Ashland Craft has steadily carved out a reputation as one of country music’s most authentic and gritty new voices, blending Southern rock energy with traditional country storytelling. Hailing from South Carolina, she first gained national attention as a contestant on The Voice before moving to Nashville and building her career from the ground up. Drawing inspiration from artists like Chris Stapleton and Eric Church, Craft developed a sound rooted in raw vocals, honest lyrics and a no-frills attitude that quickly set her apart.
Since then, she has continued to grow her profile through a string of well-received releases and relentless touring, including time on the road with Zac Brown Band. Her debut album ‘Travelin’ Kind' introduced a mix of hard-edged anthems and reflective ballads, showcasing both her powerhouse voice and her storytelling instincts and last year's sophomore follow up ‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' only served to re-enforce her growing reputation. By the time she arrived in London for C2C Festival, Craft had established herself as a compelling live performer, bringing that same intensity and authenticity to international audiences and cementing her place as an artist on the rise. We caught up with her to talk all about it.
Welcome to the UK Ashland and hows the jet lag?
Thank you , it's been a dream so far. You know, I thought it was going to be worse than it actually was. I watched some movies on the film and had a good sleep so maybe that helped?
You were introduced to a national audience on The Voice. What did you learn about yourself by doing that show that went on to inform who you are now?
That was hardcore for me at first. I'd just finished hair school and I was gigging anywhere I could whilst working at a dive bar on the weekends. I'd hit a point where I knew I had to do something different. I didn't love hair school but I still graduated despite knowing that it was music that I wanted to do.
It was my crash course in moving to Nashville and dealing with things like interviews – it was kinda like media training for free really, which was great! (laughing) It helped to build my confidence to be able to move to Nashville and fit in with the best of them more than anything.
What was the hardest point coming off the show and going back to normal?
I don't know whether I ever gave myself a chance to go back to normal coming off that show! I did move back home for about a year to save up the money I knew I needed to make the move. The Voice pays you a decent amount but I knew I wanted my band to move with me and we all needed the cash to be able to make it happen.
You've released two albums in a decent amount of time so the momentum is building. You have both fan and critical acclaim – which is not something that all artists manage to achieve. How have you managed that?
I think just singing the truth helps. I know I'm not the only girl out there that is trying to figure this out or trying to take a chance on something she loves but I think being truthful and honest about the struggles and the wins cuts through. I'm grateful for how the albums have been received and one of my biggest goals is to be able to make music for the fans but I also want to make music that other artists love as well so thank you for saying that.
There are songs on ‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' that you wrote when you were 18! How many songs have you got up your sleeve or stored away in your phone right now do you think?
That's a great question. Heck, over seven years of writing…….? It's gotta be in the thousands! I've written practically every day although you don't always leave with a song, but you definitely try and leave with the intention of a song you are going to finish. I've got a good amount of material sitting there that I'm keen to get out to the world!
How do you go about filtering that amount of songs for a 12 or 14 song project?
There are two sides to it. When you are working with a label you are, hopefully, working with a team of people that you trust and you can lean on them and get advice from them. I'm fortunately in that position right now so we go in and listen to all these songs and they will give me their honest opinion.
Certain songs that you write get filed away and then others sit with you and never leave your thoughts so any album or project you do has to start with those ones, right?
You co-produced ‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' – what did you learn about the technical side of things by doing that?
A lot! (laughing) My experience with production is, obviously, limited to what I hear in my head. Working with two of my friends, Jess Grommet and Lee Starr, who have known me all the time I have lived in Nashville, was really easy and the perfect way to start learning. Everybody had their own strengths that we played off so well and they helped me translate what I could hear down into more technical terms. They knew the studio terms whilst I knew that this part needed to sound like this, right?
I'm very much a tweaker. Once we've got something down I dive in, I'm very picky and I'm thankful for the guys that stick with me through that process. I loved it, it was awesome. One day I'd love to produce another record for myself but I'd also love to produce one for another artist.
Is there a song on ‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' that you are most proud of?
Can I be that annoying person that gives you two? The biggest one is probably the title track because of what that song stands for for me as a writer and as an artist. I never thought that song would see the light of day – it showcases my ability to be able to write by myself and gave me the confidence to know that I can write by myself when I want to.
