With a voice resonating the kind of verve and style that only comes from a true natural, Atlantic recording artist Ashley Ballard is a young woman poised to deliver. Those talents will be amply displayed this summer in mall courts across the country as the sixteen-year-old steps out on the dozen-date Ford Supermodel of the World Tour. The trek will also provide a sneak preview to the sounds of her forthcoming Atlantic Records debut, due for release in early 2001.

Ballard made her recorded debut with the November, 1999 release of Atlantic’s RIAA double-platinum Pokémon: The First Movie soundtrack. From the opening notes of the top 10 soundtrack’s rhythmic "It Was You," she demonstrated an effervescence and aplomb that revealed both a dynamic vocal character and exceptional performance skills. Produced by Rodney Jerkins (Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott) with his Darkchild Productions crew and recorded with the So Plush vocal duo, the track is just one of several Ashley has already recorded with the hitmaking team.

"I fell in love with Ashley’s voice from the moment I heard her," says Fred Jerkins of Darkchild Productions. "It was over a year ago that the guys and I first took a listen to her demo – she was doing this gospel cut – and we were all blown away by the strength she put behind her vocals. On the next track she was getting kind of sweet and melodic, which proved to us just how versatile she is. Ashley’s a true powerhouse and has such control of her voice. It’s been a lot of fun to be in the studio with her, too. It’s nice to work with a young person that’s so talented and so anxious to prove what they can do."

It is precisely that abundance of energy and pure ability that has similarly compelled such top producers as 14-time Grammy winner David Foster, Eric Bazilian (Ricky Martin, Robbie Williams) and Elliott Kennedy (Spice Girls, Boyzone) to join Ballard in the studio to record tracks for next year’s debut. "It’s a lot of work, but once I get into the studio, I just start singing and it doesn’t feel like work anymore," says Ashley with a smile.

Growing up in Mission Viejo, California, Ashley Ballard was charming her family with her singing from the time she was two-years-old. By age 3, she was creating her own jazzy arrangements of favorite nursery rhymes while demonstrating a knack for imitating songs she’d hear on the radio. And then there was her unique take on "New York, New York," something she’d discovered in her mother’s record collection. In 1990, a five-year-old Ashley found herself onstage for the first time performing with her uncle, a pianist, as part of a Christmas concert at an outdoor market in Orange County. "I realized then that there was something extraordinary about Ashley’s talent, beyond the charm that accompanies any kid who’s willing to stand up and sing for an audience," says her uncle Louis Valentino. "Without a doubt, she had something special going on."

An obsessive music fan, the young Ashley enthusiastically embraced an early cassette collection that included the likes of Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, and Queen. At age six, the gifted vocalist took her first steps into the recording studio, where she cut a series of lighthearted but telling demos. By the fourth grade, it was clear that Ashley was more than a girl who simply liked to sing. However, there were days when she would purposely sing off key when performing or rehearsing with the school choir. Far from being the pure extrovert, Ashley would always take a step back when the choir director was looking for volunteer soloists. "I remember feeling that if I sang as well as I was capable of that somehow I would stick out," says Ashley with a laugh. "I didn’t want that. I didn’t want anybody to think I was showing them up or anything. It’s funny when I think about it now because I’m sure they wouldn’t have cared." 1992 saw Ashley becoming a sought-after performer for a variety of local events, ranging from church, school, and community theater events to private parties and regional cable television programs. Among the highlights of that year was a county fair set where she opened for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

Another milestone came in 1996 when Ashley was asked to perform for President Bill Clinton during a political event in Century City. So impressed was the President that Ashley was asked to perform in Washington, D.C. on the occasion of Clinton’s second inaugural. If it wasn’t for the excitement surrounding the 1997 event, singing outdoors on a January day in the nation’s capital would have proven quite the challenge. "It was an amazing experience, but I was definitely freezing," says Ashley, who also sang for Vice President Al Gore early this year. When she’s not occupied with traveling or her music, Ashley is busy with schoolwork, thinking about new clothing designs, or just listening to the radio. However, it is the as-of-yet untitled debut that remains at the center of Ashley’s universe. With each subsequent recording session, the young artist comes that much closer to realizing what she calls her "life-long ambition." Cut primarily in the U.K., the album stands out with its diverse palette of moods and grooves, moving from the dancefloor bump rhythms of "5x5" to the sweeping and soulful Foster-produced ballad, "Second Thoughts" (with backing vocals from Plus 1). Regardless of style or sound, the true constant remains Ashley’s commitment to attaching her music to positive themes. In her experience, the best songs are the ones that take the listener to a higher plateau. "It means a lot for someone to be able to hear to this album and come away feeling just a little bit better," says Ashley. "My favorite songs have always been about that."

At this moment, Ashley is also busy with the conceptual and design issues surrounding the development of her new website (www.ashley-ballard.com). There are also a ton of e-mails from friends that need answering and so many new movies she has yet to see. It all adds up to the business of being a teenager – albeit, one who’s getting ready for an exceptionally big 2001.

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SONGS
[ Hottie ] [ It Was You ]
[ 5 x 5 ] [ Second Thoughts ]

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