Ashilee Ashilee on TV/Film Opportunities, Playing 10+ Instruments, and More

We don't have actual like scoreboards as musicians to know when we're actually like winning or losing or what's gonna happen with art. You just keep creating like you might have a hit or miss, hit or miss, hit or miss, like you never really know. So I don't think there's an actual way to judge someone's art. The One More Time Music Podcast. Genuine conversations with genuine people about music, hosted by Henry with a three and playback Ben. We're from being more coops to piss off, Tom more distant is a part there one more time. Part it one more time, Pader Sheila, one more time. They find that one more time, one more time. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back for another episode of the One More Time Podcast. What's going on, people? How are we doing? I'm doing great. Yeah? I'm your host, Playback Ben, here with my co-host, Henry with a three, aka the trap, Jack Black. And Henry, who do we have on the podcast today in the hot seat? Welcoming in on episode 45 of the One More Time Podcast. You know her from Spider-Man and Euphoria. It's Zendaya. I couldn't tell if that one was gonna be good or not.

I think it was pretty good, right? Thank you. There we go. The audience voted and they approved. In all seriousness, folks, we have legendary recording engineer, mixed engineer, producer, artist, instrumentalist. Her name is so nice, you gotta say it twice. It's Ashley Ashley. Ashley Ashley. What's going on, girl? That's way better than the Zendaya one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. It's a tradition. It was a tough act to follow though, with Zendaya as your as your roast. Yes, seriously, you know, like what? I wish. She is crushing it right now. Uh in all seriousness, tell people where you're from and a little bit about like the household that you grew up in, because I thought it was kind of a unique, you know, environment that you were that you were raised in. Well, I'm from Southfield, Michigan. If you're not familiar with the area, it's a suburb right outside of Detroit. So you know Michigan snow, um, very cold. Always. And I only 99% of the time, you know what I mean?

Only 99%. A couple days in the summer are really nice. So super seasonal up there. Four good ones. You get like four days of the barbecue maybe give or take. Nice. No, but um I grew up in a very musical household in a very like um I guess entertaining environment just because I would say 90% of my family members are like in the entertainment business Wow. and they're all like really successful at what they do. So it's just like super inspiring to see like you know Wow, yeah. Cousins in Hall of Fame or like some people are doing like Cirque du Soleil and people you know doing all these crazy things and it's really cool getting Emmys and Oscars and all that. It's so cool. Did you feel pressure like growing up like okay like this is what my family does I gotta do this now. Like this is my path. I didn't I never felt pressure I just I was naturally drawn to music and there was never any kind of like competition within my family like oh I got these awards so you should get these or like you know what I mean there was never that it was always just a oh okay fine you could you can like sculpt your own like artistry and be your own creative and we'll just like support you. It was never any type of pressure oh you gotta be the best at this we just like I don't know we just like doing the things that we do so it just happens to be good.

It's in your DNA but like at the family reunions was everyone just flashing their Emmys and like cirque du Soleil awards like was that awkward at the family reunions it would be really fun because we always would end up making music together and like people would be dancing we'll have drum circles we'll like be playing instruments and people would sing. It's always a fun time it's always sounds so much better than like the handful of family reunions that I had to do that were hosted at like a really boring middle Georgia church. And like the most you could look forward to was like the buffet. Like that was it. Maybe a game of Pictionary. and awkward conversations with like a third cousin you didn't actually know. Right. But he seemed to know all about you, you know what I mean? That one drunk aunt, you know. No, bro. This is a middle Georgia, like Southern Baptist. There was no drinking. Oh wow. So my dad was like flask in the car type of shit. Yeah. Yeah. Of course, my dad. Yeah, shout out, Pops. Yeah, exactly. So I can't imagine a little drunk aunt. Right. But that was a staple. But yeah, so like immediate family, were they more, you know, music or performing, or kind of like what was like your like, I guess, immediate family? My immediate family actually, I'm the only musician of my like my sisters and uh my stepbrothers and like my mom and dad, which is surprising.

But um, they're all creative though in their own ways. Like my sister has like a radio talk show. Oh, cool. And she works in the medical field, and she's just really, really good at like communicating with people and letting people know like they're comfortable enough to communicate. Yeah, so she's like a real empath in that way, and then my other sister, she's just like this amazing mom with this gorgeous family, and she's just like doing everything right, and her kids are like super duper smart. It like blows my mind. I'm like, what are you feeding them? But like am I hearing a little jealousy in your tone? Perhaps no way. I love my little journey. I love my journey. Good. good for sure. But so what was the first instrument you picked up? The first one was piano, yeah. And I was at what age? I was five, five years old. That's when I started piano as well. And so was it immediately something that you were drawn to, or were you kind of like forced to pick something, you know, musical to do? Oh no, my aunt actually gave my mom um a piano, and then um I would always just play around with it, and everything that I like kind of heard on television, I was just trying to like play, and I ended up like you know, figuring it out, and I'm just like, oh, okay, I like this. This is fun for me, you know.

So it just became less television and more piano, and then like it was just every day I got home, or from anything, I was just like, oh, let me just play piano and create songs and stuff. That's cool because a lot of people, even some people that have come on the show that you know started playing instruments, it was because you had to pick a fucking instrument and band, or you had to pick an instrument in strings, you know what I mean? It wasn't necessarily like the band was missing this, or yeah, the church needed a triangle play. It was out of like requirement versus like almost it sounded like it was a gift to you that you like immediately were kind of like you know, fascinated by it sounds like it also happens to be the best instrument if you ever want to move on to anything else. It's the best like starter instrument to understand music theory and get going, like seeing the keys laid out like that is what you want to start with. Right. If you want a musical kid, get him on the piano, him or her on the piano very young. So what was your practice regimen like? You kind of hinted at it, like literally from like five years old, you would come home after school and be like more excited about like you know, less cartoons, more piano type shit. Well, actually, it's crazy because cartoons are really big for me too.

Like I told you earlier, I love animation and things like that. So it would go like side inside. I would mute the cartoons that I was watching and try to like make music to like as they were dancing and things like that. You were scoring cartoons, right? Right, right. Crazy, which is kind of some foreshadowing that we'll get into, obviously. Right, it's crazy, which is really really cool. But so did you end up like getting lessons, or like how did you become so proficient at you know, multiple instruments like from there on? Like, what was the the kind of process like? Well, the only instrument I got professional lessons for was viola when I was nine years old, because I I kept telling my mom, like piano I just taught myself, and um through learning viola professionally, I learned music theory and all of it, you know what I'm saying. I learned everything, all the fundamentals and everything I needed to know. Because I was I went to a music class in my elementary school, and I kept begging my mom, I was like, Mom, I need a viola, I want to get a viola so bad I want to get a viola. And shout out to Jason Amos, because he was the first black violist I've ever seen in my life, and the first violist I've ever seen in my life, I think.

When we were in elementary school, he played it, and I was like, ooh, that that that sounds like a hug. I want that one. Like, I want to I want to play that one. Like the violin reminded me of the cat. And then the cello was just like, I'm not gonna carry that around. It's too big. It's as big as you at that point. I'm not gonna carry around. Probably still now, right? That thing needs to pay rent. Like sounded like a hug. That's so cool. He needs its own bedroom. Sounded like a hug. It was so warm to me, and I was like, ooh, I want to play that one. So I went into the school's music class, the music program, and I just started to learn how to like read and write music as the class was learning. Um, because my mom couldn't afford the viola yet. Or she didn't like believe me that I was serious. you know, how kids want to do a thousand things, but I just kept telling her I wanted one. I stayed in the music class. And so by the time I actually got the viola, she actually got me the viola. I was able to like read and write music already. I just needed to like learn where to put my hands. And I guess I learned quickly, let people tell it. And they were like, yo, you should get like private lessons and stuff like that, like all the teachers at the school. And then that happened, and then I auditioned for a symphony when I was 13 because I guess I was like decent at it.