‘Doesn't Have to Be That Way?' is probably the other one. I think that song came together as such a perfect definition of everything I love about music. It's sassy, it's got a little bit of soul, it's Country and it just makes you move. That song is the whole package for me.
Are you an honorary Arkansan now after working with Ashley McBryde and Mae Estes on the revamped version of ‘Yard Sale?'
I would say so! One of my producers, Lee Starr, is also from Arkansas so when we were recording the song in the room I was, like, ‘Well, I guess I'm from Arkansas now!' (laughing) I'm in!
‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' had a really great moment when it came out but I don't feel like it got the moment it deserved – maybe that was marketing, whatever that came down to – I also didn't have a feature on the record last year so I am, like, ‘well, what about having four of them now?' (laughing) So I hope the new collabs will bring some new eyes and new life to some of the songs on there. We had Chase Rice come and sing on ‘Momma Don't Pray Like She Used To' and now the girls have jumped in on ‘Yard Sale.'
Presumably in the background you are beginning to think about album number three as well now?
I'm always thinking about the next project! My brain is always music, music, music. It's just all about waiting on things that are a little out of control right now, the powers that be and all that. I'm always writing – I sang a song in the Bluebird Cafe round earlier today that has changed my life and is one of the songs I think the next project will be based around. It will dig in more to me as a person and my background.
You've played with some major artists in the last few years. Tell me which artist has taught you the most about connecting with fans, stagecraft, how they treat their team away from the stage.
Truly, I have been so blessed that every tour I have been on has been amazing. I would have to say, if I have to choose, that the best have been Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde. I admire so much how they take care of their fans, Ashley is especially good at that. The fact that she has those fans and people that consistently travel from show to show for her is a measure of who she is. I aspire to have that kind of long term fan base that will show up for you time and time again.
Ashley is testament to the fact that if you work hard and put yourself out there you can have that kind of success. Sure, she has the Grammy with Carly but she's not swimming in hits or number ones – she's done it the organic and authentic way.
That's what inspires me the most. Of course we all want awards and number ones but the fans are what makes this worthwhile. If you can make them feel part of what you are doing, connected to, that's a huge step and Ashley is the best at that. I love how open and honest she is about her life – that's what connects with people.
The new artists coming through now are so personal and raw with what they share. When you think back to the 00s and the teens when Bro Country was raging – the artist was not as connected to their fan base as they are now. It was all arenas and MTV and glitz whereas things have got grimy and personal again now. Doesn't that play into who you are and what your story is?
A revival is happening! I think music, for a while, felt like a wall of sound. We all like that every now and again but there is so much more to life. That's not the kind of music that got me through my hard times though, it was stuff that helped you connect with real people and not just songs about beer and trucks. I went through some hard times and some real shit, you know, so I am happy to see that real music is coming back again and people are not afraid to be vulnerable any more.
Surface level is not what music should be and it's certainly not who I am, right? (laughing) I can't do it!
If you could go back and talk to the woman who was just about to go on The Voice and give her a piece of advice – what would you say to her?
Ohhhhh. I was 20, 21. I think I would tell her that you are going to feel like a lot of people don't understand you. Do it anyway! You are not the only one that feels the way you do and there are people out there who want and need to hear what you have to say, so do it anyway! Be confident in that. I maybe didn't have that confidence, back then, to know that I could turn this into a career. Screw everything else and just do what you love to do!
When did the confidence kick in for you?
I'm still working on it! (laughing) Every day. A lot of times you get made to feel like you are just part of the mix and you are not important – it's maybe not intentional but it can wear you down, especially if you are a woman in this industry, it's just a fact of the matter. I talk to Mae (Estes) and I talk to Ashley (McBryde) about the struggles that I am going through and to hear them resonate and hear them tell me that I'm not the only one that feels like that means so much to me.
Check out Ashland Craft's current album ‘Dive Bar Beauty Queen' in all the usual places right now. She has just released a new version of ‘Yard Sale' with Mae Estes and Ashley McBryde too.
