Ashnikko

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Ashnikko
Ashnikko in 2014
Ashnikko in 2014
Background information
Birth nameAshton Nicole Casey
Born (1996-02-19) February 19, 1996 (age 25)
Oak Ridge, North Carolina U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2016–present
Labels
  • Digital Picnic
  • Parlophone
  • Warner
Associated acts
Websiteashnikko.com

Ashton Nicole Casey (born February 19, 1996), known professionally as Ashnikko (/æʃˈniːkoʊ/ ash-NEE-koh[1]), is an American singer and rapper. She[a] rose to prominence with her 2019 single "Stupid" with Yung Baby Tate, which gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok and was certified gold in the United States and Canada.[2] Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, was released in January 2021, and spawned the singles "Daisy" and "Slumber Party" featuring Princess Nokia.

Early life[]

Ashton Nicole Casey[3] was born on February 19, 1996, in Oak Ridge, North Carolina,[4] and raised in the city of Greensboro. Her parents exposed her to country music and Slipknot.[5] She recalls becoming interested in music, specifically rap music, when she listened to Arular by M.I.A. at the age of 10,[6] and says she did not listen to male musicians until she was 16 years old.[7] As a teenager, her family moved to Estonia for her father's studies, spending a year there before relocating again to Riga, Latvia.[4] At one point, she was the only American in Latvia to attend a Latvian public high school.[8] At the age of 18, Ashnikko moved to London, England by herself.[9]

Career[]

2016–2019: Career beginnings and Hi It's Me[]

Ashnikko's first song, "Krokodil", was produced by Raf Riley and published to SoundCloud in July 2016.[10] She released her first EP, Sass Pancakes, under Digital Picnic Records in 2017.[8][6] The EP was produced by Raf Riley and features appearances from Avelino.[11][12] Ashnikko's second EP, Unlikeable, was released in November 2018. The EP spawned the singles "Blow", "Nice Girl", "Invitation" featuring Kodie Shane, and "No Brainer".[13][6]

Ashnikko released her third EP, Hi It's Me, in July 2019.[14] The EP was preceded by the promotional single "Special" and was launched alongside the EP's title track and lead single, "Hi It's Me". The second official single, "Stupid", featuring Yung Baby Tate, gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok.[2][15] The song reached number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and the Spotify Viral 50 chart.[16][17][15] "Stupid" was also certified gold in the United States in August 2020, as well as in Canada.[18][19][20] Another song from the EP, "Working Bitch", also found popularity on TikTok.[21][22] Ashnikko embarked on a North American tour supporting American rapper Danny Brown in October 2019.[23][24] She released the promotional single "Halloweenie II: Pumpkin Spice" in October 2019.[25] She co-wrote eight songs, two of which she is featured on, on Brooke Candy's debut album, Sexorcism, which was released in October 2019.[9]

2020–present: Breakthrough and Demidevil[]

Ashnikko co-wrote the song "Boss Bitch" for American rapper Doja Cat, which was included on the Birds of Prey soundtrack, Birds of Prey: The Album.[26] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashnikko was scheduled to accompany Doja Cat on her Hot Pink Tour throughout the United States in March 2020 before it was cancelled.[27] In March 2020, she released the standalone single "Tantrum". Later that month, she performed "Tantrum" live as part of The Fader's Digital Fader Fort event.[28] "Cry", featuring Canadian musician Grimes, was then released in June 2020, alongside an animated music video.[29] The song's music video was nominated for "Best Pop Video - UK" at the 2020 UK Music Video Awards.[30] Following this, "Daisy" was released in July 2020,[31] and a music video for the song was released in collaboration with Beats by Dre and TikTok a month later.[32] "Daisy" became Ashnikko's breakthrough hit, charting internationally in countries including Australia, Belgium and the United Kingdom. It reached a peak of number 24 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her first charting and first top 40 hit in the UK.[33] Ashnikko's third Halloween song, "Halloweenie III: Seven Days", was released in October 2020.[34] She was nominated for Best Push Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards.[35]