And then I got in and I was like first year, and I was like, Oh, maybe I am good, but got into a symphony at 13. I guess I was decent. Yeah, I mean, it was described to me as like a professional symphony. Yeah. But what does that actually mean though? Like, like was it like you were playing for like ticketed shows and stuff? Or like were you like the youngest person by a long shot? Yeah. I was one of in the in the symphony that I was in, yeah, I was one of the youngest, definitely the only black. And then there was one other like big mixed girl, black shout out to her. Big shout out. big shout out. Yeah, joining a pro symphony at age 13. Like, did did that then come with like weekly practices and like performances? Like, you know, what was kind of the the schedule like for that? And you know what's crazy? We practiced every Saturday, so like childhood Saturdays were out of the window. Oh god. You must have really liked it. But yeah, it wasn't like yeah, it wasn't crazy to me. I I really enjoyed it, so I just like okay, cool, you know. But crazy enough, and I can say this now because I'm not in it anymore, and I can't get like in trouble.

Okay, I would never practice my symphony music. Oh man. And but I would I would still be first chair, people would challenge me and I would still play it fine because it was always kind of like boring to me. Not like it was slow or anything, it was just like, oh, I don't want to like play this kind of music. And it it took me to grow into a music to producer to realize what kind of music I actually wanted to make with that instrument. Like classical music is fun and cool, don't get me wrong, but I didn't want to play it my whole entire life, you know what I mean? Like yeah, so so if you weren't practicing for what you needed to, let's say for like your Saturday sessions, what were you playing? I would practice whatever I wanted to, and I began making my own songs and stuff, and yeah, I would practice whatever my private teacher would have me practicing because it would always be something really fun. He knew I liked super duper fast stuff. Okay, so it was a little too slow then, like the the uh like symphony stuff you were having to do? Yeah, not not not slow in a sense, just wasn't my style of music that I wanted to do? Interesting.

So by the time you get to college, I mean, how many instruments had you, I guess, maybe mastered or at least been proficient in at that point? By college, um, let's see. So I can't count didgeridoo because I just picked that up in the last couple of years. Shout out to Brianna for giving you that as a gift. Yes, that was I was like, yo, if she pulls up to the studio and I have some random like Indonesian like instrument or something, I don't know. I'll pick it up. Yeah, um, probably. So excluding didgeridoo. Yeah, probably just like 10 or nine, like nine or ten gigs. Just like nine or ten. Nine or ten. Nothing crazy. Nothing crazy. Did did every single one that you picked up was it a fit? Or did you like trash some Were you like I picked up the flute and I said, fuck that? Like, or was every was all those nine or ten ones that you like picked up for the first time and and immediately like kept with? 99%. Um, there was one time where I thought I wanted to get into like woodwind or brass instruments, but I learned that they have spit valves. Yeah.

Come out the window. Oh man, completely. See, I was an Alto sax guy. So nasty. They sound beautiful. Yeah, but I wanted to play, but I did spit valves. Like emptying them out and people would do that in band is nasty. It was just, I mean, the tubas guys were the worst, they had the biggest. I mean, when there's a process called wetting your reed or whatever, it just is like okay. I was like, this is too much for me. Yeah, it's too much for me. In in today's environment, that would not fly. Stick with a bow. There's a lot of spit flying around. Nice dry instrument. It doesn't spit at me like that. No, I just heard, you know, I I never really met someone honestly that has played so many instruments, right? You know, typically you'll maybe meet someone who like, yeah, I can play piano, maybe they can play piano and guitar, like you know, maybe like a couple of the normal ones, right? But like nine or ten is definitely impressive. It's something that that struck me as like people that speak multiple languages. Oh, yeah, it reminded me of that though. That's so cool.

In that, like when you're getting into it, was it tough like hopping from what you know? Because I find myself I'm trying to learn fucking Russian, my wife's Russian, and I'm like, this is fucking crazy. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Kakte La Harasho, like, you know, whatever. And you know, I I had spoke German growing up because I I learned that in school, but then once I learned Spanish, the German kind of exited my brain. Like, I can't imagine like keeping all of them like in your brain, able to you know, rattle off at any time. It struck me as the same way of like with instruments. Is that something that you kind of it's but but music is all one language, though, you know what I mean? Facts, okay. I feel like it's way easier. Even though there's like different ways to get it out, the theory. Yeah, right. Remains consistent okay. Well said. You know, like if I if you pick up a banjo and you've played guitar or even piano before, you'll know that okay, if I put it. How do I do a C minor chord? Not that. Not that. But like you would know, like terrible example, apparently. There's no C minor banjo chord, bro.

Oh, I don't know banjo. No, I have no idea. I mean, she clearly says there's not. Is that one of your nine banjo? There's one in there, but on banjo because the strings are tuned so differently than guitar, it would take you a minute to find it if you were just picking it up. But I was gonna say there's things like she got so literal with this. By the way, nice flicker of the lights. Anyways, yeah, yeah. She's like, no, bro, you can't actually do that. Like, you would never find a C minor chord, bro, unless you're an expert. Right. No, but I'm saying, like, you would do things like, okay, I know if I put my finger here, that's gonna make that the pitch go upwards. So that's gonna sound up, you know, what I mean? the concepts are somewhat consistent, right? And just like the physics of it, I guess. Okay, yeah, versus like there's some sounds in Russian that like we don't have. So like making them with your mouth is like a fucking chore for me. I'm like I can't, you know, I don't even want to butcher one right now, but just you get the idea. Let's get one. Let's get one.

Come on, come on. No, it's just like like clap, like you know what I mean just like saying these like weird shit like that. Yeah, it me it means bread, and it's like so weird. But so I'm trying to get this clip. Yeah. Jesus, that's terrible. So clip you get to college. Is that where you start engineering and like recording yourself? Or had you already dabbled in that? Like no, I learned in um college. And I first learned on Logic Pro. They taught us Logic Pro. Shout out Logic Pro. I love Logic Pro. Shout out Logic. They surprisingly taught us that before Pro Tools. Can't believe that. I learned Pro Tools after. Yeah, right. It blew my mind too. What is this magical school? Michigan State University. Hey, Shout out Spartans. and LCC. What is it? LCC. Lansing community college. No, LCC, yeah, yeah, yeah. Shout out to them too. Yeah. Major. And um, so yeah, we learned logic, and I was just like, okay, this is cool. Um, I just kind of want to learn more about it because I was just like playing a bunch of instruments, and I was like, okay, well now I can instead of just like jamming in my room, I can put things together with like this daw, and I can like, oh, make songs.

And it's like, oh, okay, maybe I don't want to be in a symphony my entire life. Maybe I just want to make my own. So that's when the light bulb went off. Turned on. As far as like right after high school. Yeah. Yeah. I need to make my own music. And and so also, you know, you were messing around with like your own voice too. Like you were singing and like recording your own music too, right? Trash back then. Now I'm decent. I can say I'm decent now, but like you know, you learn everything. You you grow, you don't come out running and jumping, you gotta learn how to walk. It's funny that your voice was not one of the like nine, ten instruments, you know. You'd think that would be one that like is easiest. Because I've never had a desire to be like um a vocal artist or like you know what I mean, like a singer or a rapper. I've never had that desire, it's just a part of me, so I get it out, you know what I mean? When it comes to then, okay, people seem to like it. Like if it spreads happiness, why not? Like cool. Yeah, so I don't want to like jump too far ahead in your story, but on that note, like is that just something that's very casual to you then? Mm-hmm. Okay, so releasing music as you know an artist is very much second to the other things you have going on.

And then it's like when I make my own vocal music, I just happen to like sell it to TV because it's like, okay, might as well like make it do something. Like Yeah, I mean, why pay someone else? Why pay some other Joe Schmo vocalist when you can get the the product they need out this. Yeah. No. that's interesting. It's something you talked about a lot. He's you know, you know, like we mentioned, also recording engineer, mixed engineer, producer. How valuable do you think it is for an artist to be able to record themselves? Oh, it's so helpful. Mm-hmm. Like I'm not, and I'm not saying go out here and know how whatever compressor does, or like you know, learn every waves plug and you can learn, but like an artist that knows how to record themselves is an artist that doesn't have to wait on anybody. Yeah, you can always create your own like get our like when artists get money and stuff like that, always tell them all right, first thing you need is your own studio because you need to be able to make that revenue. You need to be able to make your own songs on your own time. Like, there's nothing like waking up at 3 a.m. and you have a song idea, you don't want to have to call this and go to the studio and do you know what I mean? Like you have to depend on everybody.

