The 25-year-old was recently named by Clear Channel as an "Artist to Watch" and she will be their "Featured Artist" next month. Her new single, White Flag, was just released on January 18. And her new album, Let it Out, will be released this April.
(RELEASE) BIO: Hailing from Los Angeles by way of Nashville, Ashlyne Huff is an engaging new pop music artist and performer on the rise. Armed with a vocal prowess and a gift for songwriting, Ashlyne has signed with Liquid Digital Media --a division of Anderson Companies --and released her debut album in May 2010 that debuted at #24 on iTunes pop charts. The album's first single "Heart of Gold" landed on an episode of MTV's hugely popular reality drama, "The Hills," and the network's new hit program, "World Of Jenks." Soon after, Ashlyne joined a nationwide tour with American Idol®-winner, Jordin Sparks, this summer. With a solid foundation to grow including thousands of fans on Twitter and Facebook, Ashlyne is preparing for an evolution - bringing with her an all new sound.
Huff co-wrote every song on her debut album that showcased her flair for storytelling. And like any true artist, Ashlyne embraces a desire to evolve and grow. Her sophomore album, Let It Out, due out in Spring 2011 features songs with a fresh dance pop sound. Huff teamed up with multi-platinum hitmaker Evan Bogart to co-write her next album. Bogart has co-written mega-hits for artists including Beyonce, Rihanna, Britney Spears and Sean Kingston. "As an Executive Producer and co-writer included on Ashlyne's new album, I feel so blessed. She is one of the most exciting new artists I've seen in a long time!" says Bogart.
Huff's urge to express herself through songwriting is not surprising given her family background. Her father, Dann Huff, is an in-demand producer and session guitarist who has produced albums for Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts and performed on hits by Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Faith Hill. Her grandfather, Ronn Huff, was a sought-after arranger on Nashville's contemporary Christian music scene. Ashlyne was born in Glendale, CA, and at age 5 moved to Nashville where she started to dance and perform. Several years later, she joined the Opryland Kids Club and realized she'd have to be able to sing if she wanted to continue to perform as a dancer. "I was actually afraid to sing at first, growing up in a house where so many talented people came and went," Huff recalls. "But with some encouragement from the family, I picked it up and sang all through high school."
After graduating from high school, Huff enrolled at Nashville's Belmont University Music Business Program. "I studied publishing and copyright law and thought maybe I'd go into production," she says. "I used to do my homework in the studio with my dad and I liked the atmosphere and loved being around musicians. I learned how to use all the equipment, like Pro Tools, and started editing my own dance songs."
While attending college, Huff's love for songwriting blossomed. "My dad had told me when I was 12 that I would never be a writer unless I had something to say," she recalls. "At 19, I went through a bad breakup and I decided to write a song about it just to get my feelings out. Then I thought, 'What if I could help someone else in the same position?' I'd feel better if I knew something I wrote helped someone else. I was hooked." In early 2008, a song Huff co-wrote with Tommy Lee James and Stefanie Ridel, entitled "I'm Done," appeared on the Pussycat Dolls' latest album Doll Domination.
For the songs on Let It Out, Ashlyne found universal themes of love and relationships as inspiration. "The first single off the album, 'White Flag,' is a song about surrender but not in the sense of giving up," says Ashlyne. "It's a good surrender, more of a giving in. It's about finding something unexpected in someone and giving in to those feelings. Like forget your fears and have fun with this new relationship."
The songs on Let It Out are infectious, fun and energetic - much like Ashlyne herself and the title track. "I just loved working on the song, 'Let It Out,'" recalls Ashlyne. "It's my favorite song on the album and represents everything I feel at this moment in my life. It's that call to action - to let loose and be yourself, be confident and have a good time!" Like many of the songs on the new album, "Let It Out" is aimed at being a dance floor-filler with killer hooks and massive drum beats.
Another song destined for the dance floor and a sure-fire girl power anthem is "Whatever." "This is that song I wanted every girl out there to hear," says Ashlyne. "We all have that relationship that hits a breaking point where you care so much but that other person just won't give it the same effort. So here's that song for everyone that wants to say 'Whatever!'"
Although many of the eight songs on Let It Out are uptempo dance tracks, the album also includes a few ballads like the delicate but uplifting "Runway." But as Ashlyne would describe, "It's not a sleeper. It's a ballad with a kick drum. For me, it's that song you want to hear when you are away from your loved ones."
Armed with a hot new single and album along with an energized fan base who are ready for even more, Ashlyne is poised to have an exciting 2011. In the meantime, Huff continues to win people over with her engaging voice, upbeat personality and addictive music. "I really hope there's something for everyone in my songs, no matter your age," Huff says. "I just can't wait for people to hear them."
For more information on Ashlyne Huff, visit: ashlynehuff.com