"Cry" and "Daisy" both appear on Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, which was released on January 15, 2021. "Deal with It" featuring Kelis and "Slumber Party" featuring Princess Nokia served as the third and fourth singles from the mixtape respectively. In support of the mixtape, Ashnikko announced, The Demidevil Tour, which is set to take place in October 2021, with shows in North America, the UK and Ireland.[36]

Artistry[]

Ashnikko possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Her musical style has been described by critics as a fusion of several genres, including pop, indie pop, rock,[7][37] alt-pop,[38] hip hop, bubblegum pop, indie rock, punk,[39] and electropop.[40] She described her style of music as "angry, punk, hip hop, sad-girl-feminist, bubblegum, poo-poo music", and has clarified that her music is not intended to be comedic or parody-based.

Ashnikko is known for her Tokyo-inspired street fashion.[21] She is also known for her unique blue hair, which is originally brown. In the video for "Nice Girl" and some of her early vlogs, her hair is pastel green. Her hair in the "Daisy" music video is yellow, pink, and red.[37][41][42]

Ashnikko has cited her musical influences as M.I.A., Gwen Stefani, Lil' Kim, Björk, Paramore, Avril Lavigne, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, and Joan Jett, and has stated that her favorite song is "Bossy" by Kelis.[43][44][7][45] She has also listed Doja Cat, Grimes, Tierra Whack, Rico Nasty, Princess Nokia, Kim Petras, and Charli XCX as her "peers" and artists she "really respects".[21]

Personal life[]

In June 2019, Ashnikko stated on Twitter that she is bisexual.[46] In a 2020 interview, she clarified that she is pansexual.[47]

In July 2020, while discussing the meaning behind the lyrics of her single "Daisy", she said that while her family practices Christianity, she does not.[48]

In May 2021, Ashnikko came out as genderfluid on Twitter, saying that "i just didn't feel ready to tell the internet yet but i guess now's a good time since everyone's doing a dissection into my sexuality and gender identity".[49] She uses she/her and they/them pronouns.

Advocacy[]

Ashnikko has described herself as a feminist, and has attributed discovering intersectional feminism through microblogging website Tumblr as a teenager as a turning point for her as a woman.[21][18] She has been vocal about a range of social justice issues, having spoken out about the commercialization of feminism in November 2019, while advocating for victims of police brutality through social media.[50]

Discography[]

Main article: Ashnikko discography

Mixtapes[]

Awards and nominations[]

Organization Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
MTV Europe Music Awards 2020 Best Push Act Herself Nominated [35]
Music Week Awards 2021 Music & Brand Partnership Ashnikko x Beats By Dre Pending [51]
UK Music Video Awards 2019 Best Pop Video - Newcomer "Hi, It's Me" Won [52]
2020 "Drunk With My Friends" Nominated [30]
Best Pop Video - UK "Cry" Nominated

Tours[]

Headlining[]

  • The Demidevil Tour (2021)[36]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Ashnikko uses she/her and they/them pronouns. This article uses feminine pronouns for consistency.

References[]

