAshleYYY
NEXT SHOW in Atlanta –> Saturday, 9/26 @ Enclave
Molo In The City Podcast – My Interview + Performance!
Hey World!
Today feels beautiful. I’m alive, the sun is shining, and it’s a holiday! Lol Buuut I still have to work. Haha. Happy Labor Day and I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I actually attended House In The Park for the first time! It was held at Grant Park where DJs played house music ALL day, while families’ barbecued & lounged in their tents! (I want a camping tent so bad lol.) Vendors were on site and the music was bumping. Shout out to Chicago, the originators of House Music, and all the DJs holding it down! I would definitely go back next year. I love being outdoors & attending festivals. Good times.
As promised, I have another interview to share with you guys. I met up with Moshua “Molo” Loriel & special guest host, Jay Dukes, of Molo In The City Podcast (episode 10), at Cirque Daiquiri Bar & Grill in Atlanta, GA. I actually first met Moshua a few years ago, when I first moved to GA. Back then I was attending a lot of open mics and would always see her performing at Legend Café. She has such a great spirit & a fun personality, so it was nice catching up with her. In this interview, find out who my favorite producer is, the meaning behind my LET’S WAIT! Campaign, and see me perform! ~ BIG THANKS to Quadir, Moshua, & Jay for having me! 🙂 Much Love. Be sure to subscribe to their channel & watch more interviews on Fashion, Music, Art, & Entertainment HERE. (PS… Moshua, I love watching you on the show. You are such a natural. Keep doing what you do!! You’re great at it.)
That’s all for now folks! Have a PEACEFUL & productive week…
Love ya 😉
~AshleYYY
F! F! F! – Special Edition [July & August Update]
Ya’ll know what time it is… FUN FACT FRIDAY!! I am marking this as a special edition, simply because I have so much to share…and it’s been a minute lol. Instead of just FIVE facts, I’m gonna double that and give you TEN. 🙂 Holllerrr!
- I’ve decided to give myself (and my team) some much needed time to RECHARGE. I always praise God for every opportunity to hit the stage; on the other hand, it’s nice to have a small break. The next couple of weeks I’ll be able to clear my head, catch up on work, REST, and focus more on songwriting & vocal training. (Oh- and enjoy as dairy as much as I can, hehee!)
- I took a dive off the deep end and tried something new… NEW HAIR. So one of my last appearances required that I perform at the awards show + be present for the red carpet/awards ceremony. My team and I wanted to spice things up for this special event; so we went and shopped for hair, and had the stylist create & shape my wig 🙂 I know some women say, “I am not my hair” and I agree with that, but I also believe that my hair is a BIG part of ME. It represents part of who I am as a women and I take pride in it. I thank my #GlamSquad for making me feel comfortable, teaching me, and for all of their hard work put in that week. I’m happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried something new. Only time will tell if I decide to try it again… Lord knows I love my natural curls. Lol [New post coming soon with more photos/footage at the AMS event!]
- Still learning how to control my THOUGHTS… Sometimes we stress ourselves out over the things we CAN’T control, and that’s the stuff that gets us every time.
- Just looking out the window and off the top of my head: I’m THANKFUL to be here, living in Georgia. I love Atlanta and I love the people God has placed in my life and the opportunities He continues to give me to grow…
- On JULY 4TH, some friends & family came over to fellowship. What an awesome time it was. 🙂 We had brunch prepared, an obstacle course, sports, dinner, slushies & more! Aside from the guys lighting fireworks in the rain (and everybody taking off soon as they lit up lol..) one of my favorite activities was playing “Who Am I?” only we decided to go with the theme of Juneteenth Day on Independence Day. We each had a person who is a part of current events, a black leader, politician, entertainer and/or activist. At the end of the game we went around the room and educated one another more about each person & why they are important to our history. – Thank Ya’ll so much for a great day/night!
- I saw GOAPELE live in concert at Center Stage for the first time! I absolutely LOVED each set. This concert was different than most for me. More mellow. But so soulful! Beautiful lyrics were sang all night long. It was definitely a more grown up audience. Really enjoyed myself 🙂 and OMG she is just radiant! What a beauty. Her & her band did they thing. #inspired…
- …Thankful for EVERY artist I see rock a stage..no matter who they are. I love to be INSPIRED as an artist myself. Nowhere to go but up, as long as we keep perfecting every craft. My team BRINGS IT! Come support & see us perform. Definitely an experience. I promise you that 🙂 Stay in the loop for every show by adding your name & email to the #TeamAshleYYY Newsletter (on the right side of this page) and following me on all social media @AshleYYYMusic.
