Inspired #424 - Ashley Henry
Co-signed by Christine and the Queens as “the ultimate piano player”, South East London creative Ashley Henry has blessed us with his latest jazz offering with new single ‘Who Are We’.
A dazzling exploration of self-love and enlightenment, “Who We Are” effortlessly encapsulates Ashley’s thoughtful, free-form artistry. Flaunting his dream-like falsetto that playfully intertwines with emotive piano licks and warm percussive textures, the jazzy self-produced backing stands as a canvas for the South East London musician to express his unshakeable self-belief. He utilises the force of his past and present experiences and delivers serenity towards faith and togetherness that elevates us to believe in what we love.
Speaking on the track, Ashley adds: “Rather than looking to others through the lens of consumerism, ‘Who We Are’ is a mantra for collective consciousness - holding each other’s dreams as close as our own, looking to each other for inspiration, comfort, and sustenance, forging new ways into a future.”
He took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind his music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
This is an impossibly hard question to answer, but I barely go a day without listening to something by one of these greats;
Stevie Wonder, just his ability to have so much complexity in his music, but still be able to touch so many people, and also just hearing his sound writing for other artists, being able to get inside their minds, I have always appreciated the ability of artists to empathise, and understand where other artists are creating from - I remember seeing Michael Jackson’s records and seeing Stevie’s name - at a young age I was able to identify his characteristic harmonic structures even in music he was on for other artists.
Miles Davis, purely because of his vision and what he managed to communicate sonically, what he was able to bring out of musicians he worked with - everyone that came through his band was able to contribute so much to the jazz world in their own very unique ways.
I grew up in a Jamaican household, and music was a cultural backbone. Dennis Brown was in my ears before I could talk, and would flow through all our relationships and social gatherings - his voice was ever-present - coming up as a child star he was one of the true icons of Jamaican music. His musicianship continues to affect my sound.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
Recently I watched the film Rocks, which was made collaboratively with the teenagers who starred in it. I was amazed by the characters authenticity to who they were as individuals and as part of multiple divergent communities. It really made me reflect on the privelage of growing up in London, where so many worlds co-inside and co-exisit, and where, amongst hardship and struggle, people - young and old, hold each other together.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Sao Paolo in Brazil - music was everywhere, and part of everyday life. The energy of the place, even down to how people spoke to one another, everything was so rhythmic and had a flow to it.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
My mother is the most inspiring person to me because of her strength and resilience which has made me the person I am today.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track “Who We Are"?
Love, what it means to love and to be loved. In relationships whether they are romantic, or with family or friends, or as a collective, we need to have faith and cultivate intimacy to realise who we truly are. "Who We Are" is about trusting the process, and giving yourselves and one another that gleam of hope when you feel like you’ve been trudging uphill for a while. We give up too easily, our attention spans are too limited, and sometimes we take each other and the magic of everything for granted. "Who We Are" is a reminder that those moments are simply part of the process towards evolving, growing, and collaborative dreams.
How would you like to inspire people?
I would like to inspire people by showing them that you can trust your inner voice, your flow, and your instinct to make something, to connect, to communicate. Making music helps me understand more about myself and about others, and I hope it encourages people to engage with the work that goes into this understanding. This journey has been an ongoing learning experience for me, and I hope the narrative of effort, experimentation, trust, and drive comes through in my music.