Yeah, you don't want to have to depend on everybody, or like if the engineer isn't as good as you need them to be in the session, but you have a really good idea you need to get out. Maybe you just need to do it yourself. You know what I mean? Like it's really useful. You never wait on anybody. No, that's I'm not gonna lie. I mean, we have a couple artists that you know he works with, and when you have like these regularly scheduled sessions, even right, let's say once a week, twice a week or whatever, it's forcing you to either hold on to those creative ideas for that long and and lose it, right? I I think Amelia talked about like uh, you know, when the lightning strikes, you better fucking like make magic of it. And it's that same concept of like, you know, by the time they get here, so much shit's happened since that idea popped into their head and they got inspired that it clearly can't, I'm not saying can't, but it probably will not come out the way that it would have had they been able to get it off their chest immediately, right? And then it puts a lot of pressure on them too when they come to the studio, it's like, well, you better fucking make something right now because this is your studio time of when you have to make something or whatever. Some artists work better that way, you know what I mean?

True, a lot of artists prefer that. Yeah. Like it's it really depends on the person. Like me, I'm the type of person that the reason why I learned to do so many things was just like I guess subconsciously, I'm like, I never want to have to use anyone for anything. I love collaborating and things, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have to depend on anyone if I want to create my art and put it out, you know what I mean? So let me just learn how to mix, master and record, let me just learn it, you know what I mean? And you can't hurt, and I knew it would give me in the rooms I needed to get into to get these mugs and beats. You become a lot more valuable, amen. Like when you just in the room, I'm the type of producer I like. Um, you know, I I'll cook from scratch with people all the time. That's fine. But I love when an artist comes to me and says, Look, I got these three to five ideas that I've been kind of working on. Let me play them for you. See if anything sticks, you know, maybe we can start. Real collab, right? Instead of people just needing to depend on you for everything. Like, I'm just coming in with nothing. Like, okay, I need you to make this beat. I need you to record me and You basically make this write the words. Basically, make this words.

And yes, artists, no one likes that. If you do that, I'm gonna tell you right now, no one likes that. Yeah, it's tough. Do multiple things. So, you know, going from like engineering yourself. Did you start taking on engineering clients in college? Um, in college, yes, but not very seriously. In college, no, not like to get paid. I was just like using my friends to practice. Like I had friends who knew how to sing and like friends who knew how to rap. And I'm just like, oh, okay. I know I'm not the best right now, so I'm not gonna promise you, you know, the cleanest record or nothing like that. But I need to practice. How else will I get this practice? You know what I mean? Of making music with people and things like that. So I just like, you know, would invite friends over to make music. We would just make music, and I was like, Poor. So it's like nothing mattered. We just make music. Nothing else to do. I got logic. Right, right. Load it up. Yeah, and I mean. You might make us a million dollars. Let's try it. Yeah. But that's like that's a low-key gem too. About this is something we talk about a lot, is like this idea of like networking laterally, right? Definitely across. Where just building with someone who that person clearly didn't think they were too good to have someone like you record them or mix them or master them or whatever.

Yes. And honestly, you've clearly made like a very solid career for yourself, even though at the time probably someone would have looked at you and you probably even looked at yourself, like, I'm not shit right now. Like, I don't know what I'm doing, but like I'll try and I want to learn. Exactly. And can we try this out together? Exactly. I still don't know what I'm doing. Listen, It's 10 years in. Yeah. That's why people like, well, I don't know why people ask me for advice. Like, I don't know what it looks like online, but I do not have a blueprint. I don't know what I'm doing every day. I just do it. Like, yes. Yeah, Skate 08 is a producer. He's had some big records. Yeah, he's super super funny, dude. We had him on uh you know a few episodes ago, and he he said this. I just be clicking shit till the sound's good. Yeah, and I was like, this is coming from a dude that has like really big records and has you know been in rooms with a lot of of dope artists and that sentence is like smarter than it sounds, you know what I mean? Like there's something to that clip. trust yourself to just create. That's all you know. That clip is gonna go down in history. Like, I'm so happy we have that on wax.

Like, Just be clicking shit till it sounds good. I don't know. I just be clicking shit till it sounds good. That button didn't make it sound better. Try this button. So many people blew up the comments, like, bro. I knew you were like, you know, just fucking around. Like, I don't know. It was it was funny. But that's how you learn, you know what I mean? Like, people would call me and ask me, Hey, can you like you know sit down with me one day and just go over plugins? And I'm like, I don't think you understand how many plugins there are for you to ask me that. So, like, maybe just you know, start with just experimenting with things. That's how I started. I would experiment with stuff. Like, as I learned, they would teach me one lesson about logic, and I'm like, okay, cool. And then I would try to do it a thousand different ways. Or like, okay, what else could you do this with rather than like ask people what to do? Or like, you know what I mean? Which is nothing wrong with. I just I'm a curious mind, and I I like to learn. So not to mention stock plugins are so good now. Like, maybe they didn't used to be, but absolutely you could completely get away with using just stock plugins the rest of your life and be fine. So, were you learning all this stuff though in class?

Like you were talking about, like, this was like a formal education at that point, right? They taught us like the science behind well, we learn like music theory. Um but but weren't you already like, I mean, you know, were you sleeping in that class? Because you were like, yeah, it's like we're gonna tell this first chair viola player, like you know what I mean. And it was so crazy, like music theory would come to me like super quick, only because I already knew it all already. So I'm like, okay, cool. But then um, we took aural skills. That was tough. That was a tough one. I was like, okay, they'll be like play something on piano, and then we'll have to like sing it back and write it out, like remember what we heard and write it out on the thing. I'm like, okay, now I'm really practicing. Like this is some this is some good practice or whatever. Um, which helps with that when you're freestyling on instruments now, because now you can just, oh, okay, I know exactly where I can go in these keys and like all this other stuff. Um, yeah, they taught us like the basics of logic, how to use it for like, you know, recording or like producing, but there's always certain creativity you can't teach people, like you know what I mean? Like you can't teach someone, oh maybe you should like put this loop.

You can teach someone how to bring in a loop flute, but you can't teach them how to like chop it up and like you know, let's distort it and reverse it and downpitch the key, or like you know what I mean? Really manipulate it to your own creative ways. Yeah. Which is something that is another thing we brought up, like, you know, so many people hate on like loop makers or like you know, using loops and whatever. And it's a bit corny. It's like music is music, it's getting made. Like no one cares how many cooks are in the kitchen or like, you know, like as long as it gets made. Yeah. Does it sound good? Does it sound good? Right, does it sound good? Period. Yeah, because it still took some level of creativity to even if you just took literally already everything existing as it was to say this thing sounds good. with this thing, yeah. Even if it's just two fucking things, let's just simplify it. For sure. That's already a better executive decision than half the fucking jokers or not, you know, the ones making these absurd, I guess, you know, hate comments hip hop started with they they would take old records that started with drums and they would take the part that was just the drums and just loop that shit over and over yeah maybe and then speed it up maybe slow it down maybe not yeah that was like a step above yeah that's funny but so so were you like heavy into YouTube though also and like so really it was I still barely know anything about YouTube so you don't use it to learn YouTube University. you really just try you just like get in there like hands on that's new that was yeah yeah because like usually people either got the formal like SAE whatever Well, I'm also ADHD. so I just really like picking up things and doing it rather like if I sit and try to learn like standard classes never really like worked for me I would have I'm all hands on learning you know what I mean like you can sit there and tell me how to play piano but I'm not gonna learn unless I just sit there and like play piano yeah right but do you think that that do you think it just doesn't vibe with your personality type to learn the other way or do you think that maybe you could learn faster if you like you know what I mean let's say you want to learn how to do XYZ on logic right you could probably YouTube that shit in about 10 seconds. If it's something specific absolutely okay you do go for like key commands, something specific, so you're not just you're not just like going insane YouTube what is that never heard of it.

Yeah she did say she lived under a rock I didn't know if she had heard of YouTube yet you know so anyone can upload a video right and and you can watch it for free. That's funny. So, you know, you're kind of messing around with you know some other artist friends, you know, getting your feet wet with the recording engineering and the producing, I guess. Like is this when you start also you know messing around with production too? Yeah. Same time. Because I always knew that I would want to be a producer and like sculpt people's sounds and like bring sounds to life and like build certain like um signature sounds for artists. Cause that I've always found that so interesting. Like when artists have very unique sounds and unique, you know what I mean, things about them and unique music. I'm like, oh, I want to contribute. Like I can sculpt an artist, I can help you. You know what I mean? So I like um, yeah, producing was my main thing, and I knew learning how to engineer would help me in every area while mixing beats anything, you know what I mean? So and it would get me in the room, and then I like out of nowhere got really good at it, I guess. And you know, people were just like looking at me like crazy, and I was like, um, maybe I need my own studios, and then I got like my own studio, and then I had like three at one point, and it was just so hectic.

