- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: AMERICAN HIP HOP SINGER ASHANTI PERFORMS IN LONDON
- Date: 3rd July 2002
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 2002) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASHANTI SAYING: Oh it's definitely, definitely important and I believe that since the day that I started, you know being signed to Jive (Records) at fourteen, you know I've always been like, 'I want to be hands on' and that's one of the reasons why it didn't work out with that label because they wanted to spearhead everything and I'm like 'I don't like that, I don't like this song, why do I have to do it if Idon't like it?' So collectively, from day one, you know I'm still a nice person and I'm workable, I'm always open to new ideas and willing to try different things but when I don't like something, I definitely let you know. You got to be like that because if you don't feel it in your heart, it's not going to come across to your fans and to the public. They're going to say 'mmm it doesn't seem that she really likes that.'
- Embargoed: 18th July 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVABQ9YVYG4W0AGEZ89NF1PT8KF8
- Story Text: She's worked with some of R&B's biggest names, she's on her third record label deal and she's the first artist since The Beatles to have 3 singles simultaneously in the top ten of Billboard's top 100 chart. Twenty-something Ashanti is the new Princess of the hip-hop and R&B music scene.
American songstress, Ashanti, may well have already entered the music history books - by achieving what only The Beatles have managed before her - by having three Top 10 songs in the Billboard 100 chart at 21 years old, but her success has been a long time coming.
Born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York in 1980, Ashanti soon showed an interest in music. At six she sang in a gospel choir and she took up dance training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center Yet it was in high school that Ashanti began honing her songwriting skills. Her big break came when she performed at a local talent show in 1994, where she caught the attention of music industry producers. Although she was immediately signed to a label things didn't work out for the young singer.
Another deal followed but that too wasn't quite what she expected. Those days were tough Ashanti told Reuters: 'I mean I think about you know the days when I was sitting at home and all my friends were going off to college and I'm sitting in the living room like aw man, nothing's happening the right way for me and it took a lot of courage and guts to keep going after because I had been let down twice already from major record labels and I'm like why isn't anything turning out the right way you know I'm giving up scholarships and school and going to college and things like that so when I think about those days that I was just at home 24 hours not having anything to do you know that definitely keeps me going keeps me humble.' It wasn't until Irv Gotti, producer with Murder Inc.
Records discovered her that Ashanti's destiny was changed. The label encouraged her to work with Ja Rule, and that collaboration was a smash hit. 'Always On Time' proved a winner on the airwaves as well as on TV. Following that success, Ashanti teamed up with Fat Joe for his hit ''What's Luv?' Next came what she'd been waiting for for years....her self-titled, debut album. The first single to be released from 'Ashanti' was 'Foolish' and it immediately raced up the Billboard 100 charts in the States - entering the Top 10 in March 2002 alongside 'Always on Time' and 'What's Luv'. Her album entered the charts at Number One selling 500,000 copies in its first week setting a new record for a debut by a female artist.
The new Princess of hip-hop and R&B had most definitely arrived. And now she's taking her music outside the U.S.A hoping for similar success. So how does Ashanti describe her music? 'I would definitely say the Ashanti vibe is something that is just real, you're able to relate to it you know and I just try to connect with people I try to stay positive like the record 'dreams' on my album is a real inspirational record, I just try to keep uplifting people because sometimes music it just brings out your emotions, if you're feeling sad or you're happy you know it just brings it out of you. So my vibe is kind of just staying real, talking and just relating to real life things.' Ashanti released her debut album in the UK in April. This week, it's riding high in the charts - at number 4. The single 'Foolish' entered UK chart at number 4.
While Ashanti waits to see how the record is received all over the world, she's working up to a tour and hopes to be back in Europe as soon as possible.
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