ASH - Infatuated (Official Video)
In this astonishing debut, ASH masterfully displays her intricate songwriting, production, and powerful performance prowess. ‘Infatuated’ captures the devastating human emotion of falling in love with the idea of somebody, who is otherwise not right for you. With a weighty bass line laying the foundation of the single, haunting harmonies and slick synths swim in and out of the soundscape. Delicate drums drive the track forward, whilst warped guitar lines float on the tide of ASH’s mesmerising melodic lines. Speaking on the thematic narrative of ‘Infatuated’, ASH says, “Everyone remembers when they were young and eager to experience love for the first time, and I think everyone also remembers how consuming that innocent desire could be. 'Infatuated' comes from that unrelenting desire, but more specifically from the heart wrenching experience of when your first partner is your first love, but you're not theirs. For those who can relate to this, it's a painfully different kind of first love -- a kind in which you start experiencing your first love and first heartbreak pretty much simultaneously. 'Infatuated' captures how paralysing that is.”
ASH’s smooth, intoxicating vocals meander through the song, creating a texture that perfectly complements her lyrical exploration of obsession, vulnerability, and despondence. This dynamic interplay between sound and meaning highlights ASH’s distinct creative intuition and her exceptional ability to illustrate emotion with sensitivity and vividness. With ‘Infatuated’s debut, ASH shares a beautifully illuminating first track, setting the stage for ASH’s promising artistic journey. Speaking on the creative process of ‘Infatuated’, ASH shares, “'Infatuated' was the first real track I ever made while I was teaching myself how to produce, so I was really learning what my creative process was for the first time. I now know that every song's process can be quite different for me, but the most constant thing has been that I need to sonically establish a mood first. For this song, it all began with that repeating bass line. It's so simple but it immediately evoked such a powerful sinking, heavy feeling. From there it was just about leaning into that emotion in my writing and production until it formed its own world.”
Beijing-raised, NYC-based ASH is reinvigorating the contemporary music world with her unique brand of alternative R&B. While sculpting songs with resonant vocal layering, bilingual lyricism, and intricately crafted electronic production, ASH is making her mark on the global music scene. ASH is set to reinforce her distinct creative intuition and versatile talent to the world in her long-awaited debut project ‘Holding Water’ - composed, written, produced, and performed by ASH. ASH intertwines influences from R&B, rock, indie, and neo-soul, yet the rising star is no pastiche of a singular genre — instead, she sculpts her own distinct immersive sonic universe. ASH boldly cultivates every aspect of her artistic vision to life, from writing and producing each track to directing and choreographing her captivating music videos. ASH’s limitless potential as a multi-hyphenate rising global artist shows no bounds, as ASH offers her debut to the world this year.
Growing up in an international community in Beijing, ASH’s musical journey ran parallel to a traditional academic path. Having played classical piano from the age of four, ASH took to teaching herself guitar, bass, and drums as a teenager, singing and performing any chance that she could. Whilst remaining steadfast in academia, attending Ivy League university Penn for her undergraduate education, ASH’s passion for the performing arts only deepened as she starred in sold out live shows each semester. After receiving a scholarship from The New School (NYC) to pursue her Masters in Music, ASH delved deep into her craft, writing, producing, and perfecting her first project, which, in its demo form, was taken up by Grammy-award-winning mixing engineer Jeff Ellis (Frank Ocean, Doja Cat, Kali Uchis). With her over two-year long project finally complete, ASH now prepares to release her debut single from the EP in spring of 2024 and embark on her highly anticipated career in music. Speaking on the upcoming EP, ASH notes, “As this will be my debut project, I really wanted it to be a well-packaged introduction to every aspect of my artistry. I hope to give a taste of different avenues of my style and skill set, while also presenting a project that is very self-sustaining and cohesive. From the writing and production of the music itself to the accompanying visual art design, styling, and choreography, you can certainly expect to feel my artistic aesthetic sonically, visually, and emotionally.”