Ashley Riley

“She is a treasure … moving and meaningful and more than worthy of your complete attention.” - Alan Cackett

Ashley Riley’s upcoming single sits at the crossroads of tenderness and resilience. Easy On Me marks the beginning of a new chapter - and a new record in the works. Inspired by the dualistic times we are living through, there’s a quiet fierceness in the vulnerability on display in this song. Easy On Me began as a personal plea to be gentler with herself through a season of hardship and heartache and evolved into a broader reminder of the collective heaviness we’re all living through. “I really leaned on the belief that strength isn’t always about pushing- sometimes it’s giving yourself grace, so this song was written as a plea to take it easy on myself. As I made my way back from the depths, it became clear that the message was bigger than my own story. We are living in really heartbreaking and harrowing times, but we are stronger together, and sometimes the bravest thing we can do is to soften and take care of ourselves and each other.”

Earthy grit. Rootsy and soft. A distinct voice. At its core, Ashley Riley’s music is best described as sophisticated Indie-Americana with a just a touch of art rock.  She’s an artist’s artist, a road warrior and a true blue indie artist through and through and has spent the last decade carving out her sound in the blurred lines of singer/songwriter and folk music. Over the years she’s earned comparisons to heavy hitting artists like Patty Griffin, Stevie Nicks, Jewel, Brandi Carlile, Eva Cassidy and more but as stated by Americana Highways reviewer John Apice, “Ashley does have a uniquely original style that slowly shapes into a purity that will eventually leave comparisons behind. “ 

Riley got her start hosting open mics in her hometown of Decatur, Illinois where she formed a band and quickly became known on the local scene. While Decatur may not be known as a hotbed of musical influence it’s Midwestern hard working and hard won charm has certainly weaved it’s way into the music she creates. She has toured regionally and opened for beloved artists like Kim Richey, Ellis Paul, Robbie Fulks and Jill Andrews. She's been on festival bills with folks like Nikki Lane, Good Morning Bedlam, Aaron Lee Tasjen, Beth Bombara and more. New Noise Magazine called her “one of the best obscure female artists I've heard in, well, ever,” which she’s taking as a compliment and Vents Magazine raves, “her voice.  Oh, that voice.  She sounds like nobody else vocally, yet her voice is instantly familiar and unforgettable.  It’s airy, beautifully breathy, yet moments of grit ground it, begging for repeat listens."

Her songs can be heard in Starbucks in-store radio and have been featured on shows like ABC’s 9-1-1 Nasvhille, MTV's Teen Mom and Are You the One. She released Set You Free in 2021 to glowing reviews and has kept busy touring,  launching her podcast, “Made of Dreams" and forming a side project called The Magnolia Janes, an inspirational folk pop duo who seek the silver linings and lead with harmony. Their debut reached #1 on the FAI Folk Radio Charts at debut in July of 2024 with 5 songs in the Top 20 and also earned them a spot in the FAI Radio Charts “Top 20 of 2024” as well as a showcase at the legendary Bitter End in NYC as part of John Platt’s On Your Radar Series.  Ashley is spending the winter writing and working on her upcoming (as of yet no release date) album.