Three studios, yes. What? Like studio owner, yeah. So you were like running this business too, because clearly you couldn't be in three places at once. He used to record at him. He used to go to my studios, yeah. Okay, he was up there in in uh one of the three. Mm-hmm. that's crazy. But then that made me realize I never I don't want to be a boss, I like being an entrepreneur because like you know, having to pay people and having staff and things like that, it took away from so much of my creativity. Like, oh, okay, another chair, broke, let me go, you know, like fix this and handle this where it's like, oh, I just want to sit there help and make beats. It's Like so you like the idea of working for yourself, but you don't like the concept of managing people, managing processes. The day-to-day bullshit that clearly does come with you know, running a business that has more than yourself as the employee. Sounds like me too. I'm the same way, I believe. Yeah. 100%. Well, but you've also people. You've also considered opening another studio, which maybe you should indeed.

I know. This is good, this is good feedback. I just need one good manager. A studio manager. One good manager is all you need, I feel like, and I can call him once a day. One good studio. manager. That's facts. Who were some of the producers that you looked at who really helped sculpt, you know, sculpt people's sounds as you you know coined it? Like, who were some of those folks that you were getting inspired by when you were just you know starting to produce? Who are you listening to? Like when you're just in the car. Who I listened to is probably completely different than who inspired me. Oh. And who inspired me is such a crazy list. I know this might sound crazy, but I don't feel like any human being inspired me. Just kind of earth and the things that Earth does. That's that's what inspires me. The way like the way the ocean never stops moving, or the way that mountains get bigger with erosion, like things like that are what inspired me. Not like human beings, like what humans do are cool. Don't get me wrong, you know what I mean? People make good music. People are okay. Yeah, people are cool. But like nature, though. Nature, yeah. Like Earth inspires me to make everything.

Because it's just like it's always changing, and we're always learning something new, and there's always a million ways to do like one thing, and it's just crazy. Like, are we living off of plants or are plants living off of us? It's just there's a whole bunch of like phenomenon conundrums and things like that that we could go through. But life inspires me. People are cool. Um, Timbaland sculpted a lot of people's sounds. So, like the Missy Days and shit, like because that was a unique sound. And and JT, yeah, Sound like and and JT, yeah, like those are two Timbaland's I mean, he's the goat. Come on. No, that's a great example. No, I was just curious about like, you know, you said sculpt an artist sound, right? So that's why I wanted to know kind of like who were those, who did you see doing it to even make you want to like Timbaland definitely did it. Trying to, you know, aspire to that. Yeah, no, that's that's huge. A producer named Jerry Wanda. He's worked with like Shakira and like um the Fugees and Lauryn Hill and things like that. He definitely like he sculpted a lot of that sound. He was the backbone of a lot of that, like he sculpted their sounds. Um, just like you know, that type of music. Who else helps sculpt sounds?

Um, that's an underrated one, though. I didn't even know Jerry Wanda. Jerry Wonder, ooh, he's a fighter. I mean, obviously, I knew probably all the product that he helped bring to the world. but... Clips don't lie. It's okay. Yeah, but I thought myself pretty like proficient in like knowing who produced records, like at least big ones. And that's that's a that's a gem right there. Who else sculpting sounds? I would say Kanye West with sculpting his own sound. That's a he was one of the very first rappers that was just kind of like um doing unorthodox raps over beats that other people weren't making at the time, you know what I mean? And so it just made his his own sound very unique. Like um, back when he was rapping, everyone else was kind of really obsessed with being perfect and doing like perfect takes, but he kind of introduced that okay. Um it's okay to just have my real voice on here without any effects, or like you know what I mean. He's one of the first rappers. Even if my jaw is wired shut, exactly. He made he made the imperfect rap like a thing, like, and a lot of people don't need to realize that. And I'm going to watch that documentary, like, oh yeah, he made that a thing.

Yeah, and his uh his like flow, the way he was like kind of off beat sometimes, but like you know, it it wasn't like perfectly symmetrical within the beat and whatever, like he'd be like kind of running out of breath sometimes, but like but that would be cool. But he made it okay, right? Whereas everyone would do 50 takes to try to get the perfect take, and he's like, nah, I like this first one, like you know what I mean. So I like that. That's interesting. Shout out to Cootie, by the way. Yeah, thanks for the footage. Um goat. So, you know, you started mentioning a lot of trippy shit, to be honest. Like the waves and the the mountains not eroding and shit. No, and I think that's cool. Are are you like an outdoorsy girl? Do you like being out in nature type shit? I do, but not like for a long time. Okay, yeah, but like, you know, so do you like reading about these things? There's, like, bees everywhere. We're in Georgia. We got gnats. No, I just imagined her, like, you know, hiking and like being around the rivers. I definitely do that sometimes. Okay. You know what I mean? Probably probably more than most, but I'm not good.

I'm not Steve Irwin or like, you know what I mean? I'm not like looking for crocodiles and things. For sure, for sure. So, you know, speaking of Trippy, you have a like long-term connection with Trippy Redd? or like you met it, like tell us how you like met Trippie Redd and like at what point in his career. When I was owning a studio, he was um actually my first studio. I only had one room studio. And he was 14 at the time, I want to say he was 14 or 15, and he had just like driven down from Ohio, and he was just like, Yeah, like I want to make music or whatever. And I was like, Okay, like let's record. And he would always try a bunch of different ways to rap, and he just like finally did like this screaming type of thing, and I was like, oh, wait a minute. That's kind of really cool, maybe you know what I mean? That might be your jam, and everyone else would tell him, like, yeah, like that shit's fine, like do that, do it that way, and then stuff like that. And I was just like recording him for like a couple years and things like that, and then he just got like super famous. He loves to see it, you know what I'm saying?

Like songs blowing up, and then he's like signed, and yeah. And that's a story with a lot of people. Yeah, right now he's trippy Redd. Yeah, so did you ever get like a a record with him at all, or just or just recording Oh, Yeah, we got a couple songs out. Um, the names I'd have to look 'em up. Really? I'd have to look him up. Surprise. She lives under a rock even with her own crew even though her own even though her own placements. She lives, like, because sometimes even, well, we would, like, record a song. And then by the time he'd put it out, the name would be different. Or you know what I mean? Oh, I definitely am familiar with that. And I'm just, like, You know, no offense to anybody, but I just don't genuinely listen to a lot of music. Like we even drove here with the radio off the whole time, and I didn't even realize it. I'm sorry, That's So awkward. I mean, not the fact that there's no radio, but there's no music. Like I don't listen to the radio in the you know, historical sense of the phrase. Yeah. It's the music or the radio. I listen to, like, podcasts or I'll, sorry. like, sorry, I watch like a TV show when I'm driving or something. I get I get away from music when I'm in the car sometimes. Because I'm always listening to music.

As a producer, right. Henry's views do not reflect the views of the uh one more time podcast. We do not recommend driving while watching YouTube, watching it, watching and driving, Netflix and driving. Yeah, I have a mount though, like it's hands-free. So at least I'm not holding it. Is it eyes free? Like I can like come on, man. I can one-eye it. Um so do you do you end up move like so you end up moving to Atlanta, but you do get like a nine to five when you come to Atlanta, right? Like a pretty sweet like nine to five with Microsoft or something. It was so random, yeah, and I can say this now. I like finessed the interview. I had no idea what I was doing. Just blatantly lied. What? Like, I didn't lie. Is the Statue of Limitations in place now? She can announce it. Got your last paycheck. Right, right. I didn't lie because I actually knew everything that they required me to know, but I knew it on my own. Like I would take apart my mom's computer growing up and just like put it back together, or I would like, you know, go to that black screen and just like type in things. Like the terminal, yeah, yeah, like command line and shit.

