Burgeoning Nashville-based country star Ashlie Amber is set to release her latest EP, M.O., on Friday (October 11). But here via American Songwriter, Amber shares the exclusive premiere of the title track, an acoustic-driven country tune about a wandering soul. The offering just might be Amber’s best song to date. On it, she demonstrates vulnerability and a knack for melody. She’s in touch with herself and her music all at once. What more could a listener want?
For Amber, who was recently showcased on the TV show My Kind of Country, country music is her first creative love. She pours herself into the music and it’s now beginning to truly pay off. We caught up with the musician and asked her about everything from music to social media to Nashville.
[RELATED: ‘My Kind of Country’ Contestant Ashlie Amber Is on the Rise]
American Songwriter: Whenever an artist releases a new album, there are many special things about it. But if you had to highlight the most special component to this new EP in your eyes, what would it be?
Ashlie Amber: Honestly, the most special thing about this EP is that I got to co-produce every single song. It’s always been tough for me to find someone who really gets what I’m trying to say through music, but working with Victor Wilson on this project was a total game-changer. He really took the time to listen and bring my vision to life. Being able to be so involved in the production process made this feel so much more personal, and I think you can really hear that in the music.
AS: Tell us about the origin of one of the songs—when was the spark of inspiration, how did you navigate writing and completing it?
AA: The only writing credit I have on this EP is for “Beer Chaser,” which was actually inspired by my dog Guinness and my love for beer. It’s a fun one that I ended up writing in the middle of the ocean—because you never know when inspiration is gonna hit or when you’ll meet a talented writer, right? The rest of the songs on the EP were handpicked from some amazing friends I’ve made during my time in Nashville. It was such an honor to take their incredible work and bring it to life in my own way.
AS: You are a country artist, and you work hard to make your name in the genre. You’ve also had some great success to date, from five-star write-ups to TV show appearances. How would you sum up your journey to establishing yourself in the genre to this point?
AA: It hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure. I feel like I’m only just now starting to get recognized as a real player in Nashville and in country music. Artists like Post Malone, Beyoncé, and K. Michelle coming into the genre have really opened the floodgates and made people more accepting of genre crossover, which is so refreshing. I’m just super grateful that I’ve stuck with it and decided to do my own version of country instead of trying to fit into what I thought Nashville wanted. Now, I’m all about putting out music I’m proud of, and I’m way less concerned about what the gatekeepers think. It’s all about staying true to myself at this point.
AS: How has Nashville embraced your work?
AA: Honestly, I’m not sure if Nashville has fully embraced my work yet—ha! The genre is changing, but it’s slow and there still isn’t a clear path to success for artists who look like me. We’re definitely closer than we’ve ever been, but country music and Nashville still have some work to do. They talk a lot about being inclusive, but that needs to show up in a real way, not just for artists of color but also for women and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s about creating space for everyone, and I’m hopeful we’ll keep moving in that direction.
AS: You have very popular social media accounts. What are some highs and lows of being so visible on these platforms as an artist?
AA: Oh, social media—such a love-hate relationship! Sometimes I think life would be way easier if it wasn’t such a huge part of being successful. But at the same time, I love a good challenge, and my personality is definitely made for the spotlight. The coolest (and kind of craziest) thing about my 250,000 followers is getting recognized in random places—like in the security line at the airport or at a coffee shop in a completely different state. People will tell me they saw me in a city and then, boom, my content showed up on their feed, and they realized it was me. It’s really cool, but also a little scary because even though I’m not, like, famous-famous, my look is pretty recognizable, so I’m always ‘on’ when I’m in public, just like a celebrity.
AS: What excites you most about what you do—when you wake up in the morning, what do you love about putting on your cowgirl boots and doing more within country music?
AA: I know it sounds cliché, but what excites me most is that I get to make a living doing what I love. Being able to sing is such a gift—I mean, no one really knows where it comes from, and I just happened to get lucky that something I’m passionate about is also my livelihood. That’s what gets me out of bed every day. I seriously can’t imagine doing anything else but being in the entertainment industry. And, of course, there’s no better way to do it than with big hair and sassy boots!
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Photo by John Joseph / Courtesy Ashlie Amber
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