A$H. Unveils "Low Key": A Decade in the Making, Genre-Blending Debut

Memphis-based Pop/R&B artist A$H. steps into the spotlight with her long-awaited debut album, Low Key, now available on all platforms.

A decade in the making, Low Key is a vibrant and vulnerable collection of genre-blending tracks — from nostalgic synth-pop to soulful Memphis-rooted ballads — produced and co-written with her husband, Terrence Brown (of All Cows Eat Grass).

With a voice that once supported legends like Janelle Monáe, Solange Knowles, and John Legend, A$H. now commands the mic in her own right, offering an album rich in faith, intimacy, and timeless artistry.

Low Key is your debut album, but it feels so seasoned and intentional — when did you know you were ready to release a full body of work?

With any release, there’s this knowing I have. I’ve spent time living, reading, maybe even transitioning, and I’ve accumulated so many thoughts and experiences that I’ve given language to. That’s usually the best time for me to begin pouring out in music. Low Key isn’t actually my very first album. My debut album, “It’s Just Art,” was released in 2019; however, I’m independent, so much of our work flies under the radar. I can understand how it can almost be like a mystery, and in some ways, this album, Low Key, feels like a debut, a newness definitely. I’m a different woman, and I had such fresh perspective in this era that my mind and diary couldn't contain. That’s when I know it’s time to get in the studio and release an actual story.

From ‘ooo baby’ to ‘Leave Me Alone’, the album flows between vulnerability and power. How do you personally balance softness and strength in your songwriting?

I’ve been intentional about honesty in my songwriting. I can only share my truth, and that truth is that ebb and flow in life is real. Sometimes I want to cry, and after I cry, I encourage myself and move on. At times, I feel sexy and fu,n and other times, I’m buried in a book on the couch or writing. I have so much peace sharing my truth as is, so the balance I share is genuine. I feel like my listeners and I are more connected that way.

The title track speaks to the beauty of protecting what matters. Has being “low key” always been your nature — or something you had to learn?

It has. I feel like I’ve always had the “fly under the radar” energy. I watched a lot growing up and in the industry, I may have said less while taking many things in. That helped me to safely create and strategize how I’d approach my art. It is a beautiful way to protect yourself. Oversharing kills many dreams.

You’ve worked with legends like Janelle Monáe and Solange. How did those experiences shape your artistry — and your sense of self in the spotlight?

It’s a blessing to be in the artistic space of any artist. You have a first look at the discipline and strategy behind the presentation. It always reminded me to stay true to the vision God gave me personally in how I present my name and work to the world. There’s no rush until it’s right. As a fan of theirs, I humbly took in those experiences and took the same meticulous focus back home to my own work. The journey is your own, but having a front row seat into the business makes for a great page in your own playbook.

‘MUA’ is cheeky and catchy, but also layered — how important is duality in your work, especially as a woman in pop and R&B?

I embrace being a woman. I don’t have the perspective that it’s hard, or unfair. I take on the ups and downs as a beautiful superpower in the world. It’s an honor to be a woman. It’s an honor to create space for others and also make room for yourself. I’m a giggly, silly, make-up-loving, in-the-kitchen woman who also knows how to zero in on me. I want women to hear that in the music and embrace those facets and not fight it. To me, it’s a luxury, not labor.

You co-created this album with your husband, Terrence Brown. What was that dynamic like creatively — and how do you protect both the music and the marriage?

He makes it so easy. He’s a brilliant composer, musician, and producer, so I respect his gift as he does mine. Meeting in the industry and releasing music for over a decade, we have an honest rhythm and understanding. When it’s time to turn it on, we get in the studio like professionals and connect on that level, and when it’s time to live life, we live. It is our love language and a spark within our connection. I honestly feel like the most blessed woman because we have the coolest vibe, and it never feels like work. We connect because this is truly who we have always been.

You reference Purple Rain in describing ‘ooo baby’. Are there other cinematic or visual worlds that inspire how you write or perform?

Honestly, every world in music, books, film, and I mean everything, is an inspiration for me. It’s hilarious. I believe art imitates life. Every story, even the most extreme, can happen. It's wild. So I've learned to be choosy about what I listen to, watch, and read because whatever I let in will inspire me in some way.

You’ve been open about embracing your own pace in an industry obsessed with speed. What advice do you have for artists trying to stay grounded in their own journey?

The rat race in any industry is the quickest way for dreams to die. Once you believe you have purpose and that all things work together for your good, you won’t fight life and time. I know that just like this interview that I’m honored to be a part of, I will connect to the right person, entity, or experience when it’s purposed for me to. Stay focused on being present so you actually have something to say. Stop chasing numbers and trust the greatness of your gift. Enjoy the process of creating. Unlearn and relearn. Never stop being a student. And trust that the energy and love in what you do will sprout up as far as the world will carry it. Keep the faith.

Your sound blends eras, genres, and emotions — what songs or artists were playing in your world while creating Low Key?

I’m a 90’s kid who really loves 80’s synth pop and my parents grew up in the 70’s so all of that mixed together in my opinion are like the best era of Funk, Rock, Pop, Gospel and R&B. It’s hard not to add those elements to my music because it’s literally what shaped my sound. My parents gifted me with their vinyl collection, so it’s madness how many artists I can play at any moment. Stevie Wonder, Aaliyah, Justin Bieber, Robyn, The Gap Band, MGMT, Benny Sings, Prince, Janet Jackson, Selena, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Neon Indian, Dru Hill, Playboi Carti, Three 6 Mafia, Drake, The Clark Sisters, Celine Dion, Carti, I could sit here all day. Then, I just so happen to live in Memphis, my husband’s hometown, one of the most influential cities in music, period. I honestly don’t listen to much as I’m recording, but after I’ve been immersed in music, my journal,l and life experiences, all of that comes into play when I hit the studio.

You call Low Key a moment of release and peace. What does success look like to you now — and what kind of energy are you calling in next?

Success to me is being able to live life, fully immersed in your purpose. Right now, I want to share this album globally. I want to tour the world, let me dream, opening up for Justin Bieber, hitting many festival stages, my husband on the keys, my band on fire, sharing these songs with the world. It will happen, and I’m looking forward to hitting the road. God willing, that’s what’s happening next. My prayers are in full effect. My faith is through the roof. I know I’ll see you all very soon! In the meantime, keep “Low Key” on repeat!

From the empowering opener “Leave Me Alone” to the playful, reflective anthem “MUA,” and the title track “Lowkey” — a love letter to protecting what’s sacred — A$H.’s debut is a meditative, soul-stirring celebration of faith, femininity, and freedom.

Ten years after her first EP, Low Key is a full-circle moment: deeply personal yet universally resonant. It’s not about chasing the spotlight — it’s about letting your light shine on its own terms.

A$H.’s debut album Low Key is out now, streaming everywhere.