You were like writing commands. I would always do things, Yeah, and I was just like, okay, what is this? And then I tried to like learn how to code and program, but I got very, very small into it, but enough to where they, you know what I'm saying do you have like any friends? friends? I think I spoke with the one that she has. This guy is apparently her number two friend. I don't know. Um, so you know, this is something that's the you know, that's that's always interesting to me. When did you decide to take the leap of faith though into music full time? Um, well, I told myself I wasn't gonna quit Microsoft until music was making me equally that much or more. Yes. And oh wow, I had a really good year with music, and I was like, oh okay, bye Microsoft, like this is cute. And then they tried to promote me, and I was like, no. Where did the most of that come from? Recording engineering, the studio recording for sure. Because um, what was happening in that same year? A lot of the people that I were recording beats just started becoming like famous and shit, like out of nowhere. And then like the common denominator was It's the Ashley Touch. You know what I mean?

The Ashley effect. The Ashley effect. Exactly. Okay, okay. So who were some of those people? Shoot, um, that year, probably Lotto got big. That was the big lotto. Oh, yeah. She's fucking crushing. Yes, I love her. I love her. Shout out to Lotto. Yeah. Um, Trippie Redd, Lil Wop. That was the same year. Um, probably Late Twins, if this was the same year that I'm thinking of, and this was the same year that I went to work with Jerry Wanda, and I met MIDI, which is like so you got to work with one of your inspirations. Well, yeah. Well, yeah. What the fuck you think this is Ben? Do you see who I am? I'm Ashley. I'm Ashley Ashley, you motherfucker. Wait, so okay, how did that happen? Um I was with like a PR and they like took me to New York. Actually, me and Lotto went to New York together. That was a trip we took together. So you were like locked in with Lotto, yeah? Yeah, we were super cool, and I'm just like, yo, come to come to New York or whatever. These people are like, you know, they're like teasing about a deal or something.

Let's just go see what it's about or whatever. What, like a pub deal or a deal for her? Uh both of us. Just like, you know, different types of deals. And I was just like, okay, let's just go see what it's talking about. You know, you and then we were in um New York working with Jerry Wonder. And it's so crazy. I met Median Mathers there. She's this incredible songwriter. Her like credits are like Beyonce Oh, gosh. You know what I mean? Like, she's in insane, incredible. And so randomly, um, I was in Jerry Wonder's studio at Platinum Sounds in New York, and I got lost because it was huge. And you're small, easy, easily lost. You know what I mean? And I'm just like, okay, cool. And I went into this studio room that I thought was the session I was in. And I happened to be in a session with Les Twins at the time, like the super good dancers that went on tour with Beyonce and they like style her and things like that. So it's just like a crazy circle moment. And I walked in the studio, and there's just like this white lady with wine, like sipping it. She's like all by herself, and whatever song she's listening to is like the best thing I'd heard of my life at the time. And I'm just like, um, I don't mean to interrupt.

I'm sorry, I'm lost. What is that though? And she's like, Oh, yeah, that's just a freestyle idea. And I was just like my eyes came out of my head. I'm like, that's a freestyle. Like who was the artist? Median. Median artist. Okay. She's a songwriter. I'm sorry, that was a songwriter doing a reference track. She is incredible. Oh, I don't know who the reference track was for. I didn't dare to ask. I was just amazed. That's kind of a low-key gem, by the way. If you find yourselves in a giant studio, just start fucking wandering into random doors. We've had multiple guests like get into fantastic situations by being lost in big studios. Do not be afraid to be lost. You another thing about um big studios. Um, I was super duper broke one time. Then then this was like when I was trying to make money to quit uh Microsoft, so I rented some studio time at um Hot Beats was the studio at the time. Wow. Oh wow, yeah. And so I rented studio time there. I rented like eight hours, and I just like kept the door open and I just created beats max volume with the door. Hoping someone would walk in. kind of thing. Literally, with the door wide open, and then and people came by, like Rich Homie Kwan came by and bought a beat.

Wow. People would come in and things like that. And I was just like, huh, this is like actually working. Like so, just yeah. If you're like a producer, that's just like I don't know. Just like run out some studio time and make beats dumb loud. You never know who's gonna be there or why. Or just pretend like you're making beats and just play your finish beats. Exactly, exactly. Might add a lead to this. This is like this is great. Yeah, that's fantastic. I'm not gonna lie. I'd always wondered though, like what the economics were for producers, you know, just booking out studios for like beat making sessions. I was like, why don't you just make beats in your house? Like seems dumb. Invite artists to pull up, you know what I mean? Yeah, shoot some content, make it look like content. I always make beats in studios like this. Right right. I'm always in A rooms making. of course you want to come and work with me because this is where I am. Always work. Yeah, damn. No, that's great. That's a gem. Just full full blast making your beats. Oh my gosh, that's great. So you know, so making the leap of faith really was like a very calculated, like, okay, here's how much I make with Microsoft. If I'm making this or better, then you know, because some people aren't that calculated about it, and they're just like, fuck it, I'm going for it, even if I don't have the guaranteed income that She's obviously very smart.

I'm about to say I'm risky, but you I'm smart, like I'm a I'm a young woman, like I have to move smart. You know what I mean? There aren't situations to where some of the artists that even coming up, like becoming famous, they were literally like sleeping in my studio. I'm not gonna mention any names, they know who they are. Oh, come on. We need a one more time. We're here for it. We need the One More Time exclusive. Wow, Ashley Ashley. But you know what I mean? But like as a girl, I couldn't be able to do that. But like, you know what I mean? Just from like a safety and then whatever feeling. comfortable. But like guys can do that. So it's just like they can take not a different leap of faith, but they can take kind of a different route. Whereas I had to make sure I always had my own to be like okay. You had to pay rent. Yeah, you weren't couch surfing. So, Like you can risk it, but you know what I mean? You're gonna be risking yourself if you do that. That's interesting. So, you know, everyone always likes to focus on placements, right? Like if you're a producer, everyone's first fucking question is hey, you know, who do you have songs with? So I do want to ask, like, are there some records that you're like most proud of on the like placement side of things that you want to kind of shout out for people to know kind of what you've had your hands on and you know you know what you've done?

It's crazy because you can make a million songs, and as soon as people ask you, you'd be like, uh what songs have I ever worked on? Um, I like the Kalani Gangsta song. I like that record. Um, that one actually was Grammy nominated. Wow. Amazing. I would literally have to like look it up because I like songs or I like working with artists that are not not to nothing wrong with like my famous friends and my famous artists, but I like listening to my famous friends, you know, what I mean? working with my friends that aren't famous yet, like that are like on their journey because that's like the hungriest music, you know what I mean? Yeah, like who right now is that person for you? Oh, I like Detroit YB. I like one way Monte. I like Doo Wop. I like, I know Doo Wop. yeah, actually, I I have a Doo Wop record on one of my me and Taylor's beats. Oh, shit. Hell yeah. I got one with Doo Wop. Um, who else? Oh, there's all Atlanta folks. They live here. Okay, but they're yeah, cool. So they're here. I live here. Nice. Who else?

Let me see. Let me see. Oh, Natasha Mosley. Love working with her. But she's already like famous. Never mind. So let me see. Screw you, Natasha. No matter anymore. Just kidding, Natasha. You're famous. We'd love to have you on the podcast for sure. Yeah, absolutely. Um okay, so that's that's awesome. Yeah, because I mean, I think that speaks volumes about the type of person you are, though, to be honest. Like you could go and list, you know, no, like you could go list off these like the the like top streamed ones. But the fact that you did care more, like you got so happy when I was like yo, put me on the like people that are on the rise or whatever. That that's super dope. And and I think that's really cool. And that just speaks again to like I mean, you know, you're maybe even a step above them, so I don't know if they're networking laterally, but even still. But networking later. you know what I mean. Yeah, like that that concept. So you know what I was gonna say is that everyone always likes to focus on the placements, but you've done a great job of really dabbling in like other things, you know, that have been revenue producers for you. I like film scoring.

Exactly, yeah. Tell us about kind of the other things outside of just like making songs with artists just for their projects or whatever, right? Like that that's cool. But you know, what are kind of those other levers that you've pulled and the you know different revenue streams and the the ways that you can utilize your craft like in the music game. Oh man. Well, one of my favorite things to do is make music for films, and I do that in multiple ways. Like some films would need film scoring where they need like the actual movie music. Some people would need help with their soundtrack or they just need you know, sounds for the end of the movies or like the the the full artist songs, like not like the classical Mickey Mousing songs or like you know what I mean. Um, but I work with Viacom closely, and we have I don't know, I probably shouldn't say the number, but I give them a certain amount of songs and things a year. And it's just really really fun because TV you can be so weird, you can be so creative. Like if somebody if you think no one's gonna like it, something on TV, or like you know what I mean? Because there's even comedy shows that have like wacky music, or like you can always just like make anything.

