Ashlee Keating celebrates a brazen empowerment and authenticity in her music. She brings catchy pop anthems that encourage folks to break free from the false expectations of social media and embrace their true selves.
Ashlee’s commitment to uplifting women and the LGBTQ+ community shines through her work. In March, she honored Women’s History Month by sharing weekly covers of classic female anthems on Instagram, showcasing her vocal talent and paying tribute to the icons who inspire her. Her electrifying performance at the Atlanta Pride iHeart Power 96.1 Concert further highlights her role as a powerful voice in the music industry.
 Ashlee shares more about her artistic journey, the inspiration behind her latest releases, and her mission to inspire confidence and self-love in everyone.
“Thirsty” is about self-empowerment and rejecting thirst culture. Thirst culture is a pervasive aspect of our society today. What inspired you to write this track, and what message do you hope listeners take away from it?
I thought a lot about how there are so many perceptions online and on social media. It had me thinking and chit-chatting during my writing session and made me want to write a song from a strong, confident female perspective about social media perceptions and âthirst culture.â I had been going through my likes and DMâs and had said in my session, âheâs so THIRSTY,â and threw that name around, which became the song’s title, and the rest was history. Itâs not just about how youâre perceived online or how hot your pictures are; itâs truly about getting to know someone and not just about being all âthirstyâ and doing too much. I genuinely hope this inspires my listeners and followers to see and share their true authentic beauty inside and out on social media but also be confident enough to post that thirst trap girl no matter what body shape, race, or imageâŠget it, boo! I hope it makes them feel confident and like a bad b*tch while listening!
Social media plays a significant role in the concept of thirst culture. How do you personally navigate the pressures of social media while staying authentic to yourself?
I try not to overthink things and live in my truth and self-confidence; thatâs not easy at times, though. Itâs rough out here with perceptions and opinions online, LOL. You essentially canât do anything but live authentically and be yourself. I love meditating and saying self-empowering thoughts to myself.Â
Your Women’s History Month covers of Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Faith Evans, and Lauryn Hill were exceptional. How do these powerful women influence your work, and whatâs the significance of paying homage to them?
Awe, thank you so much! Yes, I love these women. Many people didnât know about my love for soulful R&B music and that side of myself, so I wanted to share a piece of that during that time and pay homage to some specific women and songs that always stood out to me artistically and vocally. My favorite was remixing Lauryn Hillâs âDoo Wop.â I wanted to showcase my songwriting abilities as I rewrote the verse and gave it a little Ashlee Flava. I have many sides to me artistically, and I canât wait to share so much more very soon! Â
You recently released a Christmas song of your ownâhow does “Nice N Naughty” bring a fresh perspective to traditional holiday music?
Yes, I love the holidays so much and Christmas! I think itâs a very smart, fun, and flirty concept based on âAre you naughty or nice?.â Itâs a clever and original idea thatâs never been done before, where Iâm asking Santa in a fun way to bring me my dream guy whoâs a little bit of both âNICE N NAUGHTYâ. You canât just have one; you need a little of both⊠duh! LOL. Itâs fresh, fun, and sexy but also brings the essence of holiday cheer and magic.Â
“Nice N Naughty” is essentially your third-holiday song. Do you see yourself delving further into holiday-themed music in the future?
I could see myself diving into this more! Itâs funny; I never planned on having this much success with Christmas music and the holidays, but itâs starting to become a thing, and Iâm not mad.Â
Performing at the Atlanta Pride iHeart Power 96.1 concert must have been a powerful experience. How does it feel to have been so embraced by the LGBTQ+ community?
Oh, it was such a surreal, iconic moment! I felt honored to be a part of the headlining acts and to have iHeart Radio select me. I love embracing that community and my fans; I love them so much! Anything I can do to spread positivity, truth, love, and self-confidence, Iâm with you! The love from the fans that day and the LGBTQ+ community meant the absolute world to me. After my performance, I went out towards the audience to meet some fans, and one of them gave me the flower crown they were wearing, which I still have. My fans mean everything to me. Iâm an activist and ally of that community, and Iâll never forget that day!Â
Can you share your creative process when writing and producing music? How do you bring your ideas to life?
A lot of the time, itâs so random! An idea, melody, production, or concept will come to me out of nowhere. Literally!! I could be asleep, working out, partying, or just doing nothing LOL. At the moment, Iâll get my ideas out so I have them and bring them to my co-writers and producers. I also love being spontaneous in the studio and, when in a session, going in the vocal booth and laying down melodies first and then writing the song. I go about it in different ways all the time.Â
With over 100K streams for “Thirsty” in its first month, how do you feel about the connection youâve built with your fans through your music?
Itâs so incredible to see my growth lately and over the years! I never know how my fans will perceive or like my new music, so seeing such a strong reaction means the world to me. I am building a family and community of #Keators and #TeamAshlee, and I love them so much! Weâre just getting started, baby, and so many exciting things are to come! I canât wait to see it all grow!Â
What can we expect next from you after the release of “Thirsty”? Are there any exciting collaborations or projects on the horizon?
YES!! So much more to come in 2025!! Iâm excited. Stay tuned
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