We have heard the first from newcomer Ash Molloy, but we have surely not heard the last. The Canadian-based singer-songwriter released her debut single “Viv” a few months ago, which introduced listeners to her powerhouse vocals and raw lyrics. In October, Ash followed up the single with “I Knew,” which told the vulnerable stories of domestic violence victims and survivors. She also released a stunning, moving music video for the single, which focused on Ash making a journey to get to where she belongs. While we see her making an external journey across town, Ash is also symbolically making an inward journey out of the shadows and into the light. Telling Melodic Mag more about the video and her singles, Ash Molloy summarizes what 2023 has been like for her while giving us much to look forward to in 2024.
Hi, Ash! Thank you for taking the time out to chat. This is such a crazy time of year with the holidays and 2023 coming to an end. How are you doing amongst it all?
I’m good! 2023 has been a crazy year and I’m happy and excited to see where my life goes next year.
What were a few highlights of 2023 for you?
I hit two insane milestones this year. First, I got my degree in Behavioral Neuroscience, so that was insane. Second, I got signed to a label. That’s been a goal of mine since I was like eight years old, so I don’t even know how to react to it or how to even celebrate it. One big chapter closed, another opened.
In September, you released your debut single “Viv.” I read that this was originally made for someone you had never met. How did that happen?
I love this story! So originally, the music had been written and given to a woman named Vivian; the songwriters thought it suited her and her style. But life happened, and she never got around to writing a melody or lyrics. When I started working with the same producer she had been working with, he showed it to me because he thought it would suit me. He was right. I loved it so much, and I wrote the lyrics and melody in like 15 minutes right before recording it. The file was named “Viv.wav” on the computer or something, and I just really liked how the letters looked together, so I kept that name for the song.
I never met Vivian in the process of writing it, or before I got her name tattooed on my ankle to celebrate the release of the song. I met her for the first time last summer, and she’s lovely. I hope she likes the song as much as I do.
In the visualizer for “Viv,” we see you getting the name tattooed on your ankle. Do you have any other music-related tattoos?
I do! I have a violin bow tattooed on the inside of my arm for the 10-year anniversary of me playing the fiddle. This instrument has been with me through a lot. I feel like the skills I learned on the fiddle coincide with events in my life. It means so much to me, it represents so much. I got the fiddle from my pop, and he drove me to my lessons. I could play music with him and the rest of my family at events. I worked through university by playing it in bars. I write all my melodies on the fiddle when writing music, it has added so much to my life. I have no idea who I would be without it.
Overall, “Viv” focuses on that feeling of losing yourself in the moment and the aftermath of doing so. Some of this concept can be heard on your latest single, “I Knew,” which centers on trauma and self-reflection, so did “Viv” influence “I Knew” in any way?
I actually wrote “I Knew” before “Viv!” But no, I don’t think they influenced each other, not consciously anyway. I’ve always gravitated towards the type of music you get lost in, whether it’s lyrically or musically, so I think they represent that in their own individual ways.
I read that “I Knew” was based on experiences from close people in your life. What do they think of the single?
They like it. They were involved in the making of it because I would send them unfinished versions, so I kind of knew they would like it before it came out. But it’s not the type of song they can listen to regularly. A few of them told me it made them very emotional and that they have to pause it while listening. It makes me emotional too, I love them so much.
The release date for “I Knew” was intentional, as October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the US. Have any fans reached out to you since it came out saying that they were able to relate to it or that they could hear their story in it?
I’ve had a lot of people reach out and tell me the message is really important and they appreciate how I’m trying to advocate for them. That meant a lot because I wanted to approach the topic with tact and care. One woman told me the video was like watching a video of her own life. It’s been tough because people I know are coming to me and telling me they relate to it when I had no idea that they had ever gone through it. I appreciate that people have been so open.
The music video is very straightforward but really captures the message of the track. We see you make a physical and emotional journey to peace and freedom. Did you film it all in one day?
If I remember correctly, we filmed it in three days. We had to because a lot of the shots were supposed to be at dawn, so we had to get up very early to catch the right lighting. Dawn doesn’t last very long, so two days in a row we got up early to get the same lighting conditions. On the last day, we were shooting the scenes of my getting to the water and we wanted the sun to actually be rising, so we got there a bit later.
Was there a scene that was most challenging to film?
Probably the scenes in the water. It was hard because we only had one shot for a few of them. Once I was wet, I couldn’t dry off fast enough to capitalize on the lighting conditions. Another thing was that I had been filming really heavy scenes the two days before and was still in that mindset, but this scene was supposed to represent a kind of peace and freedom. So, changing my mood was hard. I remember Alyssa (Reid, the director) was like, “Ok now smile,” and it took me so many takes to get the smile right.
When can fans expect more new music?
January, and it’s completely different from these two singles. You won’t expect it.
Do you have any goals set yet for 2024?
I want to play my first festival. I’ve always wanted to do that.
Thank you so much, Ash. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Come to my shows in 2024! I want to see you and meet you! And thank you for the interview, I really enjoyed these questions.
You can listen to “Viv” and “I Knew” on platforms like Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
For information and resources on domestic violence, you can visit Ash Molloy’s Linktree.
