20 Questions: ash tuesday
Twenty Minutes Later became ash tuesday’s biggest fan in just twenty seconds. After finding a clip of one of the artist’s many unreleased songs on TikTok, we were immediately drawn in by her ever-so-specific lyrics and comforting tone. The singer has a gift for capturing feelings and moments and bottling them up into songs. With only one release on Spotify, Twenty Minutes Later had to learn more about ash tuesday. We got the chance to chat with the artist via email. Read our interview below.
1. WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG YOU EVER WROTE?
The first song I ever wrote was called “when the clock strikes 12” for my first ever band the a’s and s’s. I don’t think apostrophes were needed, but we were in the 4th grade so…
2. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU WROTE IT?
Probably 9, I think. Or however young you are in the 4th grade.
3. WHAT WAS ONE SONG YOU GREW UP LISTENING TO?
I don't think I gained consciousness until at least 6th grade, but before then, I solely listened to “Big Girls Don’t Cry'' by Fergie. Post conscience, I was into all those pop-punk bands. I loved “Pretty. Odd” by Panic! And “Is a Real Boy…” By Say Anything a lot.
4. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG AT THE MOMENT?
“Strong Feelings” by Dry Cleaning or “Later On'' by Kate Nash—that whole album My Best Friend Is You by Kate Nash.
5. BEST LYRIC YOU’VE EVER WRITTEN?
A week ago I would have said: "Haptic latch key kid drunk on overstimulation/Absent ask him how his ever present-day went," but now it's probably: "Scared I'm too selfish/Scared I'm too lazy/Mommy I'm scared of the all-consuming looming under my feet —" which doesn’t seem that much better, but I love when I'm honest.
6. WORST LYRIC YOU’VE EVER WRITTEN?
“And I know there’s a million other girls in a million other worlds thinking the exact same thing but did they pray for you.” Honestly, that entire song, but I think these words capture the cringe pretty well. This is out there on the internet too... Jail. Now.
7. WHAT’S YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
Usually, I'm trying to learn a song I like and then hear a chord or two I think sounds good and try to build something new off of that. Most of my songs are only like 2 or 3 chords because I can’t play that well, so getting the progression down is always the hardest part. Then, from there, I get the “emotion” or whatever the chords are evoking and spitball some lyrics to match. Everything from there is like freestyling till something sticks. The hook usually is written last because they’re super hard for me.
8. IF YOU GET STUCK WRITING SONGS WHAT DO YOU DO?
Walk away (100 emoji)!! I try not to get too attached to outcomes when it comes to songs. I’ve found I get into serious writers' block holes like that. Also, a lot of my songs aren’t worth coming back to.
9. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY OTHER TALENT OR SKILL NOT RELATED TO MUSIC WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Ohhhh, I definitely wish I was a woman in stem lmao. My dream job growing up was to be an astrophysicist after watching thor. Then I realized it is just the study of subjects I'm extremely bad at so :-/
10. A SONG YOU WISH YOU WROTE?
Going to ignore this question and list off several. "Naked Patients'' by Happyness, everything Radiator Hospital makes, "It Never Stops'' by Bad Books, "Cath..." by Death Cab, "Sweet Talk" by Dear and the Headlights, the entire Better Oblivion Community Center album, "Wrapped In Piano Strings" by Radical Face, "Dashboard" by Modest Mouse — but then I wouldn't be able to hear "Dashboard" for the first time like that, so maybe not…. That can be said about "Triptych" by Samia as well.
11. A SONG YOU’D LOVE TO COVER?
Ambrosia by Rosie Tucker. Most Rosie Tucker songs! I think our voices are super similar (no offense Rosie).
12. AN ARTIST YOU’D LOVE TO COVER ONE OF YOUR SONGS/WHAT SONG OF YOURS WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO COVER?
Again, I am choosing to ignore the question and list off more than you’ve asked for: it's a Four-way tie between The Killers, Joyce Manor, The 1975, and Car Seat Headrest. I feel like they all have such distinct sounds and it'd be cool to see how they'd interpret it. The Killers should cover that "latch key kid" song (it's tentatively named "scab"), The 1975 should do "rushmore" for sure, Joyce should cover "fasting," And car seat would literally body "UCSB."
13. WHAT PUSHED YOU TO START PUTTING OUT YOUR MUSIC?
I’ve been putting out horrible horrible snippets of songs on Tumblr since high school. I love attention, so I think “putting out” was inevitable in that sense. However, in 2020, I started to get a lot more serious about it because Phoebe (Bridgers) announced her record label. I want to marry her and this felt like my easiest way in.
14. IS THERE A STORY BEHIND YOUR ARTIST NAME, ash tuesday?
My friend and I were brainstorming different names and we both really liked ash wednesday cause we thought it was kinda silly LOL 🤪. My mom’s pretty religious though and I didn't want it to be an issue. I also think Tuesday is just a cool-sounding day of the week. If I was a day of the week, I'd definitely be Tuesday.
15. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SONG OUT ON SPOTIFY, BUT A LOT OF SONGS ON TIKTOK. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SHARING YOUR SONGS ON THE PLATFORM?
Like I said I loooove attention, but it also really does help knowing people want you to finish a song. That one “desperate for the collar” would have never gotten finished had it not been for TikTok hyping it up so much. I don’t know. I guess seeing people find value in the stuff you make. It's also cool when someone inputs what a song makes them feel like too. On one of my more recent ones a person commented, “this feels like staring at the ceiling fan” and now it's kind of a line in the song! Also, I like getting called pretty :-)
16. IS THERE A STORY BEHIND YOUR TIKTOK USERNAME?
Hahaha, so Cowboy Bebop is this super cool anime from the 90s. It has one of the prettiest art styles I've ever seen and was just really ahead of its time all around. Spike (the main guy) is hot. My ex showed me it and he’s really cool. I also think people who watch it are pretty cool and I like appearing cool on the internet.
17. CRAZIEST TIKTOK VIRAL MOMENT/COMMENT?
Nothing crazy viral! Samia who’s a huge inspo for me did comment/follow me for one song though which was like :-0 Then she posted me on her insta story too. I'm seeing her tomorrow in ATL. I think I should make a sign that’s like “oomf is so good live” lmao JK... Unless…
18. ANY SONG SNIPPETS ON TIKTOK THAT ARE COMING OUT SOON?
Rushmore is going to be out soooonish. It's a demo on SoundCloud too. Then I'm working on an EP that'll have 3 of my older snippets from TikTok +1 I didn’t put on there.
19. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU HOPE TO DO THIS YEAR? (MUSIC-RELATED OR NOT)
I've never played a show, which is very nerve-racking because I don’t know how I’ll react when playing to people who aren’t forced to like me. It's all I've ever wanted to do, so, hopefully, it’ll go okay :’-) I also hope/Am going to be putting out an ep which is something I’ve jokingly said since 2016. I hope to learn how to play guitar this year too. Drink less, walk more, maybe get my masters, read something cool—the usual.
20. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOU OR YOUR MUSIC?
I wish more people knew that my music is for people who are sexy, people who haven’t been able to read something that isn’t fanfiction or catching fire by Suzanne Collins since 2012, who wake up with hangxiety after each night of drinking, those who shake, cry, throw up, etc. I also wish people knew how grateful I am that they even care to listen! Sometimes I’ll get a message that’s like “thank you for making xyz song” and I'm like, “no thank you for listening to it.” Means the world :-)
YOU CAN LISTEN TO ash tuesday ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC, OR FIND HER ON TIKTOK HERE. LISTEN AND MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW @twentyminuteslater TO STAY UPDATED ON ALL THINGS MUSIC.
