Nigerian-Canadian Afro-fusion act AshTheArtiist draws from her Nigerian roots as a creative born and bred in Port Harcourt. While embracing the fluidity of the alternative scene, her sound drifts between neo-soul, R&B, and experimental textures, blurring the lines between structure and experimentation.

More than just a singer, AshTheArtiist is a multidisciplinary visual thinker. Every element of her artistry, from aesthetics and presence to sound design, is deliberate, serving a larger narrative of world-building. As she prepares to unveil a new chapter with the release of her new single, Crazy, Stupid Love, we sit with AshTheArtiist to unpack who she is, how she creates, and the evolving universe behind her sound.

Peniel Uma: Who is AshTheArtiist?

AshTheArtiist: AshTheArtiist is a part of myself that allows me to connect with people. Everything I create draws from my personal experiences, and I try to translate that into my music. I’m naturally a shy person, but when I step on stage or it’s time to perform, that’s the side of me that takes over, the one that can handle the pressure of commanding a crowd.

Peniel Uma: How did Port Harcourt influence you musically, if it did?

AshTheArtiist: My writing is heavily inspired by my surroundings. Growing up in Port Harcourt, the music people listened to around me definitely shaped me, which is why I now do Afro-fusion. It’s a fusion of my experiences back home and my experiences here, building into a new sound.

Peniel Uma: When did you know you wanted to take music more seriously as a career?

AshTheArtiist: I’ve been writing music since I was a kid. My dad and my uncle were really big on music, collecting vinyls and all of that, so I was inspired very young. I started writing music in high school but never really did much with it. But During COVID, a couple of my friends and I lived in the same house, and we used to freestyle out of boredom. Every time I performed or came up with something, they’d be like, “Yo, you’re actually pretty good. You should put more effort into this.” I decided to take their advice, and one thing led to another, that’s how we got here.

Peniel Uma: Since you mentioned vinyls and music collecting, what kind of music were you exposed to at home?

AshTheArtiist: I listen to everything. I’m not limited by genre, if it sounds good, I’m vibing. I inherited that mindset from my dad. We listened to rock, Afrobeats, everything. A lot of Fela Kuti, a lot of Whitney Houston.

My mom would make all of us line up in the living room and sing “I Believe the Children Are the Future,” then she’d judge us. Looking back, those little things really inspired me, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. I listened to Metallica, you name the genre, I’ve probably touched it.

Peniel Uma: Does that give you a sense of freedom when you make music?

AshTheArtiist: Yes, definitely. Especially being in Toronto, it’s a very multicultural environment. You’re dealing with people from all walks of life, from different corners of the world. It’s a melting pot where you have a lot of room to collaborate with different sounds and personalities.

It gives me a lot of freedom. I feel like, give me a beat and I’ll hop on it, I’m going to do something with it.

Peniel Uma: When you were encouraged to take music seriously, was that when you started recording?

AshTheArtiist: Yeah, for sure. I had never recorded music before then, maybe just playing around on GarageBand once. A friend of mine knew someone with a setup in his basement, so I recorded a few songs that aren’t out and probably won’t be. But those were the foundation of where my music started and where it’s going now. When I decided to take it seriously, that’s when opportunities started popping up.

Peniel Uma: When did you make your first official release?

AshTheArtiist: My first official release was in 2021, or 2022, I can’t remember the exact date. It was a song with a friend of mine, Osama, called Thinking About You.

I was really nervous because it was one of my first proper recordings. But when he played it back, I was like, “Oh, this is actually a bop.” It had that 2021 alternative Afro-rap swing, kind of like that Little Uzi Vert era around 2020.

Peniel Uma: Interesting, Around that time, there was a popping alt/alté scene in Nigeria. Were you tapped into the alté space?

AshTheArtiist: Yeah, definitely. Especially being in the diaspora, that’s one of the easiest ways people in the alternative space connect back home.

Peniel Uma: How was it for you making Afrobeats in Canada without experiencing the scene in Nigeria at the time?

AshTheArtiist: At first, I struggled with imposter syndrome because I started out as a rapper, then moved into R&B. When Afrobeats really started booming, especially during the time we were all stuck at home, I became more comfortable experimenting and incorporating more of my African roots into my sound.

It can be challenging getting noticed here, but tapping into the community and building a strong network has made it easier. I genuinely believe that in time, you’ll hear more breakout Afro-fusion artists coming out of here.

Peniel Uma: Who are some artists inspiring you right now?

AshTheArtiist: A lot of my inspiration actually comes from underground artists. This new wave feels like something my music belongs to.

I love ZayLevelTen, I’m obsessed with his music. That’s somebody I’d love to work with: Rema, of course. Absolutely love and adore Rema. Also, Ayra Starr and Tems.