So I just love making music. Beats that you wouldn't send to an artist. Yo, I challenge the audience to literally listen to the music in TV and film, even sometimes, and you'll be fucking surprised. Right. like that's the music that was playing behind this like scene, like no fucking way. Like, yeah, because it's not crazy stuff. It's something that an artist is probably not gonna hop on. Like, let's just, you know, or like yeah, or you're not gonna listen to it on the radio always. Right. Once again, there's shows like Insecure that have like fucking incredible music and you know, whatever. Yeah, um, and like even euphoria, which I think that you. Yeah, There's a song that's on Euphoria. Yeah, sorry, yo, she did have a you know have a small role in that. Song placement in Euphoria with Nisha Knight, shout out to Nisha Knight. Oh, and she's also one of the artists, she's in London London right now. Um, she's on the come up and things like that. Nisha Knight, shout out to her. Yeah, that's dope. Yeah, that's dope. But yeah, so so like scoring film, making, you know, I guess like small it like like when there's only a few seconds of a song that's used for TV, is that typically like it'll be an entire two minute and thirty record. Right, that they chop down.

And they will no, let me not say that about Viacom. Okay, and and Viacom for those that don't know, they own CBS, they own like um VH1, T, Comedy Central. Okay, because yeah, because some might not be familiar with they're the they're the big conglomerate of all your fucking favorite TV shows or TV stations, yeah. Or one of you know, one of them. So yeah, like making You'll make a three-minute song. Yeah, and then you'll be six seconds. But it's like, okay. That was cool. It's cool though, because you know, right, they always pay you on time. There's never any like discrepancies. It's not it's not like the music industry. Oh my goodness. Yeah, you have to pull teeth to get paid. Like, what is this? Like, yes, it's embarrassing to ask for your own money. Oh my god, tell me about it. What? Jesus Producers have it the worst. Yeah, I think 808 Blake, who's a producer here, you know, in Atlanta, he manages Metro Mars, who's an artist that's that's, you know, on the on the come up. He talked about like artists will get mad funny the second you start asking for fucking bread, they're like, Whoa, whoa, you're being a little pushy, bro? Like chill out.

It's like bro, you already released a song and I haven't seen a dollar. Like, so anyways, that's a whole that's a conversation for a whole other day. Um but for those that want to get into TV and film, yeah, because I'm they're producing listening. Because he's literally perked his ears are perked up. But seriously, we're trying to add value to people that maybe are you know trying to do similar stuff. How do you, if you were a producer and giving someone advice like to get into that space, like how do you do it? Okay, what I'm about to say, you might have done or you might have overlooked it, because a lot of people overlook this. Um, when I first started, I literally would Google um film producer that needs music or movie that needs music, um, film director looking for a soundtrack. I would Google that and things would come up, you know. Like there would be some kind of like even a Reddit forum of a film producer looking for like a film score composer or something like that, and maybe they're not working with the biggest budget. You might get, you know what I'm saying, a hundred or five hundred dollars, but you're gonna get like you can build your resume and build your repertoire with it. Like, and you can find so many like independent filmmakers, especially now because like YouTube and things like that, you could like um email people that do things, like um, it's so random.

I just emailed this astronaut yesterday. What? It's so random. I'm listening. I found okay, everyone's fully tuned in now. Kayla, Kayla Barron, I think her name is, and she's super young. Shout out to her. And she's like a genius. She's a young, smart astronaut. And I'm like, oh my gosh, you need your own theme song. You know what I mean? Just like things like that. Like you can find YouTubers, like, oh, you need a you need a custom theme song. Because a lot of them just use music that they find, or they don't even know how to reach out to producers for things like that. So literally, just the first thing I did was like Google, oh, okay, who needs music? And then I would just tell them, hey, I can do it. Like wow, simple as that. Damn. Yeah. That's how you get started. And then it's just kind of like, you know, so like you're not subscribed to some of these like platforms where you can like upload music to it. Mm-mm. Okay. Because there are those. I have contacts with Viacom, though. I didn't know about that. Yeah. Oh, do you not you don't even know about the the there, you know, like they're basically like marketplaces for like supervisors, right? That can go and get like supervisors that can go license stuff from these like platforms. So you you never even uploaded straight to the source. straight to the source.

Love that. She said, fuck those third parties. I was blessed enough to have I'm blessed enough to have a music partner named Molly Hunter. Shout out to her. Shout out. Who um is like, you know, close friends with like all the CEOs of like Viacom and things like that. So it's just like, okay, now they know me because you know, we work together and we do good work together. And so just like, okay, well, let's you know, make some contracts to make her make TV films. Like, okay. Sign me up. Yeah, so that that's honestly, you know, perfect segue. So Earth Girl. Yeah. Yeah. Tell the people what Earth Girl is, first of all. Earth Girl was created by Molly Hunter, and it's just a representation of it's like an organization and um a belief, um, a thought, a way of living, um, just to like promote girls being themselves, being their full creatives, being earth girls, like being of the earth. Like I tell you, like how the earth is just so creative and constantly changing and growing and things like that. That's that's just how we have to be as women.

And in the music industry, we usually, well, I can't say usually, because times are changing now. You know what I mean? Y'all got me on here, like that's right. But usually people would like, you know, put women against each other, or there's always some kind of comparison, or women don't get like the same kind of respect in certain spaces as men, or like I told you, like we can't just go like sleeping on people's studios, or like, you know what I mean, because we're we're like, I don't know. But yeah, Earth Girl is just like an organization of belief and idea of women being great. And and so supportive. And and it does have like a music connotation, though. It's like a like like there's been writers' camps and stuff, right? Like, you know, kind of how does it actually play out though? Like, what are some of the things that it you know it like sponsors or I guess you know that that are a part of it sponsors were insane. So Molly had an um Earth Girl camps, she's had a couple of them, and the first one that I went to was actually when we met, and then we like began our partnership because we were just like, oh my gosh, we get along, are we like best friends? And you and you almost didn't go because you're such a homebody, is what I heard.

Well, yeah, and he's actually YB is actually the one that drove me to it. And we went to YB. Shout out YB, man. YB in the building? And remember, and we went to the wrong studio at first, and then the real studio we went to 40 minutes away. I told you. Oh god, I don't know anything ever. Don't ask me for advice. I'm surprised you were here early. Yeah, I told him, that was. I was like, I can't believe I'm early. I've never been early ever. We've never had a guest that's early. I'm gonna be completely honest. I've never been early for anything. Yeah, we usually say the time knowing that it'll be 30 minutes to an hour and a half late. I was in the shower when you got here. Yeah. No, quite late. That's why I was like, Can you just give us a couple minutes? Like, I don't want Henry to come out like in a towel. But anyway, so so you go to the writers' camp, and you and Molly just like vibed out. Like, of course, she's running around super busy. Um, but we got we got a chance to talk the next day. I ended up getting um invited back again for like the rest of the camp, and it was just amazing. She had like all of these like women CEOs from companies I've never heard of. There were like women billionaires there, which was blowing my mind.

Yeah, and everyone is just like, you know, there are like massage classes, there's um yoga classes, there's like mental health exercises, like you know what I mean? Just things that women can benefit from being like better people and then at the end of the day. It's like an actual camp. Yeah, right. Not like a writer, it's like camp. Yeah, real camp. And we were at Tree Sound, so you know, everyone was just always making music in every single room, and it was just amazing. Like that's so cool. She actually brought like the um the like you know, the CFO, CMO, and all of them of Viacom there, and they were like women that like went to Harvard, and I was just like, oh my gosh. so it's so cute. So she's a producer too, right? Or what is she producer, writer, and she sings. Okay. I don't know if she was going to tell people, yet. yeah, yeah. We definitely need you to have you on the podcast for sure. Like, I'm fascinated for sure. No, I already think I might have actually found out about you initially through Molly. Oh wow. Yeah, because like I had I had followed her because she just does so cool, you know, such cool things. Um that's that's dope.

