We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with singer Mason Ashley about her new single, “Show and Tell.”
Writing well beyond her years, Mason Ashley masterfully crafts lyrics that tell timeless stories, melodies that capture raw emotion, and sings with an enchanting voice that lulls the listener to another time and place. Instead of trying to categorize her unique sound into specific genres, Mason describes her sound as “what she feels like writing, what she is feeling in the moment, and what she feels is honest.” Her music is her own journal of her life, just with melodies. The result; songs that anyone of any age who has ever felt love, loss, frustration, joy, romance can relate to.
Hi, Mason! Thank you for granting the interview. Your music is amazing and we’re excited to speak with you about. What can you tell listeners about your latest single “Show and Tell?”
Hi! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! “Show and Tell” is a song that I believe anyone who has ever been heartbroken can relate to. It is a song that contrasts pain with empowerment and loss with strength. It’s based on a place of confusion and finding yourself. I think everyone goes through that at some point in their life.
Tell us what inspired “Show and Tell?”
I wrote “Show and Tell” almost four years ago about someone that made me feel small and used. It was one of my first heartbreaks, and it really affected my confidence at that point in my young life. I wrote the song late one night and it was like it wrote itself. I barely even remember writing it. The song came from a very raw and real place and I think that’s why I still connect to it after all this time.
You like to write music everyone can relate to. What words of inspiration could you share to help others stay uplifted?
Thank you! That’s all I hope to do. I would just tell anyone reading that you’re not alone. Life can feel heavy sometimes, and you can feel stuck in a sad place or a routine. But the way to be happy is to look for the good. Find something small every day that makes you smile, or laugh, or feel inspired…the magic is in those small moments. That’s what songwriting is. It’s about taking one moment or situation and making it something bigger so that someone else can find comfort in it.
Tell us about your songwriting process. How do you choose a topic to sing about?
I write anything that comes to me. Whatever is on my mind or on my heart is what always inspires my songs. I can’t force myself to sit down and write, it has to be whenever inspiration hits me.
What has been your biggest challenge as a singer?
My biggest challenge as a singer has probably been putting myself out there. I used to be kinda shy when I was younger, and being a singer means really having to put your emotions on your sleeve. You have to take a lot of risks and not be afraid of failure and that can be a challenge…but it is a great challenge!
What’s the ultimate direction of your music?
I just want my music to be something that anyone can relate to. All I care about is writing honestly and passionately and hoping that someone else will hear one of my songs and know that they are not alone. I’ve had strangers message me with stories about how one of my songs helped them get through an abusive relationship or major heartbreak, loss, death of a loved one… and those connections are what music is about.
How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?
My music is on every streaming site; Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon, etc. And to keep up with any music updates, you can follow me on Instagram: @themasonashley and Twitter: @masonashleymusic.
What are your musical icons/influences?
I pull inspiration from all kinds of different artists and genres. I listened to a lot of Bob Dylan when I first started writing and I think he’s a big part of the way I write now. I listen to a lot of different indie and alternative bands, like The 1975, Wallows, Bleachers… really anything that has a unique sound, I’m into.
When looking back on the production of your music, what resonated with you the most and why?
I remember writing the song so quickly and easily that the lyrics just kind of poured out of me. I looked back and saw the line: “Don’t you dare try to save me cause I’m not drowning/ You’re just an anchor but I’m a kite and I’m still flying” and it still resonates with me today.
In your opinion, how could a singer make an impact on the world?
Singers have a very unique power of sharing their voice with the world. Literally and figuratively. We get to say things that can old be said right if they’re sung. Singers get to communicate their emotions to total strangers and I just don’t think there’s anything else like that.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this career? Would you do anything differently?
I wouldn’t change anything. This is not an easy career by any means and there are no guarantees. It’s a lot of putting yourself out there and getting rejected but there’s also a lot of putting yourself out there and touching someone else’s life. It is something that has always been inside me and I will never lose my love for music so I wouldn’t change a thing.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the music?
There is a music video for “Show and Tell” that features a lot of genuine, strong, beautiful women and I believe it really portrays the emotion I felt when I wrote the song. It is sad but very empowering and I would love for anyone reading to check it out!
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LqONt4sxMk “]
Add the song on Spotify.
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