Peniel Uma: Do you have relationships with artists in the underground scene?

AshTheArtiist: Not really yet, but I’d love to. That’s why I want to come home more often, it’s easier to build connections on ground rather than virtually.

Peniel Uma: When was the last time you were in Nigeria?

AshTheArtiist: 2019. It’s been forever. School was my biggest limitation, but I’m done now, so I’ll definitely be on ground more.

Peniel uma: Yeah, it’s been a while, but that’s fair. I hope you’re here soon because you have to witness what is going on right now in the scene.

Peniel Uma: What’s your creative process like?

AshTheArtiist: Usually for me, everything starts with the beat. I listen to beats; it feels like I can already hear the words in the song. So I come up with a melody based on what I’m hearing and immediately start scatting. Once I’ve listened to that scat a couple of times and I really like it, I start laying words down. That’s kind of how I go about my writing process. Sometimes I feel very inspired, where it’s like the words come to me without a beat, and then I kind of work backwards on that, where I would write a song, and then I’ll try to find a beat that works with it, and then we’ll work the beat to match the song.

Peniel Uma: Interesting, so you produce your own music?

AshTheArtiist: Nah, that’s a superpower I wish I had. I work with Beatsii, he’s my producer and sound engineer. We’ve been cooking up a specific sound, and I think we mastered it with my last release.

Peniel Uma: How do you feel about the lack women’s representation in the music scene? 

AshTheArtiist: I wouldn’t say it bothers me. I understand history and how society works. We’ve come a long way, even though there’s more progress to be made.

I believe just showing up, making noise, and being unapologetic creates space for other women. That’s how change happens.

Peniel Uma: Your last single Electric Vibe dropped in July 2025, an Afropop bop. You continued that run this year with a new single called Crazy, Stupid Love?

AshTheArtiist: Yes, it just came out on February 13th.

Peniel Uma: Why the title Crazy, Stupid Love?

AshTheArtiist: Love can be crazy and stupid, but beautiful. I was visiting my family in London, had a situation going on, and decided to write. There’s a movie called Crazy, Stupid Love that inspired it. The song is fun, I can’t wait for people to hear it.

Peniel Uma: How would you describe that sound overall?

AshTheArtiist: A Y2K R&B-type vibe, drawing from older sounds but blending them with current energy.

Peniel Uma: There’s a lot of debate about genre right now in the Afro music space. Artists don’t fit neatly into boxes, it’s not fully Afrobeats, not fully something else, but a mix of different sounds. What do you think?

AshTheArtiist: I refer to it as Afro fusion, because the space where a lot of us with African roots or roots in Afrobeats, can mix it with any other vibe that we have going on. You know, it could be Afro pop, it could be Afro rock, it could be Afro this Afro that, I feel like, as long as it’s a fusion of something its Afro fusion, I feel like that’s what you can call the vibe. I’m not a stickler on labels for things, but everybody always needs something to reference something as right? 

Peniel Uma: How emotionally connected are you to your music?

AshTheArtiist: There’s a piece of me in every song I make. Whether it’s deep and emotional or just a vibe, it’s still authentic to who I am in that moment. The fun songs come from the playful side of me. The deeper songs come from a more vulnerable place.

That’s why connection matters so much to me. When people relate to my music, it feels validating — like they’re connecting with a real part of who I am.

Peniel Uma: Which song should a first-time listener start with?

AshTheArtiist: Oh, that’s a really good question.  I would like to say electric vibe, but a song that a lot of people have told me, Hey, like this really made me feel something. Or, you know, I started listening to your music from here is actually an older song. I think it was my second release. It was called Damages. It’s  an Afro indie pop situation and but it’s a song about situations where, you’re overcoming really strong feelings, sadness and all that kind of stuff. 

Peniel Uma: Your pink hair and aesthetics feel very intentional. Do you take world-building seriously?

AshTheArtiist: Oh yeah, definitely. I’m a huge theater kid, and I spent a decent amount of time assisting with videography, building storylines and all that stuff. So for me, I enjoy it, and I also see the importance of it, and that’s something my team and I are actively working on right now. We have, a character that we made after me, and we’re trying to, create something around that. 

Peniel Uma: What excites you most about this year?

AshTheArtiist: I’m excited because I feel like we’ve really found our sound. It feels uniquely mine. The next few songs we have lined up build on that electric vibe we’ve created, and now it’s about consistency, sharpening it and growing the community around it. That’s what I’m most excited about.

Peniel Uma: Finally, who do you want to work with right now?

AshTheArtiist: ZayLevelTen, Amaarae, Moliy, Luwa.Mp4, Jeleel, Santi, Odunsi… honestly, i’m down to work with anyone who’s really tapped into their sound and really creating. I could name an endless list.