Jen Ash is a soulful pop/r&b artist, born in Lebanon and raised in France. After ending her professional basketball career, she decided to follow her true path, moving to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She has been performing since 2018 in the City of Angels. Her influences come from the 90's, with her goal being to create music that connects with and inspires listeners. She has learned to explore music on her own… what an amazing and tumultuous road it has been. Her songwriting channels into past and present experiences and future desires, with a splash of imagination. With the ability to create in French and English her sultry vocals will take you on a memorable journey.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Jen Ash, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I've always loved music , I mean who doesn't !!
I didn't realize I was talented , until one of my friends forced me to sing.
Then I moved to Paris and met my friend Dom who was playing guitar and he used to do Sunday night dinner at his place where he would play and I would sing . I honestly never imagined building a career out of it . Even though in the back of my mind it was my deepest wish .
The universe conspires to make everything moving for me .
Before I moved to LA , my life crumbled and I ended up with nothing. I was done with basketball. I had no job , no money , no lover , and just got into a car accident . I had no reasons to stay so I built the courage to follow my true path and got on the plane straight to LA .
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Ne Yo : His lyrics are enchanting ,he created his own words and it touches me . I love his style , I admire his talent and I would be honored to collaborate with him . His voice is unique. Live, he is unbelievable and I definitely need to learn some of his dance moves .
Your latest song is 'Crush on You'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I wanted to revisit the feeling of meeting someone for the 1st time . I have great memories of it .
The beat is very 90's/2000's Rnb , very old school and reminds me of the many times I went clubbing dancing when I lived in France .
I've been single for a while now and I haven't had the opportunity to meet someone lately
I'm a big romantic and I miss the feeling of "love at 1st sight" . "Crush on you" makes me smile , makes me hope that I will have those feelings again.
It was pretty easy for me to write this one . I just emerge myself in the past , visualizing and feeling what I have felt before
What are you focussing on right now?
I am focusing on improving myself , improving my vocal abilities , and exploring my acting skills . Be a better artist everyday and embrace what life puts on my path.
It's an amazing journey .
What is the best advice you've been given?
To embrace my differences and to be proud of who I am .
I've got criticized for my accent , for the way I pronounce my lyrics , for the way I write ... I got rejected because my music was what they call "dated".
The best advice was to stay true to myself , to be real and to not listen .
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
Staying creative in a 9 to 5 society .
I worked different jobs and most of the time I am around people who can not understand me . Being creative is challenging because your brain does not think like the majority of people and you can easily feel left out if you are not focused on your art . I spend most of my free time alone, I've learned to enjoy my own company and it is the best environment for me to create .
How do you structure your day?
I wake up and Need a coffee , I used to hate coffee but now I'm stuck with it lol
Then I answer my emails , check auditions , send submissions for booking agencies , I honestly get no answer from them but I keep pushing , I believe in consistency. When I'm done with it . I usually go to work . As an ex professional athlete I need my workout to feel good mentally and physically .
Then I work on my art for a few hours. I can write a new song , record a cover song , read plays for my acting class , work and study on roles . Do my artwork for my singles . Anything I need to do to be a better artist .
I have classes all week , coz learning is a part of the process we never fully know everything , having the ability and envy to learn it's a big plus for an artist .
Then 3 nights a week I am working at the restaurant because bills need to be paid , it is a part of the hustle . Believe it or not the restaurant business teaches you a lot. Every night I tell myself : the tables are my audience and I am their entertainer.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I started acting and I love it , we essentially work on scene study and it is very entertaining and creative . It is so much Fun .
Other than that for hobbies I love going to Disneyland I admit I am a big fan . My favorite ride is probably Pirates of the Caribbean.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
I definitely do sing in the shower , I mean we all know the shower has the best sound hahahaha .
I usually sing Christina Aguilera , Celine Dion , Whitney Houston . All those songs that are very powerful and are very voluminous . I try to have a peaceful relationship with my neighbors so the shower seems to be a good compromise , because my vocals can be very booming .
What are your plans for the future?
More Music and more Music
The Goal for me is to connect with more people around the globe . I really want to expand my Fan base , I have so much to share and so much love to give .
I would love to be a part of the film industry as well . Attaching my lyrics and music to a story , and as I said I started acting so that is another field I would like to explore .
I believe I can definitely pursue both careers at the same time . I just need to stay organized .
My Big Dream is to sing for Disney . Their music is timeless , I still listen to them even now , such beautiful compositions . Translated in so many languages , I would be honored to be a part of it.