  1. ^ "ASHNIKKO Talks Ghosting, Sleep Paralysis and "STUPID"". YouTube. TikTok. January 7, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2021. Ashnikko pronounces her name at the start of the video.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Wetmore, Brendan (October 29, 2019). "Miley Cyrus Made a TikTok to Ashnikko With Cody Simpson". PAPER. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Casey, Ashton Nicole. "ASCAP Ace Search". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, Felicity (August 18, 2018). "Next Wave #862: Ashnikko". Clash Magazine. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  5. ^ Redação (November 13, 2019). "Americana Ashnikko celebra sucesso de "Stupid", próximo do TOP 200 Globalz". Jornal do Rap (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Spruch, Kirsten (November 4, 2019). "Meet Ashnikko, the Rapper Carving a Lane Of Her Own With 'Stupid'". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c Holden, Steve (October 2, 2020). "Ashnikko: 'I don't take no for an answer'". BBC News. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ashnikko signs her first EP to Digital Picnic Records". OddChild Music. February 7, 2017. Archived from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Wetmore, Brendan (December 4, 2019). "Ashnikko Is Ready for All of It". PAPER. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  10. ^ "Ashnikko x Raf Riley - KROKODIL". July 31, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via SoundCloud.
  11. ^ "Sass Pancakes by Ashnikko". Tidal. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  12. ^ "Ashnikko recruits Raf Riley & Avelino for New Track – Bubblegum". OddChild Music. April 4, 2017. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  13. ^ Murray, Robin (November 23, 2018). "Listen: Ashnikko Shares 'Unlikeable' EP". Clash. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  14. ^ Hi, It's Me, retrieved October 26, 2020
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "How Ashnikko's 'Stupid' has Just Become Spotify's #1 viral track". Warner Music New Zealand. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 - November 16, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles - November 16, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Morgan, Maybelle (August 7, 2020). "Ashnikko Teams Up With Beats and TikTok For #BeatsDaisyChallenge". Wonderland. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  19. ^ "Gold & Platinum: Ashnikko". RIAA. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  20. ^ "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Shutler, Ali (April 22, 2020). "Ashnikko is the Miley Cyrus-approved bubblepunk pop-star who refuses to take their self seriously". NME. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  22. ^ Lindsay, Kathryn (March 23, 2020). "The Songs You're Hearing All Over TikTok In 2020". Refinery29. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  23. ^ Renshaw, David (October 23, 2019). "Watch Danny Brown call out a male fan for disrespecting support act Ashnikko". The FADER. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  24. ^ "Ashnikko Drops Video For Viral F*ck You Anthem "Stupid" feat. Yung Baby Tate". MNSTRM MEDIA. October 22, 2019. Archived from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  25. ^ Halloweenie II: Pumpkin Spice, retrieved October 26, 2020
  26. ^ "Doja Cat Flexes On Her Haters With "Boss B*tch" From The 'Birds Of Prey' Soundtrack". genius.com. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  27. ^ Wang, Steffanee (February 24, 2020). "Doja Cat Announces Hot Pink Tour With Ashnikko". Nylon. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  28. ^ Gwee, Karen (March 27, 2020). "FADER FORT announces nine-hour broadcast with Kesha, Ashnikko and more". NME. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  29. ^ Wetmore, Brendan (June 17, 2020). "Ashnikko Breaks Down Her Banger 'Cry,' Featuring Grimes". PAPER. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b Copsey, Rob (September 30, 2020). "Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Beyoncé lead UK Music Video Awards nominations". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  31. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (August 28, 2020). "Ashnikko details new Demidevil mixtape". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  32. ^ "Ashnikko Teams Up With Beats and TikTok For #BeatsDaisyChallenge". Wonderland. August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  33. ^ "Ashnikko". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  34. ^ "Ashnikko is celebrating Halloween with her new track, 'Halloweenie III: Seven Days'". Dork. October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b Grein, Paul (October 6, 2020). "Lady Gaga Leads 2020 MTV EMA Nominations, Followed by BTS & Justin Bieber". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ashnikko announces UK and Ireland tour for December 2021". NME. May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b Higgins, Sam (July 11, 2020). "8 New Music Artists To Know Thanks To TikTok". British Vogue. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  38. ^ Bardhan, Ashley (January 21, 2021). "Ashnikko: Demidevil Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  39. ^ Juon, Steve (January 26, 2021). "Ashnikko :: Demidevil". Rap Reviews. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  40. ^ Collar, Matt. "Ashnikko Biography by Matt Collar". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  41. ^ Song, Sandra (February 19, 2020). "Ashnikko Is a Blue Velvet Vision at the Brit Awards". Paper. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  42. ^ Yalcinkaya, Gunseli (June 22, 2020). "Ashnikko: 'People call me Hatsune Miku on crack'". Dazed. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  43. ^ Vinti, Mike (May 22, 2020). "20 Questions – Ashnikko". Crack Magazine. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  44. ^ Broster, Alice (December 3, 2019). "Ashnikko's Brand Of F*ck You Alt Pop Is The TikTok Success Story To Get Behind". Bustle. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  45. ^ "Ashnikko is Here to Shake Things Up". V Magazine. September 17, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  46. ^ ashnikko [@ashnikko] (July 5, 2019). "HAPPY PRIDE, BABIES!!!!