Ash Nico, whose full name is Ashton Nicole Casey, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper known for her unique style and genre-blending music. She gained popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, where her music and creative content resonated with audiences.
Ash Nico's music often features elements of hip-hop, pop, and alternative genres, with themes that touch on feminism, empowerment, and personal experiences. Some of her popular songs include "Stupid," "Invitation," "Cry," and "Goodbyes." Her music has garnered millions of streams and views across various platforms, contributing to her rise to fame.
Before Ash Nico's explosive rise on TikTok, inspiring creators to make hundreds of thousands of videos and leading to millions of streams, including one from Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson, before signing with Warner Music Group, she was just a girl from a neighborhood in small town america.
She gained fame on tik tok where there was some significant changes. The platform had the power to elevate new stars from obscurity to mainstream success.
Ash Nico's journey was quite unusual as she moved from small-town America to Estonia and then Latvia before frequently traveling to London for open mic nights. She discovered her talent for writing lyrics after getting expelled for a controversial poem about one of her teachers.
At the age of 18, she made the bold move to London, where she eventually found her own niche with feminist tunes, anime-inspired appeal, raunchy rap lyrics, and industrial beats.
Some people mistakenly believed she was from a Disney show called "Sunny with a Chance," but it turns out that was a doppelganger. There were some old clips of Ash Nico, and it seems she wasn't happy about them resurfacing.
At the time of the video's recording, Shigeko didn't even have a Wikipedia page, making it challenging to piece together information about her. Nonetheless, the video aimed to answer all the burning questions about her journey to fame.
Ash Nico was born on February 19th, 1996, in the small town of Oak Ridge, North Carolina, with a population of just 10,000. Despite the seemingly dull surroundings, she always craved attention and loved performing, often showcasing her talents at family gatherings and events like talent shows and musical theater performances since she was 15. She had a strong passion for music from a young age.
Her life took a significant turn when her parents relocated the family to Estonia, a European nation with Russian influence. However, the stay in Estonia was short-lived, and they moved to Latvia instead.
There, Ash Nico faced challenges as she was the only American student in the entire Latvian school system and had to take her courses in Latvian. It was a somewhat isolating experience, but she found solace in her love for music.
Growing up, her parents didn't expose her to much music at home, but she discovered a world of music when she received a pink iPod Nano for Christmas at the age of 11. She idolized artists such as Paramore, Cardi B, Rihanna, Stevie Nicks, Bjork, Nicki Minaj, and Charli XCX.
Despite her passion for music, she faced some struggles, including getting suspended from school for writing a poem about her teacher that wasn't well-received. Ash Nico's pursuit of making music in Latvia also led to her receiving death threats, which made her journey even more challenging.
Overall, Ash Nico's determination and love for music have been driving forces in her life, even in the face of obstacles and isolation in her early years in Latvia. Now, she has made significant strides in her music career and continues to create unique and captivating songs.
At the age of 18, Ash Nico started flying to London on weekends to pursue her music career, starting with small open mic nights. Over the next four years, she established herself within the odd child community, where she focused on developing her musical style. London played a significant role in her growth as an artist, and she surrounded herself with talented creatives who helped shape her artistic vision.
During her formative years, Ash Nico went through a creative learning curve, referring to it as her "creative puberty." Her early songs were awkward and cringe-worthy, but she experimented with rapping and singing to find her unique sound.
She describes her music style as having a punk attitude with fused hip-hop energy, and she's known for her eccentric, futuristic, pixie alien vibe, often conceptualizing her music videos and stage outfits.
Ash Nico released her debut EP "Sass Pancakes" in 2017, followed by "Unlikable" in 2018, and most recently, "Hi, It's Me" in 2023. She had been working on an EP-by-EP basis with the UK label Parlophone, which is owned by Warner Music Group, but they eventually signed her officially for the EP "Hi, It's Me."
Regarding her appearance, she decided to embrace a bold and colorful look, experimenting with different hair colors. She eventually settled on her signature blue pigtails, which have become part of her unique persona.
Ash Nico's behavior also matched her eccentric persona, as she would do unconventional things during interviews, like eating carrots with her feet. She gained popularity on social media, including TikTok, where her song "Stupid" started to blow up and gain millions of streams on platforms like Spotify.
She values empowering her listeners and enjoys seeing them singing and dancing to her music in their own spaces.
Overall, Ash Nico's journey from her small-town upbringing to her rise in the music industry showcases her determination, unique style, and the impact she has had on her audience.