There are two kinds of people in this world: those who don’t know Ashlyn Rae Willson (or, Ashe), and those who’ve been waiting for everyone else to catch up.
When I was thinking about last month’s pitch, I was listening to Ashe. When I was in Singapore this summer, I was listening to Ashe. Almost every one of my CorePower classes I teach? Ashe makes an appearance on my playlist. Even so, when that infamous question rolls around, “Who are your favorite artists?” and she’s in my lineup, there’s always this pause as distinct lack of recognition circulates the room. I’d like to change that — partially for selfish reasons, but also because her music is truly some of the best I’ve heard and I’m dying for her to get the acclaim she deserves.
With that said, I’m not going to pretend Ashe is some indie, underground, ‘I bet you’ve never heard of’ artist. She’s not. Think back to 2020: the sequel To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is released and Lara Jean grapples with a restless heart as the ballad Moral of the Story plays on (Some mistakes get made / That’s alright, that’s okay / In the end, it’s better for me / That’s the moral of the story). That’s Ashe. Likewise, in 2021, in light of the world’s uncertain state and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with FINNEAS on “Till Forever Falls Apart,” reflecting on the romantic and platonic love that endures even as everything falls apart. As evidenced by these two songs’ time spent on radio stations, top charts, and influencing TikTok trends, these were Ashe’s most viral (and popular) moments. In fact, even as we near 2026, these two songs continue to dominate her streaming statistics. While both are great songs, there is so much more to Ashe than these few hits the world has noticed.
What I appreciate most about Ashe, besides her killer hair and commitment to performing barefoot, is her vulnerability — not just as she expresses it through music, but also in interviews, onstage, and when reflecting on her career trajectory. She’s openly talked about how she didn’t know if she’d ever return to music after cancelling her 2023 “Fun While It Lasted” tour (ironically named, in hindsight) due to mental health and personal issues, a decision which was not made lightly.
As she told Forbes’ Cathy Applefeld Olson, “I really, really did not want to do it [cancel the tour]. So much of my life and identity was wrapped up in my career. We’re so much more than what we do, but I was laser-focused on becoming this larger than life thing in my head, and it just got to the point where I lost the plot and needed to remove myself.”
Losing her brother to an overdose in 2020 and going through a — there’s no other way to say this — nasty divorce, on top of the mindset of career career career, her leave from music began with no end date in sight.
However, she did come back. And with that comeback, a new, energized, and rejuvenated Ashe, with songs just as spunky, unexpected, and deep, has entered our world.
Since her return, I’ve seen Ashe live twice: this summer on her “Willson” tour and also this fall at her album release concert with her band, The Favors. Each time without fail, she thanks every soul who made it to those shows so genuinely that you know she means it. Between dancing and belting on stage, she talks about how she questioned whether there would ever be a space for her in this industry again, so every opportunity she does get is like a miracle, an unimaginable second chance.
This attitude of Ashe — of honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability — indubitably bleeds into her music. Music isn’t a cash grab for her. She isn’t releasing songs and albums just to make noise. Thus, what she does release is nothing short of spectacular.
With three albums out, “Ashlyn,” “Rae,” and most recently, “Willson” (along with “The Dream” by The Favors and several other collaborations with artists like Niall Horan and Suki Waterhouse), her discography offers you a taste of her humor, of her personality, and of her naked perspectives. And not just that; they leave you wanting more.
Her gratitude for the medium of music shines through as she ensures it is done justice with each song, which is just as interesting, electric, and healing as the last. In each song, she’s telling a story, she’s inviting you into her witty, humorous, dry, at times nonsensical, take on life. And in each song, you hear her heart.
I struggle to recommend a specific album or song because each genuinely holds a special place in my heart. However, for the spirit of a “new Ashe,” I’d say listen to “Willson” as soon as you get the chance, “Rae” for an energized yet melancholic spirit, and “Ashlyn” for a bit more edge, self-aware perspective on life and how short it really is. Even then, know that none feel like “filler” songs, none feel reused, and none feel monotonous. Instead, they feel alive.
That spirit — Ashe’s spirit — is infectious. I love hearing the world through her voice, lyrics, and stories. I love hearing her flirty upticks, her laughter. And what I love above all is that, as is the nature of music, listening and hearing and feeling everything Ashe has made me feel of it all doesn’t have to be (and definitely isn’t) an original experience.
So, let yourself be surprised. Let yourself listen. Let yourself feel. Simply let yourself, safe in the knowledge that there are stories to be heard, dances to move with, and experiences to be appreciated. And Ashe? She’s the perfect soundtrack to that extraordinary, vast, incomprehensible thing we’re lucky enough to call our lives.