University News

'ASH' Releases First Single as her WIU Graduation Approaches

April 24, 2019

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MACOMB, IL – A Western Illinois University senior is combining lessons learned in her college classrooms with a lifelong passion for music for her recently-released new single, "Fall Yourself Out of Love."

Ashley Asauskas, who performs under the name "ASH," is a psychology major, music minor from Homewood, IL. She wrote, produced, recorded and sang the song. Alumnus Drew Harris, audio engineered the song. "Fall Yourself Out of Love" is now available on national music platforms, such as Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify.

"ASH" will also perform during WIU's Coolchella event from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 in the parking lot of Corbin Hall. She is one of five performers taking to the Coolchella stage in an event sponsored by the Corbin and Olson residence halls, University Housing and Dining staff and Inter-Hall Council.

Asauskas will graduate from Western next month and plans to move to Oceanside, CA in July to continue pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter.

"'Fall Yourself Out of Love' is my only song that has been released so far, but I am currently working releasing five more songs before July," she said.

"ASH" is working on the release of a music video, filmed in Brophy Hall, for "Fall Yourself Out of Love." The project includes several WIU students who are putting their academic lessons into real-world practice. WIU senior marketing major Tucker Lee created the album cover for the single and is working on the behind-the-scenes video of the "Fall Yourself Out of Love" music video. Senior musical theatre major Libby Crawford choreographed the video. Columbia University senior Haley Atherton filmed and is in the process of editing the video.

In the classrooms of WIU, Asauskas said it was switching from music therapy to psychology as a primary major that had an influence on her creative process. She said her time in the music therapy program helped her develop a strong work ethic and drastically improve as a musician.

"Becoming a psychology major has challenged me intellectually and academically, and I will forever be grateful for that, but music has and always will be my passion," she said. "I started feeling my creativity and love for creating music come back to life."

But it was in the classroom of Courtney Blankenship, director of WIU's music business program, that Asauskas found herself inspired to move ahead with releasing her first song.

"She has taught me so many crucial aspects of the music business that I would have never known if I didn't take her classes. For instance, I learned a lot about artist development and what next steps I need to take to further launch my career," she said. "Her classes have been extremely beneficial in teaching me how to make things happen for myself."

Asauskas was one of 12 WIU students Blankenship took to the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show in California. Blankenship received a $1,000 grant from the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA) to help offset travel expenses for the group.

In the few weeks remaining before graduation, Asauskas said she is researching jobs in California and wrapping up her educational time at Western.

"College for me was figuring out my life," she said. "Music has always fueled my soul – I have tried to think of a 'backup plan' but nothing else seems fitting. I've learned a lot at WIU, including music theory, which really helps when I'm creating my own music. I learned how to analyze a song so it actually means something when I sing it. I also learned how to read and analyze more critically and understand things at a higher intellectual level."

To listen to ASH's song, visit spoti.fi/2UPD7oh, or search the song title on most song platforms. For more information about ASH, visit her Instagram account at ashfeyasow.


Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing