Between Me & You, the story behind the creation of my song "I'm Gonna Ride" is near and dear to my heart.
The roots of this song were planted in 2019. There were a lot of different things going on at the time during this phase of my life. One of the biggest highlights for me that year was going out on my Unplugged (Acoustic) Tour. I got to see so many people, really tell my story through music, and get to the heart of what I loved most about performing.
Despite having so many high points to the 2019 touring season, there were a lot of plans I had going on behind the scenes that did not pan out the way I imagined. It felt like a kick in the gut every time I tried to push forward on plans and projects that I was extremely passionate about, only to watch them falter and sink before they could even take off.
Towards the end of 2019, I was feeling so incredibly defeated. I sat down with my guitar one afternoon, mindlessly strumming while I contemplated all of my failed attempts. The constant thought of, "What am I going to do?", sat on repeat in my mind. Chewing and rolling over all of those thoughts, I had an epiphany:
I was in control of the things I could control, which included myself and my mentality. I was the only one who could put fuel behind the music and art and keep this train going. I love my work so much that I am going to keep going forward, no matter what it takes!
Guitar in hand and inspiration from above rushing through my veins, I leaned into my new lease of freedom and strength. The lyrics to the song came out with the flow of a river. The verses highlighted all the contemplation and complacency I had developed over the year. The pre-chorus was my revelation, the momentum building as I remembered the power I had, the resolve I needed to build. When the chorus finally hit, I could feel that wind in my hair and under my wings giving me the room to fly where I needed to go. That feeling of liberation and joy can only be compared to how my heart feels when running across the desert on the back of a horse.
After all was said and done, I knew when the pen lifted off the page that this was the song I wanted to put out as a single, and better yet, be the title track of my next album! The message, the timing, and the joy I had writing it are the pillars that encompass the album as a whole. I thank this song every day for being my lifeline to pick me up out of that defeating place in 2019 and push me forward to enjoy so many blessings thanks to the doors this song and the community's love for it has opened.
Keep on Riding!
Ashley 💛