I’m Ash (Ashley Rae), a musician and vocal facilitator. Music has been my biggest muse since I was a kid, even before I fully understood its language. My mom says I’d sing along to Cher and Ricky Martin in the car as a young girl, and I’d invent little melodies in the front yard as an adolescent. In middle school, I played the viola for a year or two, but reading sheet music felt difficult, and practicing became more of a chore than a passion. As a teen, I attended countless live shows, dreaming of simply being able to jam. Through my young adulthood, I collected instruments without fully knowing how to play them, and even found myself drawn to dating musicians, realizing later that what I was really chasing was that musicality in myself.
My first real jam was with a simple shaker, and the ukulele became my way of figuring out how music really works. Along the way, I found my “soul family” in local jam spaces, friends who welcomed me, played alongside me, and showed me the joy of making music together. Through these experiences, I learned that you don’t need to read sheet music or follow rules to make tunes; self-teaching through play and curiosity can lead to deep understanding and joy.
I started performing by just doing. Trembling, nervous, and full of doubt, but learning the truth of: it just takes doing the thing to do the thing. That first year of performing also happened to be the year I started working as an educator, teaching kids and adults. Standing in front of classrooms and audiences alike slowly helped me shed nerves and grow comfortable with sharing my voice.
In 2023, thanks to a supportive partner, I released my first single; my first step into putting my music out into the world. A year later, I was honored in a local poetry contest and granted winner in a west coast music festival's song contest, moments that reminded me why I keep creating and sharing.
I move across genres such as hip-hop, R&B, lo-fi, acoustic, a cappella and more, exploring voice as a tool for connection and creative freedom. My vocal journey began in slam poetry, expanded into hip-hop and music production, and now includes acoustic songwriting and participatory music experiences. I’ve led workshops and song circles for diverse audiences, drawing from a curated library of 50+ community songs I’ve learned from other song leaders and artists. As a trained community song leader, I continue to refine and deepen my facilitation practice.
I share music in multiple forms: multi-genre beats and lyrical "bars" as Ashtral Projects, and acoustic, community-centered performances and sound/song circles as Ashley Rae. Through performances, workshops, and circles, I encourage people to participate playfully and explore their own sound in a safe environment. My work is especially for those who feel unsure, edgy, or disconnected from their voice.
I’m also a certified cycle health educator through FEMM, and my work is greatly inspired by advocating for body literacy. This passion naturally weaves into my music, poetry, and the spaces I hold, which encourages a deeper connection to our voices, bodies, and rhythms.
The root of my work is granting permission for people to return to the voice, explore creative expression, and embrace the freedom to play. Afterall, singing is our birthright, no matter our background. May we always remember that!
Training & Credentials
Trained Community Song Leader (Littlebird Song Leader Flight School, 2026)
Deepening skills in guiding voices, group improvisation, and participatory music.
Certified Cycle Health Educator (FEMM, 2025)
Bringing cycle tracking education, body-awareness and safe, supportive practices to all relevent workshops and circles.
Trauma-Informed Care Certified (School of Public Health: Bloomington, 2025)
Creating inclusive spaces for creative expression.
For a full list of my performances, workshops, and facilitation experience, click on Listen.