“I would love to have 5 minutes alone with Martina McBride. I think she is one of the best female vocalists EVER, (her concert was actually the first concert I ever went to!). Mainly, I’d want to sit and talk with her about how she was able to balance it all. She had her career and she also had her personal life, and a family. I think its amazing how private she kept her personal life and how she always presented a wholesome image. That’s my goal as an artist and a role model and I think she’d have some great advice!” @ashbriggsmusic

Listen to the interview: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2015/10/08/episode-263-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax

GETTING TO KNOW ASHLEY BRIGGS
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio

I am most afraid of…
failure. It is my biggest fear. No one wants to work hard at something and not succeed in it.

My personal definition of success is…
being happy. I think you can work all your life for the money and the fame, and still have an emptiness once you get all of it. I think truly being successful means being satisfied with yourself and the life you’re living.

My over all goal for my life & career is…
to inspire people. I want to be the kind of artist and person that people look up to. If even one person comes to me and says, “Hey, your music helped me through a really rough time,” or “You inspired me not to give up” it’ll make it all worth it.

The three ways that I challenge myself are…
through writing, rehearsing, and performing. I am always pushing myself to do better.

You got started in music by…
being in Annie for my high school play in 5th grade. Ever since then I knew was meant to be on stage!

I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
Martina McBride. I think she is one of the best female vocalists EVER, (her concert was actually the first concert I ever went to!). Mainly, I’d want to sit and talk with her about how she was able to balance it all. She had her career and she also had her personal life, and a family. I think its amazing how private she kept her personal life and how she always presented a wholesome image. That’s my goal as an artist and a role model and I think she’d have some great advice!

On being trendy versus staying true to yourself…
I think right now, in the music industry, artists are trying their best to release music that the fans want to hear, and they’re doing a great job at it. As a songwriter, yes, that’s super important (obviously you’re not going to release something that no one can relate to), however it’s also important to stay true to who you are as an artist. You have certain things you want to say, so to be able to find a good balance of saying what you want to say, but also keeping it current is important.

Heads or Tails is…
the title track and one of my favorite songs on the album. You know the saying, “Heads you win, tails I lose?” This song is kind of like that. It’s about a couple dating but not being exclusive just yet. She really likes him and wants to somehow get him to consider her his ‘girlfriend’ so she’s giving him a choice to flip a coin in order to determine where their relationship is going. The twist to it though, is that no matter how the coin lands, they’re going to end up together. It’s a real play on lyrics. When we were in the recording session my producer Rodney Ingle and I would meet with the musicians, go over the lyrics of the song and discuss ideas of how the song would come together. One of the musicians, Jimmy Nichols (Piano) was listening to the guitar version, and looked up and said, “hey, I get it! It’s about flipping a coin but the guy can’t get out of it! That’s great!” A few minutes later he walked over to the piano and said, “Ashley how about this?” He started playing and the rest is history. I just love how the creative process on this album was so much more than I ever dreamed it would be.

Your goal with this first album, “Heads or Tails,” is..
to show everyone who I am as an artist. There’s a total of 8 songs on the album and they’re all a little different; some are extremely country, some have a bluesy feel, and some are soulful, and this was in hopes that everyone could find at least 1 song on the album that they liked and connected with. This album is a lot different than the singles I’ve released in the past and that’s because I just turned 18 and I’m growing up and I want my music to grow up with me.

When I write a song, I want it to tell a story, something the person who is listening can relate to. I call it the ‘video’ affect. If they can see the video in their head, they are going to remember the song.

The music scene in Forl Lauderdale, FL is…
great down here! You’re always hearing avariety of music wherever you go. The nice thing about living in South Florida is being able to gig at places on the water. Two of my gigs are on the intracoastal so they’re very laid back and make for a beautiful view! My favorite thing to do down here is to drive the beach road. I live extremely close to the ocean so my friends and I will hop in the car, roll the windows down, blast some country music, and drive along the beach. It’s beautiful

The music business…
can be hard at times. It’s something you really have to work for if you want to be successful. I’ve been singing for a while so I’ve experienced a lot of pros and cons, but I like to look at them as learning experiences. Regardless of what the outcome was, it taught me something, and I’m better for it. The hurdles and bumps in the road are imminent, but my family and myfaith, two things I cannot live without, have helped me through them.

Social media is…
a great way to keep in contact with friends and fans, and meet new people. I think the coolest thing is when you get a message from someone in another state or country saying they found your site and love your music. It’s the best way to get your music heard all over the world! It’s hard to build a following, but I have learned that the more you post and get your name out there, the easier it becomes!

Singles versus an album…
I recently released an album because I wanted people to start getting a feel for who I am, and I think an album better shows that because there are multiple songs. However, I’ve noticed recently that people are releasing more singles than albums. I think both are great because, again, you’re getting new music out to people, it’s kind of just preference.

Social Media
Website: www.ashleybriggsmusic.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ashbriggsmusic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleybriggsmusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleybriggsmusic
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/ashleybriggsmusic
Youtube: www.youtube.com/born2sing31