Ashley J brings a fascinatingly diverse background, artistically, musically and otherwise, to her emergence into the pop-world.
Growing up in Orlando, the multi-talented singer/songwriter held her own with her four brothers and friends by achieving a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 5, and First and Second Degree Black Belts not long after. When she wasn’t training with her brothers and father, she was off with her mom to ballet classes. In her spare time, she was found writing song lyrics on her bathroom wall that her parents had to continuously repaint. Later attending the Dr. Phillips High School of Performing Arts in Orlando, she scored leading roles in theatre, dance and musical productions. The current single is “Dare Ya.” And it’s her best yet.
This is more like a pop rock song than what Ashley has done before, which is actually a lot including country. And one of the major differences is that it deeper and less repetitive. Like a star is born all of a sudden. But that never happens overnight. It’s just an arrival of sorts into a more pop laden world, where things aren’t so superficial. It might just be her country roots shining through on this track, but it’s a step in a better direction than what I’ve heard. This is much more like it, musically speaking. You really can’t deny there is more than a touch of greatness here within pop circles. But I think gospel and soul music are likely what Ashley listens to. But here she really brings a solid direction.
It’s certain inflections of soul and hip hop she weaves into this magical pop rock number. There are touches of gospel and r&b too. It’s produced very well and that always helps. But if you don’t like this sort of thing you still can’t say a bad word about it. She wrote a killer track and that much is evident. I think you get the drift by now that it’s worth seeking. I was impressed from the get go, but I’m not usually one to listen to Ashley myself. I did research her enough to tell the striking difference in the phases she has been through, though. And I just find this to be not only an improvement but a musically more relaxed approach. It would do her well to stay the course and keep it in this zone. I know I’d follow that as far as she can take it. As far as I’m concerned she’s just beginning to blossom.
Pop lovers will eat this up, and it’s still yet not that far removed from the more club oriented sound she’s more recently known for. I would stay away from dance mix versions of this, if there is any, and I’m glad I’m not reviewing one. I think it’s mixed fine and should stay this way, so that is the only advice I have, which really isn’t even critical. I mean if you can rate this low, I’d be surprised. It’s good but then could be a fluke, so I know it might look funny to just glow about it. But it’s the best thing I have reviewed in some time, concerning all the singles that keep coming my way. They can sound the same after so many, and I was recently discussing that with my editor. But there is always the exception to the rule, and this is exactly that.
You get it all here in one little gem that won’t quit, as it packs double pop power. No mistaking it, this track should chart high. In-fact it would even do well at the club, so I digress a little concerning that. I would just rather it was left alone and not had beats added by an alternate mix. That’s all. I’m just a fan of seeing her go more musical because it works so well. I can hear playlists screaming with this, as it goes with a lot of what is to be heard on the radio. Or what should be expected to be heard on “pop” radio, anyway. This is no classic rock, but it’s not hardcore hip hop either. It’s somewhere in the middle, if that’s possible.
But I don’t know, to each their own about that. I just like it and get more into it than other tracks by Ashley that I’ve listened to.
Your opinion might vary, but I’m pretty sure this single is likeable across the board.
10/10
Cyrus Rhodes
