Locals Only: Ōtautahi-born singer-songwriter ASHY - ‘There’s a real art to making good pop music’

ASHY is a different kind of pop star.

Self-driven and made in a way few can claim, the Ōtautahi-born songwriter and performer knew from a young age that she wanted to make it as a commercial artist. Once done with high school, she started making trips to Tāmaki Makaurau to build relationships within the music industry – recognising the need to be in close proximity to opportunities as they came up.

“You’ve got some of the most talented people you’re going to see or watch in Christchurch, so it’s been an amazing community to be part of,” she says. “It is also difficult though, because we are quite isolated from the rest of the country. The work ethic here is really awesome to see, people push really hard. It’s really awesome to see people win from this city.”

Winning is something ASHY - real name Ashy Batchelor - might have to get used to. Though she’s only just released a debut EP – Status, which is out today – international interest has been bubbling for some time, and things are about to scale up.

Having played eight 45-minute slots at Austin festival South by Southwest (SXSW) – a truly impressive feat at what is a heady, hectic event at the best of times – ASHY caught the attention of industry attendees and landed a worldwide co-management deal with boutique US management company Arcana Management.

“Since I got back from the States it’s just been go, go, go,” she enthuses. “I’m so thrilled to have signed with Arcana, my international plans are now more solidified and I’ll be spending time both in the USA and Europe in 2024 to explore markets best suited to my music. We’re definitely going to be hitting the ground running. It’s going to be really, really fun.”

A fortuitous linking up with manager Cary Caldwell in 2021 has gone a long way to setting ASHY up for worldwide success, although the work ethic and talent of the 24-year-old star is what sets her apart. Status is the result of this hard graft, and features exciting collaborations with writers and producers from Aotearoa and abroad.

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“I’m a lover of pop and commercial music, and R&B, and I like to delve into those two worlds,” says ASHY. “I really like the polished sound, and the look, the fashion side and the visual side. I think there is actually a real art to making good pop music, and it’s very hard to make good pop music.”

For someone who is in many ways only just getting started, ASHY has already written with a range of established songwriters including Julia Deans, Troy Kingi, Tami Neilson, and Delaney Davidson – and worked with an impressive cohort of producers that includes Josh Fountain (BENEE), Ben Wylen (Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande), Sam Trevethick (Shapeshifter), as well as her long-time, Sydney-based collaborator Liam Quinn (Rita Ora, Keith Urban).

She also has a knack for shoulder-tapping exciting feature artists, including Tāmaki Makaurau rapper Jujulips who features on the second single from Status, Do Not Disturb. Performed here for Locals Only, lead single LA Talk is a tongue-in-cheek nod to superficial romance, while Do Not Disturb is a bonafide banger.

“I’d heard of Jujulips before, but it was a really cool match because she’s having her amazing rise as well, in the Auckland scene. The song is about bringing back that female presence and empowerment, and what you can get if you work hard and go for it. She emulates the same energy that I do, of just going for it.”

It’s an infectious energy that imbues ASHY’s live show – which, as well as mental and emotional energy, requires a lot of physical stamina and strength.

“I make that high energy pop music, and people naturally want to see the performer project that too,” she acknowledges. “I did a lot of work preparing for South By, because every set was about 40-45 minutes, and yes, I did that to myself.

I’ve been doing movement classes, really honing in on what spots and musical moments to put energy in – and I was skipping, like a little kid. It hugely helped my overall breath control and fitness on stage. If I wasn’t a singer I would not do that, but you’ve gotta be professional about it! I mean, if I was put in an arena tomorrow, what are you gonna do? You’ve gotta be prepared.”

Considering the trajectory her career’s taken so far, it may not be too long before ASHY is thanking herself for that foresight.