- Been meeting some really great TALENT everywhere I go. Wow, Atlanta! You amaze me lol. Shout out to all of the talent, no matter what field you are in. If God called you to do it, then walk in it & do yo thang! Praise God for every gift He has given us to share with the world.
- My FAVORITE SCRIPTURES are Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” / Revelation 22:4 “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” 🙂 Amen.
- Wanna support an AWESOME CAUSE?! Click HERE to support R.A.P on AIDS and/or the American Cancer Society by purchasing your very own pair of Culture shoes. iSupport #education, good #health & raising #awareness with Culture, all while doing it in style.
Thank You for tuning in & taking the time to catch up with me. Love ya’ll much and have a safe-relaxing-fun-filled weekend. God bless…
~AshleYYY
#TeamAshleYYY
The Shake Up [Full Interview] + Writing Sessions TONIGHT!
peanut head. lol
Hey Guys,
My team & I have been getting it IN all month long. (Praise God for time to recharge!) Look out for NEW photos & performance footage, coming very soon. Oh and if you missed the last couple of radio interviews, no worries – click below to view my chat with Alex the Great from The Shake Up Morning Show on BOSS FM. I discuss my fears, what made me start singing, the meaning behind ‘Why You Come For Me?’, and my views on sex & being an artist.
Enjoy!
–AshleYYY
PS… If you’re in the Atlanta area, come through Apache Cafe TONIGHT for Kevin Shine’s Birthday Celebration & Marquee Showcase! It’s all about Good Music, Life & Community. 🙂
Happy Thursday!!! #TeamAshleYYY
Hitting the Stage Tonight! [iLounge – Atlanta, GA]
Hey World! Let me fill you in on what’s goin down tonight…
I’ll be performing LIVE at iLounge for Rising Star Entertainment’s Website Launch Party. (Thank You Star for having me again & much more success to you!) Come thru, party, and be ready to see a great show 😉
iLounge | 1287 Glenwood Ave. SE Atlanta, GA 30316 | 9PM | $5 entry all night
…We have been getting it IN all month long. Look out for NEW photos & performance footage coming soon guys! #GRINNND.
Happy Thursday! 🙂
–AshleYYY
#TeamAshleYYY
( @_choc____ | @AshleYYYMusic | @xanderbleu )
AshleYYY Premiere’s New Video For Her Single Why You Come For Me? [VIDEO]
AshleYYY pours out her frustrations on the dance floor to her lyrically, vulnerable piece, “Why You Come For Me?” She finally gives up on her unhealthy relationship & is consoled by her friends & the beat of the music.
Download ‘Why You Come For Me?’ on iTunes: http://bit.ly/whyyoucomeforme
Music Video by AshleYYY performing Why You Come For Me? © 2015 HHUCIT Music Group.
VENUE: Dazed Arts, Atlanta, GA (@DazedArtsATL)
VIDEOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR: Mustafa Mahdi (@MustafaMahdiDirector)
CO-DIRECTOR: Edward Griffin (@hiphopucit)
ACTOR: Troy Richardson (@Trizz_Raw)
DANCERS: Mychala Ward (@XanderBleu) & Marquita Sanders (@_Choc___)
CHOREOGRAPHERS: Pytron Parker (@PayParker) & AshleYYY (@AshleYYYMusic)
MAKE UP ARTIST: Mychala Ward (@XanderBleu)
SNEAKERS BY: Culture Shoes (@CultureShoes)
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Edward, Gerald, Byron, Pytron & Saleema for all of their hard work on set! We did it! #TeamAshleYYY #WYCFM first music video filmed in Atlanta!
AshleYYY Will Be Performing Live at Apache Cafe For Music & Soul 5
Mark your calendars Atlanta… Next show Saturday, Feb. 7th! I’ll be performing LIVE at Apache Cafe for Music & Soul 5 you don’t wanna miss it! 18 and older to attend. Get more show details and directions to the venue HERE.