Ashley Kay's Biography: A Shot Across The Bows
You may have never heard of Ashley Kay just yet, but maybe you have seen her or some of her creativity floating around. Perhaps you have seen a design of hers on the shelves at record stores or on your iTunes screen, on the stands of country music artists merchandise tables or dancing the walls of concert halls or subway ads. Maybe you have even seen her swe...ep across your television screen.
A 5 year old Ashley was singing along side a piano in her aunts attic as her uncle played songs like "Down By The Bay" and "Hit The Road Jack". Her vocal exploration continued through elementary school in the choir and musical productions. A father consumed in alcoholism and gambling, a single mother dealing with depression and the youngest of three children, Ashley sought every artistic outlet she had. At 14 she lost her grandfather to cancer and Ashley brushed shoulders with Canadian legend Tom Cochrane and this is where her lyrics and melody writing began.
In high school she took to the stage in the choir, vocal class performance solos and in a garage band singing cover songs of anything from The Righteous Brothers to Nirvana just to satisfy everyone in the bands tastes.
After her parent's messy divorce and the loss of her grandfather, Ashley landed the lead role in Chris Cummings music video “Dixie Beauxderaunt”. The video soared to number 2 on the Canadian Country Music Television charts.
Ashley has designed and creative directed for musical recording acts artists such as Chris Cummings, The Wilkinsons, Victoria Banks, Beverley Mahood, Giselle, Bachman Cummings and much more. But the girl behind the scenes has had much more to offer for some quite some time now.
“I was designing things for other artists while I had boxes of lyrics and melodies I have written sitting under my desk and under my bed. It was sad. I never thought I was good enough to be there. I never had someone tell me I was. Instead I had the opposite. There was a point in time in my life where when I looked in the mirror I didn't know who I was anymore." Says Ashley. "I have written lyrics and melodies on floors, in tour buses of some of Canada's most respected musicians and on airplanes soaring over the Atlantic."
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"I have gone up and down in life. I have found myself on my bathroom floor sobbing for answers and I have found myself screaming out in delight with my hands in the air. These lyrics are for anyone who has screamed at the top of their lungs and no one has heard them, for any girl who has walked on eggshells to make a man happy. To anyone who has lost themselves or has yet to find themselves. You will. These lyrics are for anyone who has ever thought they weren't good enough. You are. For anyone who has ever been afraid to close their eyes at night. You are stronger than you think. Every cloud has a silver lining"
-Ashley
Her petite size does not reflect her incredible strength. There is nothing typical about this creative music video girl's vocals or writing and of course those blue eyes don't hurt at all either.
With Ashley's ethereal dainty vocals, whispering vibrato and emotionally sparkled lyrics on the Canadian country music à la carte, she is sure to spin some visions.
"I dedicate my art and journey to the artsy dreamers and my late grandfather. I dedicate my first song Tug of War (In My Mind) to women in abusive and domestic violent relationships. If I did not have my art…I don't know where I would be." She says with her head in her hands.
Tug of War In My Mind is co-written and produced by Michael Wise and Daenen Bramberger of the shining band The Midway State (Themidwaystate.com). It is the first song off her forthcoming EP.