Today we’d like to introduce you to Asha.
Asha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Early as a child, my mother and father insisted I play a musical instrument to balance my scholastic and athletic gifts. I began playing the violin in the third grade and viola in the 9th grade. As for singing, I did my best to keep it in the shower, feeling like I had yet to put in the work needed to call myself a singer. After graduating from high school, I became a collegiate athlete. I accepted a division one athletic scholarship to pursue a biology degree and planned on being an anesthesiologist.
Little did I know, things would shift career-wise and send me into a creative whirlwind! Somewhere in the mix, I ended up on a random outing to a recording studio, where I was told my voice was authentic and unique. I began to be uncertain of my original career choice because deep down I knew singing and music was my passion.
I took a couple of years off of school to work on my sound, and songwriting, I haven’t left the studio since. While interning at DARP Studios and HQ studios, I learned to vocally produce, write, record, and arrange my own music. I am also currently working on an audio engineering degree. My goal was to learn enough to be able to conduct full studio sessions with only me in the room. Some of my musical influences are Sade, Toni Braxton, Kelis, Missy Elliot, and Brandy. I am currently working to release ‘NEW MUSIC’ and visuals with my team Digital Native Culture.
Has it been a smooth road?
I have had many struggles along the path to fulfilling my purpose. My parents both have multiple degrees and when I stopped attending college to fulfill my purpose I felt outcasted. Along with feeling outcasted by my family, my initial entrance into the music business was very rocky. I started working with a songwriter who later drugged and took advantage of me. I was very reluctant to work with anyone musically after that. Music is my peace and I refused to allow anyone to interrupt my mind or body ever again.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a singer, songwriter, producer, and engineer, that is self-taught. My stage name is ASHA, that also happens to be my first name and I primarily sing R&B and I was born in New Jersey.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
In music, there is no definitive path. You should take what you already know or are interested in the most and master it and try to learn more. Immerse yourself in whatever interests you most about music. It’s like a puzzle you have to put together. Read every book you can watch every tutorial you can. Write at least one song every day in a journal until you can record them all. Work on songwriting like poetry. You also can gain more control of your voice by doing Voice warmups, voice scales, things of that nature start with that daily. This is possible anywhere and in any place, if you make it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashamusica.com/
- Phone: 4049183443
- Email: Ashamgnt@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashamusica/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASHAtalk/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashamusica
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/5QboEJjUbmDd5c6a3BGOAJ
Image Credit:
Photographer 1: Shot By Sed, Photographer 2: Victorian Prime, Makeup by: Jah Q
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