So, what's up with that music that you guys wrote? Is it is that for anyone? Is there gonna be like an Earth Girl album or anything? What's what's up with that? Actually, um, yeah, she was putting together an Earth Girl album. I don't know how it's gonna be finished, so I can't really speak too much on it, but there are like, you know, hard drives and like archives Yeah. Pretty mysterious. I was like, oh, and he wants to get his hands on some of that Earth Girl music. I mean, I just wanna hear it. No, it sounds fire. Um, what are you most excited about coming up? You know what I mean? Like, what should the people be looking forward to from you? Are there any like projects that you're working on? Any films that you scored that are coming out soon, like anything you want to make sure that the people hear? Surprisingly. Well, um, what's about to come out? Oh, I think another turnt movie is gonna come out. I did some scoring for that, that's for sure. But I I know this this might come as a shocker, or maybe not. I have like no goals. Wow. What? Tell us more. What like these days, I like I'll wake up and I'll like accept whatever opportunities I feel like are fitting to me, and that would like help me as a person and help me as an artist or things like that.

But like as far as it's like I don't like write out blueprint pants, like like I have albums that I'm mixing and things right now, but there's not like those are have to do's. Yeah, because you literally got paid to do it. It's like exactly, but like you owe these people something back. Yeah, but like other than that, I just like I just take opportunities as they make sense, and then I like to do things where I just like make enough money to where I can just do what I want. Like, I think I'm gonna make a scary film later, not right now, like not this year. Write and direct it kind of thing, or I want to put it, I'll hire a director. Like, I want to put it. I just want to I honestly just want to make the music for it. Yeah, I want to make the music for it, honestly. And everyone else can do like the other parts because that's a lot. Yeah, but you might have to manage people. And you remember how that you remember how that worked out? Literally hire someone for that. Yeah, but yeah, like I don't work off of goals anymore. Like, is that because you tried it and you didn't like it? No, I I tried goals and then like and it works. So I just now I just say like they're just things to do. Like they're not like necessarily the goals.

Like, okay, like I'm probably gonna go and get like two or three more Grammys or something like that, but it's not like a goal, you know what I mean? Yo, no one's ever said that about Grammys. I'll probably get a couple more, but like if it happens, it happens. Exactly though, exactly. Like it's not a goal. That's a hot take. Where does that attitude come from though? Is that like from your family, or like you know, where does that like go with it's like that go with the wind type shit, like from the earth, and yeah, yeah, no, seriously, it's from the earth. Like human and man-made things only have so much energy inside of them, and they can't reciprocate that much. So that I know it was really hard to like get me on the phone. Like, you can tell, like, I'm not really on my phone a lot, or like you know what I mean? I'm not really I'm so surprised she showed up, guys. She confirmed yesterday, and then I didn't hear from her for a second today. I was like, shit, she might not, I might just have a meeting with Henry. We might talk about something, I don't even know. I know, but I'm like I'm so glad you came, by the way. But I'm so happy to be here. Yeah, I'm always just like in the moment of things. So like things that like material things and that also, okay.

So, like, yeah, material things they don't really like give me what I need from life. But there's this um stigma of like I made a post yesterday, and it was saying like how we don't have actual like scoreboards as musicians to know when we're actually like winning or losing or what's gonna happen. Like, if you play basketball, you know if you're good enough to go to the NBA because there's stats and things like that. You know how many rings you have, you know what I mean? Yeah, right, you know that type of thing, but like with art, you just keep creating like you might have a hit or miss, hit or miss, hit or miss, like you never really know. So I don't think there's an actual way to judge someone's art. Like, like whereas, oh, you get this Grammy, but they don't, or like you know what I mean? So it just devalues it for me. Yeah, like shout out to people with Grammys, though, with nothing wrong with them. Yeah, it's just not a goal for me. But it and do you think that you're kind of relaying the like subjectivity of art? Like objectively, if I play Henry in basketball and I whoop his ass, which obviously would happen. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa I I would be the winner versus like subjectively if I make a song and Henry makes a song, this will probably be better. One person can hate it, one person can love it, or you know what I mean?

Yeah, because everyone's ears are literally like their fingerprints, they're saying they're very unique. Everyone's ears are different, so we literally hear things differently. So I can't tell you that this song is better than this song. I can say it's different, I can tell you how it differs from that song. Like, oh, they use different instruments and things like that, or like you know what I mean? I can probably explain to people why they like something, but I can't say something is better or worse. Yes, so I don't think trophies, Interesting. you know what I mean? I mean, but I get it, you need trophies to make people compete in your whatever capital is. Gotta justify your existence as a creative. But like, there's no way to me. With those plaques. Yeah, but like the recognition and stuff is cool, and like having people like you know, throw you love and good energy is cool, but just like the actual like getting trophies and trying to like tally and keep score and things like that has never been like a fun game for me. Did you ever play sports? I actually played hardball when I was younger for some reason, and I was like really good at it. I was like super fast. That's not what I expected. Yeah, yeah. I was expecting her to say, hell no, I've never picked up a ball in my life.

Yeah. Or like a normal sport. Maybe yeah, I mean, like, are are you competitive though? Um, do you want to be the best? Or like not even really? No, no. I never I've never cared to be the best at anything. I just like having fun. And then it's just like when you happen to have fun with it, you're more comfortable. So you do end up making things that people aren't making. Or you know what I mean? Like you do end up doing things that people aren't doing, and other people find it interesting. Yeah. Yeah. But I've never tried to be the best at anything ever. What kind of pressure? Yeah. So many people. That's so interesting. That's very like. I never thought about it that way. Yeah. Well, something you do need to try and be the best at. Uh oh. Is this final segment of the One More Time podcast? So put your competitive hat on. Buckle up. Strap your boots. Ashley Ashley. New boots. This is the Rapid Fire Rampage. Rampage! So if you haven't seen the show before, it's a three-part rampage.

Okay. We're gonna start with some short answer questions. Okay. We're gonna do some this or that. I'm gonna give you two choices. You can pick one. Yep, this or that classic. Yep, hydrate for this for sure. Absolutely. And then we're gonna do word association. Word association at the end. I'm gonna say one word, you just say the first thing off the top of your head right back at me. Okay. So starting off with the short answer question. If I cuss, you'll edit it. No. Fuck no, we're not editing that shit. out. Not at all. Okay. And actually, there's a question here. We'll get to it. We'll get to it. Um episode uh 45 of the One More Time podcast with Ashley Ashley. Rampage! We're going to start off super hot, throw you right into the flames. How are you doing today? Um, I'm great. I was early, you know, I'm great. Okay, okay. It's the first time I've been early. not lost. Right, not lost. It's beautiful. Directionally sound, yep. There you go. Netflix approaches you to make a movie about the life of Ashley Ashley. Who plays you and who plays the male lead?

Um, there wouldn't be a male lead or a female lead. There wouldn't be one of those either. No, my dating life is so absent. Or no lead. But um, yeah, there'll be like a couple people that'll come in and out, but for the most part. Henry and I might make an appearance. Ain't no Michelle Obama or Um who would play me. I don't know, Michelle Obama would be a pretty cool answer. To play you. I don't know. That'd be crazy. You'd have to age her down a little bit. No offense, Michelle. It'd be cute to be Zendaya. Yeah, right. Okay. Okay. Comes full circle, Henry. That's Right. That's what I was hoping for. Anyway. You wake up as a dolphin. What is the first thing you do? Oh my gosh, I go swimming. What do you mean? You wake up as God. What is the first thing you do? Um, make applesauce free for everybody. What is that? I don't I don't even want to know. That's amazing. Just moving on. I love applesauce. So do I.

And then it's like free food. That's the first thing. I can do many things now as well. That's the first one, though. Very first things first. Free Applesauce. Applesauce on the earth. Like on the house, everybody. Jace just wanted to take out peas from fried rice from the Chinese restaurant. They both have terrible first things to do. They can do more things. That's just the first one. We're starting right now. No, no, it sounds like it's the most important thing they think. Like not solving world hunger or like homelessness. Applesauce helps solve world hunger. Free for everyone that's helping. That is they would get so tired of it. But anyways, moving on. Sorry. I give him 48 hours. Ashley, if you were an appetizer, what would you be? Applesauce. Right, literally. Um I'd be like a vegetarian spring roll or something. Like I got it pretty put together, but like when you open it, there's a lot of things going on And it's super colorful. That was good.

