Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Peck.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a Platinum/Billboard Producer and Engineer. I am 26 years old and originally from Philadelphia, PA.
My passion for music started burning at an early age. My initial dream was to become a singer like Alicia Keys; she was an idol of mine as a child and I would always hear how we resembled one another. It all started when I was about seven years old when I decided I didn’t want to sound horrible when I sang, so I started vocal training myself by paying very close attention to songs; dissecting the entire composition (instruments, melodies, key, pitch, tone, etc.) I would sing “Fallen” to the top of my lungs on my grandmother’s vacuum cleaner. At the age of nine, I begged my father for a keyboard piano because I now wanted to teach myself that too. I initially taught myself how to play by ear with songs like ‘We Belong Together’ by Mariah Carey and ‘All My Life’ by KC & JoJo. I wanted to take actual piano lessons, but my elementary school didn’t offer piano at the time.
So, I ended up choosing the flute. This is where my initial passion for production came in and I had no idea, but it came to a halt when my grandmother decided to relocate to Greenwood, South Carolina. Along with music, technology has also been a passion of mine. It was at the age of nine when I broke my mp3 player and my grandmother couldn’t afford to buy another one, so I took it apart and fixed it on my own. I had no idea that I would eventually combine the two. I relocated to South Carolina when I was 13 years old and unfortunately had to give up playing music temporarily; I continued singing by joining the school chorus and church choir. It was the next year when I started high school that I began to take real piano lessons and eventually was able to play classical music like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. I vividly remembering my grandmother fussing at me for making melodies instead of practicing my sheet music for upcoming recitals. I then begin to play every Sunday at church and was rewarded with $20. I knew then how profitable my talents could be. I had no idea this would lead to where I am now though.
After graduating high school, I was unable to continue piano lessons, so I became rusty on the keys, but I still wanted to pursue being an artist. I was 19 when I began coming to Atlanta every weekend to work with Grammy-award winning producers, engineers, singers/songwriters. That unfortunately came to an end due to a previous relationship and I had let music go as a whole. It was when that relationship ended that I decided to go back to my first love: music. By this time, I had earned my Masters in Computer Science and relocated to Atlanta to pursue music full time. I met my husband in July 2017 on Instagram. He was a basketball player, but we were both pursuing music and decided to work with each other. He recognized my talents and introduced me to FL Studio. I was already fully capable of producing but had absolutely no idea which DAW to use. He taught me the ins and outs of production and we decided to created the team Priority Beats.
Our name stemmed from simply wanting to be a priority within the music industry. I began making full beats in FL, but would only let my closest friends listen and provide feedback. They encouraged me to take it much more seriously because what I was creating was very good! I took heed to their advice and begin posting snippets of me producing on social media which eventually grabbed the attention of well-established producers such as Budda Bless and OVO40. I then began to land placements such as Young Dolph Flodging, etc. I met DotCom through Renni Rucci. I had been following her music coming from the same city (I relocated to Columbia, SC for two years after graduating college) and wanted to work with her. I reached out to Dot on Instagram and the rest is history. I give full credit to both my husband and DotCom for believing in me enough to encourage me to go to the next level within music. In June 2018, I signed to Quality Control under DotCom as a producer.
Unfortunately, my grandmother passed a week later and I began to give up on everything. It was Dot that challenged me to learn engineering to be a “triple threat” since I already had singing/songwriting and producing down packed. I shadowed Dot for about six months, then I began recording artists such as Renni Rucci, B La B, Lil Baby, Gunna, Kollision, etc. while building relationships with other producers and engineers such as Twysted Genius, Tillie, OG Parker, Quay Global, Earl The Pearl, etc. In August 2018, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. Even then, Dot did not give up on me but pushed me harder to provide for my family. I buckled down in the studio every night for 5 1/2 months straight. At six months, I decided to slow down and took a break from the studio. I returned back to QC in August of this year after my grandfather passed away and have been receiving amazing support since having my daughter. Slowly, but surely I am getting back to where I left off and plan to take the industry by storm moving forward!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been an easier journey and honestly seems to be a roller coaster of highs and lows. My biggest challenge is simply being a female in a male-dominated industry; I get underestimated often. When people see me in the studio, they’re automatically thinking I am only there as a girlfriend or pretty face to look at. Sometimes people won’t even speak to me until I’m behind the computer either playing my beats, producing or engineering. Another challenge I experience is motherhood and trying to balance both family and music. I believe the downtime that I had to take pushed me back in my career, but also further because it makes my drive much more stronger. Marriage has also been a challenge simply due to the late hours and time away and of course, always being the only female in the room.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Priority Beats – what should we know?
Priority Beats is a production team that was created by my husband and I. We have another producer that completes our trio. We specialize in anything music related whether it’s producing, engineering, songwriting, etc. I am most proud of the progress that our team has made in such a short period of time. What sets Priority Beats apart from others is the foundation of our team. There isn’t another married couple that both individuals produce and engineer.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
God deserves the most credit, first and foremost for blessing me with the many talents that I have as well as the cards that I have been dealt. The journey hasn’t been easy, but well worth it. My grandparents deserve credit for providing a better life for me by relocating and being the parents I needed. My husband deserves credit for always pushing me to the next level and sticking by my side through it all. My manager, DotCom, deserves credit for simply believing and trusting me enough to introduce and include me in his family of the industry: Quality Control. He has truly opened many doors for me and a great mentor. Lastly, my family and friends for supporting me throughout this journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.prioritybeats.com
- Email: theprioritybeats@gmail.com
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