The new single from Catherine Ashby is upbeat, uplifting and the positive mood is infectious. The song begins with a gently melodic and musically timeless introduction, matched by the muted tones of the visual; it feels like Ashby is walking through her memories when, suddenly, a foot-tapping beat, a busy rhythm and musical layers kick in and, from this point, ‘Ready’ is bursting with vibrant energy. At this point, the video changes too, the mood lifted by switching locations to the wide-open, expansive beauty of the beach and sea and the sense of freedom it offers. Ashby also changes, becoming more care-free and dancing in the waves as she moves towards a more certain future. In conjunction with one another, the music, the lyrics and the video are life-affirming. Many will associate with the feelings expressed: “Time disappears, oh it’s taken me years, to say the things I really need to say, to learn how to say no and when to walk away…I’m ready to be happy now.” The way Ashby is reaching out for happiness and trying to grasp it feels particularly timely right now.
Ashby spoke to AUK about the song and video: “After the time we’ve all lived through, ‘Ready’ is an anthem of hope. Filmed in the area of Christchurch, Dorset where I was born. The cinematic style of the video has the beautiful natural world working as a backdrop to the emotion I express.”
Catherine Ashby’s physical journey has taken her from London to Portugal, followed by a scholarship to perform at The Folk Alliance International Festival in Montreal, before heading to Nashville via Greenwich Village, New York. Of course, the journey is so much more than that: it’s about the people and stories she’s gathered along the way, the immersion in nature and working with rescue horses, a series of experiences that have informed her creativity. In particular, that link with the natural world is important to Ashby and all the money raised from ‘Ready’ will go towards the charity Sea Shepherd, which is working to preserve our oceans for future generations to enjoy. Find out more about the charity here.
‘Ready’ is the first song of six recorded in Nashville with Grammy Award-winning Jamie Tate. While Ashby waits to return to Music City to complete her album, she will release more singles over the coming months. The standard of musicianship is high thanks to the excellent collaborators who supported her creative process in the USA. Check out this video – at this moment, we’re all ready to be happy and Catherine Ashby’s song captures this mood. Enjoy.