That was good. I like the explanation. What are three ways to use a viola besides playing it? Besides playing it? Oh, you can strike someone with it. She seems so innocent until this until this answer. You can just strike someone with it. That's Definitely one. Um without playing it. You can you you can like paint it and like paint it on a wall and make it like some cool art piece or whatever. It's great. Or you can smash it and use it for firewood if you're stranded. Fantastic. Fantastic answers. Ashley, if yellow is over here and purple is over there, where are you? I'm where I am. What do you mean? Perfect. I'm not following you there. It's okay. Ashley, you have to delete three states. What are they? Um, Iowa's a state, right? It is. It's gone. I don't know what they have going on. Isn't that like right next to Michigan? It's pretty close, I think.

Yeah, get rid of it. I don't know, actually. Needs more Michigan. My Midwest geography is so fucked up. I have no idea where any of y'all are, but for sure. two more. Nevada. You don't like Vegas, eh? I don't know. Vegas gives me the darkest energy ever. I'm never going back. I would delete Nevada. Okay. Fair enough. I don't know what they have going on. And there's like play pyramids. We didn't, I don't know, we're not gonna get into it. Um, what else? Ooh. Oh no, weed is legal there, so we should keep that. Um, oh no. Something around Texas, but not Texas. Oklahoma. Like Kansas, Oklahoma. Oklahoma. Because we gotta keep Kansas for the stories. We need something to compare it to. Oklahoma is one of those too, though. Ashley, is cereal soup. Because right, because what is soup? Like I is soup just like, you know, things in liquid, or does it have to be broth?

I don't think it's soup. Not soup. I don't think it's soup. Ashley Is it soup? You can't second guess yourself now. Moving on. What pisses you off? Hmm. I I don't like when people are not being mindful and like considerate of others in situations. And especially oh my gosh, especially if they like go out of their way to be inconsiderate to somebody. Like, are you serious? Yeah, like you chose that with your time. Wow. I know yeah, people being not mindful. Great answer. How many acorns would fit in a suburban? Dang. That'd be like 3,700. I don't know. It's actually probably a really good answer. Final question of the short answer. Ashley, what is your favorite curse word? It's like y'all fucking talked about this before. Like, what is this? Kind of weird energies going on there.

Um, okay, I don't know. It's not a curse word, but it's like it's looked down upon to say, but sassafras. But uh what? Sassar. Sassafras? Sassafras? Sassafras? It's looked down upon. Yeah, because it's like, you know, in heroin and things like that, and people don't really mention it anymore. Um how do you like oh, sassafras? Yeah, how do you use that in a sentence? I don't know. It's just like, oh, don't give me no sassafras or like It's like bullshit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Never heard that in my life. Part one of the rampage. Sassafras. I learned something new every day. Part one. Part one. She did great. That was good. That was good. some really fantastic answers. The speed could come up a little bit. We'll see what happens here on part two. This is the this or that. She might add the one more time Rapid Fire Rampage plaque to the wall. You know what I mean? Add that to the wall, plaque. So When we finally do our Hall of Fame. Move over Kalani. This is the one where you say a word and I say what I think about it. That's the last part. Oh, okay. This is this or that. I'm gonna give you two choices. Pick one.

Ooh, indecisive Ashley. That's right. That's not what you want to be here. So buckle up. Lyrics or melody? Melody. Viola or vocals? Viola. Writing or freestyling? Freestyling. Oohs and ahs or harmonies? Harmonies. Intros or pre-choruses. Oh my gosh, pre-choruses. Home studio or commercial studio. But commercial studio because you could do it all there. Bowling or putt-putt? Oh, putt-putt. Bowling. No way. How'd your fingers? I love bowling. I love both. Salsa or guac. Salsa. Drums or flats. I like them both. Um drums. They're easier to eat. She got so scared of that question. You would have thought you said something. Yes.

It's like choosing my favorite child. Oh my god, I like hand drums or cajones. What are you talking about? Fucking instrumentalist over here. I I feel like I can ask people in Atlanta that and they know what I'm talking about. So babies dressed as penguins or penguins dressed as senior citizens. Oh Penguins, because you don't really have to take care of them. They can like do their own things outside. Okay. Penguins dressed as senior citizens. Just with like canes and balls. Don't get over it. Detroit or Atlanta? Detroit. Oh. Hands down. Wait. That one. Does that mean you're moving away? No. It just means I love Detroit. Okay. House party? I was like, we just met. That'd be so sad. House party or the club? Um, house party for sure. Black and white clothes or colors? Black and white.

Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos. Sweet tea or lemonade. Mix together Arnold Palmer, sweet tea. Arnold Palmer. IG or TikTok? Actually, TikTok. Are you on the talk? I'm on there. My following isn't big and I don't do many things on there, but it's so informative. I love it. And it's way more than like Instagram. It's like everyone polishes their pictures and puts them up there with like a caption, or like, you know, they only show you the good parts, whereas TikTok is showing you like maybe the offbeat people are. They reward the the non-polished. Right, right. the realness. The realness, right? I like that. Give up Apple products for life or give up Amazon for life. Amazon. Gone. Apple products are gonna give me what I need to buy everything on there anyway. You have a 90% chance at 100,000, or a 10% chance of a million dollars. 90% to 100k, because we can learn how to flip that.

That's right. Part two of the rampage. It's a real business woman. That was good. Part two of the rampage. Yeah, improvement. Much better. She's heating up. She's heating up. She's getting the hang of this. It's all gonna come down to the word association. And this is where it gets tricky. So are you ready for the word association? Yes. Here we go. I mean, with words like sassafras. sassafras. I don't know what the fuck's about to come out of her mouth right now. Should be good. To be honest. I'm looking forward to this. Here we go. Starting with microphone. Spaceship. Exactly, Henry. Great start. It's just reminding me of like technology and just like spaceship. Okay, yeah, sure. And they're shaped the same. Uh-huh. Neighborhood. Lovely. Morning. Oh, a drag. Gamble. Don't ever. Or never. I would say that. Yeah. Stay away. Doctor.

Dre. What's wrong with that? That's a great answer. Why were you embarrassed by that? Fantastic answer. We're on a music podcast here, Ashley. Ashley. Come on. Rainbow. Oh, lucky charms. Trash. Ooh. You're beat. You're about to name it. I thought she was gonna name drop. Boom bad beats. Yeah, I had to stop myself. Boom bad beats? Absolutely. Not a fan. Not a fan. Wow. Okay. That's surprising. Yeah. All right. Moving on. Whiskey. Don't drink. Unicorn. Lovely. Yeah. Diamond. Diamond? Useless. Ooh. That's a good one. Stage. Oh, it's like, what is it? Anxiety? Yeah. Yeah. Shit. Overwhelmed. Overwhelming. Shitting yourself. Overwhelm.

Yacht. Big. Lil. Uzi. Ping pong. Games. Bumper. Lawsuit. Okay. I think I got it. Yeah. I'm with it. I'm with it. Yeah. Crypto cryptocurrency. Oh. What is um confusing? Yeah, that's the word for me. Science. Love it. 420. Needed. Earth Girl for me. After the episode. Yeah. Super. Powers. Ice cream. Oh, the best. That's two words. That works. That works. You're the only guest that's actually stuck to like trying to do the one word. Usually they rattle off like a sentence. But so you're doing great. Green. Yellow. Poor Green just got flipped on its head. Okay.

And the final one. Ashley. Korean. Oh, I thought we were gonna. We thought it was so nice you had to say it twice. Ashley Ashley. Ashley Ashley. Come on. Still a great part. It's a great way to wrap up the rampage. Fantastic. Amazing rampage. It goes up there, might be in the hall of fame. Rampage. We're we're gonna deliberate after this, and we'll get back to you on your plaque. In all seriousness, folks, this has been Ashley Ashley. Amazing stories. Really, really cool perspectives. Yeah. Yeah. I I I just love the way that you approach things, like really intentional about how you like treat other people and how you want to be treated. And I think that that's why people have probably found it so easy to work with you, to be honest. Because some of these people in this music shit are just fucking assholes. Not mindful, yeah. And it's just like, how? yeah, which you know, I wish them the best, Energy is expensive. I definitely want people like you to win. So thank you again for coming on. I appreciate it. I know it was uh, you know, some some uh you know follow-ups that I had to, you know, had to stay on top of you a little bit. I'm the worst on the phones.

Don't tell me I'm the worst. If she leaves you, if she leaves you on red, it's really not personal, but don't take it. She did it to me too. Just give me three days. Yeah, but in all seriousness, we really really appreciate you coming on. And Henry, until next week, what are we doing? Getting the hell out of here. We getting the fuck out. Peace. Bye bye.