SoundGym Hero: Ashley Fredette

An artist who combines their talents as a singer, songwriter, and producer, fueled by a deep passion for crafting a contemporary yet vintage-inspired. Currently from Winnipeg, Canada. Ashley Fredette is this month's SoundGym Hero! 

Who are you, and where are you from?

My Name is Ashley Fredette, and I'm a singer-songwriter and music producer from Winnipeg, Canada.

How did you get into music?

I've been into music my whole life. I remember starting to sing and trying to play the piano as young as age 4. My parents said I used to sing everything instead of talk. I begged for voice lessons but got piano lessons at age 6, and then finally voice lessons at age 8. From there, I would perform at recitals, music festivals and in school groups and productions, and then do a music degree. It's always been my biggest passion.

I also loved writing poetry and songs from a young age - it's the thing that I love doing the most and it always feels like I'm coming home to myself. Best feeling. 

What do you like to do for fun outside of working on music?

I think this question is so funny because I struggle to think of other things... music is everything to me! But I do enjoy tap dancing (I used to go to this really rad class every week, which unfortunately ended with covid).

I love reading autobiographies because reading about other peoples' lives and how their journeys have unfolded fascinates me. I always enjoy hanging out with friends while sipping on a nice glass of wine, finding out what's happening in my city, and trying something spontaneous, like going to an antique show or to the corn maze, things like that. 

What's your most useless skill or talent?

I can lift one eyebrow at a time and alternate them really fast.

What inspires you to keep making music?

I just always think about how I can't die with my music still inside of me. I don't want to have any regrets. Billie Eilish really inspired me when she said that one day we're all going to die, so we should just do whatever we want (i.e. making art) while we can. I want to make the best music I possibly can while I have the time and energy to do so. It fulfills my soul and gives me purpose. 

Also, during covid, I discovered this band on Instagram called Avenue Beat. I became mesmerized with how they seemed to "do it all from their bedroom".

They had such a professional, cool sound and their video editing was unreal. Since then, I've decided that all of this is figure-out-able and ignorance is truly bliss because the audio engineering world is daunting, to say the least! But I found a really great remote program called Musician on a Mission, which helped me form and keep to my goals whilst learning everything I needed to know. I'm very inspired by the mentors and other producers in that program. 

If you could sit down to a session with any artist, who would it be?

I'd love to sit down with Bette Midler and see what comes out, I think she's a riot. But on the other hand, my favourite singer-songwriter is a fellow Canadian, Meaghan Smith. I adore her velvety voice, her songs (specifically the modern vintage sounds of her album The Cricket's Orchestra), and her soft, warm heart. She's a gem of a human being, a rare one. I would so love to do a session with her and her husBand (not a typo, that's what she calls him... cute hey?), Jason.

We actually did write a song together a few years back, over email and voice memos. It was the most thrilling thing. And Jason has actually mentored me quite a lot over the last year, which is so unbelievably cool of him. 

Any habits you have before starting a session?

I like to do a sound gym workout to prepare my ears. I also have to have my tracks in a certain order, and usually I start with percussion at the bottom, then bass, and layer things on top, finishing with vocals. 

If you could pick one, what would be the theme song of your life?

I wrote one! It's called "Hello!" and it's on my Instagram and TikTok pages. Look for the reel of me in a pink robe... haha. 
If I had to choose another one, though, it would be something like:

What is your favorite piece of music gear you own?

My favourite piece of gear is my LUMI Keys by Roli. It has per key pitch bend, which lets me do really cool stuff to notes.

What is your favorite SoundGym feature?

I like Feedback Eliminator for daily frequency recognition practice the most, and lately I also love EQ cheetah even though it's still hard for me - I like the challenge. 

What does the future hold for Ashley Fredette? 

The future is beautiful! I believe it holds a whole lot of love, a family, a fulfilling day job and being able to make and release high quality music whenever I please. I released 2 singles last year and plan on at least 2 this year (one was just released in September, "The Palm Room"... check it out!), and eventually an EP. 

I'm working on a program called The Reverse Engineer right now, and I look forward to being able to not only mix a song well and with ease (I've already improved a lot), but also master my own and others' work with a fine-tuned ear. It's such a wonderful community, we really lift each other up. 

You can follow Ashley on her TikTok, Website, YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram.

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