Ashlinn Gray is finding her way in SA’s musical landscape, writes Munya Vomo
Once in a while, when the timing is right, we stumble across extraordinary talent – like that of Ashlinn Gray. If you haven’t heard of her, don’t worry, you will. Think of a young Emeli Sande or Shingai Shoniwa from the Noisettes and throw in Ariana Grande’s playfulness and you have a rough idea of what Gray sounds like.
“I realised at the age of 16 that singing was going to be my life. I started off with the idea of being an actress, but there was something about music that kept calling me,” said the singer who has just released a superb five- track EP.
If you heard it you would not believe that there was a time when the dream of making music was a little too far-fetched for Gray.
“When I was younger I really loved music, but the only problem was that I could not sing. I was really bad at it. So I went for coaching in singing and realised that I could use music to express myself. I had never written a song until last year. My sound developed as I was trying to discover myself. I feel like I have worked hard, but have got a long way to go,” she explained.
Growing up with the usual suspects in pop music as her influences, Gray soon learnt that there was a sound that was specifically meant for her type of voice and personality.
“The first CD I ever had was Atomic Kitten and I fell asleep to it every night. I also like Hilary Duff and Beyonce was my favourite as well. Along the way a friend introduced me to indie stuff and I knew I wanted to make that kind of music. It opened my eyes to what was really out there and mainstream felt shallow. I then realised that you don’t have to be popular to be the strong woman that Beyonce is.”
Indeed, her sound is different as she toys with catchy tunes and a fairly complex sound for her years.
“I don’t want to think of myself as an 18-year-old. I feel like the youth of today expect everything to come to them, yet life is not like that. I focus on the moment and the future and as an 18-year-old I would like to inspire other 18-year-olds and younger people,” explained Gray.
The road she took also means she can’t be an ordinary youngster with an ordinary life and Gray has made peace with it.
“It’s difficult to be in my position at such a tender age because you miss out on a lot of things. Birthday parties and other celebrations come and go and it takes a whole lot of discipline to stay focused on what’s important. I try as much as I can to live an 18-year-old’s life, that way I know what to write.
“I have terrible FOMO (fear of missing out), but sometimes it just happens that I can’t be where my peers are. It’s all about priorities. I went to my matric dance and could not do the after party because I had an exam the next day. That’s life,” she said.
Given that her sound is masterfully created, it’s no wonder that for Gray, the dream lies beyond South Africa.
“I want to take this internationally. Not only musically, but as a brand. I would like to be a role model because I feel inspiration is my calling and music is a good tool to use as everyone listens to it. In a way I would like to start a revolution of believing in one’s self. A lot of people doubt themselves and I would like to change that,” explained Gray.
l The Ashlinn Gray EP is on iTunes.