Ash Koley is a little bundle of contradictions. The singer with the big voice is actually quite small in size. She has slightwith, doll-like features. She folds her body carefully around herself. Her signature red lips look startling, natural and fitting, not at all over the top on a gray Toronto afternoon.

She answers questions thoughtfully, taking her time with each word, and has a quiet laugh. With a whisper, not a bang, she seems to be creating her own mystique in the Canadian music scene.

Long before this, Koley was just another young girl in the Prairies, which she is certain has given her an advantage. Growing up in Winnipeg has given her, along with fellow band member Phil Deschambault, a unique perspective on creating music and her identity.

Now living in Toronto to further her music career, Koley has gained knowledge and perspective on how those cold winter months back home have helped have her along.

“My parents played music around the house all the time,” she says of her upbringing. "And we were always in the listening to tapes, so we were exposed to music all the time. There is something about Winnipeg -- Phil and I always guess that it’s because it’s so freezing there -- you’re indoors a lot and you get to be creative because of that. Either that, or there’s something in the water.”

Now this is where it gets a little bit confusing. Ash Koley is a band. A duo. But the woman sitting across from me is Ash Koley. Looking at their promotional shots and videos, Koley is prominently featured and Deschambault is a background presence. This may all seem reminiscent of the No Doubt phenom, but Koley makes it clear that this was a mutual decision that works best for both of them.

“Phil and I started working together with him being the writer and me being a solo artist,” she explains. “He never envisioned himself in a duo. People have always told us there’s a chemistry between us, there’s an energy between us that they see in our videos, even in person when they do interviews with us. If it was making sense to us, and everyone else, why not do it [this way]?”

Their process, while collaborative, still fits with their style: Deschambault’s songwriting with Koley’s input.

As their career as duo was just kicking off, they received an offer to play a couple slots in last year’s Lilith Fair revival. “It was a great sense of community because this was our first tour [as a band],” Koley enthuses.  “We were thrown on this tour with all these iconic artists but everyone was so nice. The big artists would come see the smaller acts. Sheryl Crow would be like, 'caught your set, awesome job.' Even the audience was supportive. We had people singing the lyrics to the songs. The people that didn’t know us were glad to see us, too. No one was waiting for you to fall.”

It’s certainly not like most band’s 'first tour' experience. No dingy whiskey bars or hole-in-the-walls. They got to hang out with Sheryl freakin’ Crow! This may seem unfair, but really Ash Koley played it smart and eased into the industry by making their own videos, setting them free on YouTube and getting on Twitter and Facebook to keep the momentum going. “We all find music in different ways,” says Koley. “Whether through a friend or the internet or a TV show, it’s all good. Today it’s just the way of however you can get your music out there. I’m just embracing anyway people find us.”

The duo hit the jackpot (proverbially speaking... kind of) when their song, Don't Let Your Feet Touch Ground, was played in a Lotto 6/49 copmmercial, launching them into the Canadian Top 100's.

While Koley was long known for her trademark ruby lips, well before her touring days and music videos, it is a rare thing to be fully comfortable in your own process. “I think the general public is a lot smarter than a lot of people give them credit for,” Koley reflects. “[They] can tell when someone’s image is genuine and when its been fabricated. Everyone’s going to have an opinion of what you should look like, and sound like, and I respect any artist that remains true to themselves and I think we’re seeing more of that.”

We sure are, Ash. We're seeing it in you!

Ash Koley will be opening for Ron Sexsmith in March and April, visit her site for tour information. 

Alex West
		About the author:
		After a five year stint in Montreal Alex moved back to her native Toronto to do her Masters and began writing for different publications. When in doubt she always asks, what would Nick Cave do? Luckily the answer almost always involves velvet, wine and writing. In her spare time she enjoys watching civil war reenactments, sharing her James Bond level charm and talking about that girl who did that thing that one time. Read more of her work at: www.scare-tactic.blogspot.com
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