From YouTube to record deal to Lilith Fair

Local pop duo Ash Koley quickly adjusting to the whirlwind life of stardom

The members of Winnipeg music duo Ash Koley are quickly getting accustomed to music stardom with an exhaustive cross-Canada promotional tour. Norman Wong
The members of Winnipeg music duo Ash Koley are quickly getting accustomed to music stardom with an exhaustive cross-Canada promotional tour. Norman Wong

Ash Koley, Winnipeg’s newest pop darlings, have had their feet touch many new grounds in the past month, stopping in cities across Canada on their promotional tour.

The band’s first album, Inventions, was released by Sony Music Entertainment Canada and Nettwerk, and hit store shelves this past Tuesday, Oct. 5.

The album comprises eight songs that the duo, Ash Koley (who the band is named after) and Phil Deschambault, put together since the start of their musical collaboration in 2004.

But the two have hardly had any time to relax since touring as a part of Lilith Fair this past summer alongside other prominent artists, such as Sarah McLachlan and Erykah Badu.

The promotional tour has “been a totally different experience,” Koley said by phone last week.

“During the live shows, it was surprising to see people knew us and were singing our songs.”

Characterizations like “alternative/pop,” “new wave,” and “indie” are constantly tagged to the band, but for Koley, reviews from the press are only part of the excitement.

“It was cool to hear people say it sounds fresh, or sounds different,” she said. “Meeting radio stations that play our music, that was nice and we’re really grateful for them.”

Some people wanted us to dumb down our lyrics, but that wasn’t us. We both came to the table with different influences, and our music is exactly what we want it to be.

Ash Koley, singer

The band’s songs include Mary the Inventor, GO!, Balance, and radio-hit Don’t Let Your Feet Touch Ground. Each was released with its own imaginative video on YouTube before the band caught record label attention.

It’s easy to see why fans so easily embrace the band.

Their constantly updated Twitter account and quirky YouTube videos – including the appropriately titled “bathroom series” where the two perform their songs acoustically in Ash’s bathroom – supply their fans with doses of Ash Koley at the click of a button.

“I’ve seen anyone from kids to 80-year-olds – I’m still trying to figure out who they are,” Koley said of the duo’s diverse fan base. 

It’s not surprising that their music has been received so well by such a wide age range; the eight songs on Inventions can be accepted by anyone.

“I’ve never thought about a main message, songs are about memories or a positive message,” Koley explained.

“Some people wanted us to dumb down our lyrics, but that wasn’t us. We both came to the table with different influences, and our music is exactly what we want it to be.”

Visit www.ashkoley.com.

Published in Volume 65, Number 6 of The Uniter (October 7, 2010)

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