Early 2023 was arguably the peak of Ashe’s career, as she had just come out with her sophomore album, Rae, and was getting ready to embark on a second world tour. This came to an abrupt halt when Ashe took to social media and announced the cancellation of her tour, and the beginning of her indefinite hiatus from music and the public eye. Fans took to social media to show their support for Ashe taking care of her mental health, promising to be here if/when she decided to return.
Fans had a range of emotions surrounding her hiatus. I talked to some fans on X (formerly Twitter) to get their thoughts on the singer’s hiatus. Diana (X user @dianasfantasy__) said “I was very sad for me, all of the other fans, and for Ashe.” Another fan (X user @alexxontour) said “I was so heartbroken when she cancelled… I realized I would rather see her when she was feeling healthy and ready to tour.” Josie (X user @josiehoran14) expressed that she was “so proud of [Ashe] for putting herself and her mental health first.” Leah (X user @iHrtAshe) shared how pride was the overwhelming feeling at the time: “No feeling of sadness or anger was stronger than my feeling of pride that someone who has changed my life and inspired me in so many ways was taking care of herself and doing what was best for her, that was most important to me.” Fellow Her Campus at Pace member, Casey McLaughlin, said it best: “It was also very nice to see an artist show their human side, and to be fully transparent with fans. I would much prefer a later tour with an artist at their best over a sooner tour that would cause them pain.” Ashe went on to not post, perform, or release anything for about 16 months. Fans were unsure if she would ever come back.
This changed in June of this year, when Ashe made a special guest appearance on Niall Horan’s recent tour. She surprised the crowd by coming onstage and singing “Moral of the Story” alongside Horan. This officially marked the beginning of Ashe’s return to the music world. From there, Ashe had some fun teasing fans with the idea of new music and used Pinterest as a way of dropping hints on the aesthetic of a potential new album. She went on to officially announce the release of her new single, “Running out of Time,” and her third studio album, Willson. At this time, she also revealed that she was now officially an independent artist and will be releasing this music herself, not as a part of any label. Fans went absolutely insane on social media, showing their love for Ashe and their excitement for this new era.
Fans were still unsure if they would ever get to see Ashe live again, so when she announced her one night only concert to celebrate the release of Willson, fans were ecstatic. Fans came from all over to support Ashe in Nashville. I talked to a fan (X user @dianasfantasy__) who was lucky enough to attend the show, who said, “to be back in a room with Ashe and all the people who shared the same love I have for her was a dream come true… you could tell she was truly ecstatic to be back.” This feeling of electricity in the air seemed to be a common feeling, as Leah (X user @iHrtAshe) said, “when she returned after a year and a half, the feeling of seeing her on stage again was one that could never be matched, I was full of joy, pride, and happiness.”
Willson was officially released on Sept. 6, 2024. Naturally, fans began to speculate if there would be a tour to accompany the album. Ashe released a collaboration with Suki Waterhouse, who she credits for being the person to get her back in the studio. She joined Suki on tour in California to sing their song, “Pushing Daisies.” On Oct. 28, Ashe announced the “Trilogy Tour,” which has 14 dates throughout the United States and Canada. Ashe has expressed her apprehension to going back on tour, giving reason to the few dates offered (for now). Fans all over the world are so excited to be able to see a new, healthier Ashe. X user @alexxontour said, “I’m so glad she’s ready and willing to share herself with us again, and am so excited to be able to sing along at tour to these songs that mean so much to me.” Another X user (@josiehoran14) told me, “although it was such a long wait to finally see her, I’m happy that my first experience will be a Q&A with a happy and mentally healthy Ashe.”
Ashe fans around the world have made it clear that their girl is back and here to stay. This has also sparked a deeper conversation surrounding artists’ mental and physical health, and how we can find a way to balance that with being in the public eye. For me, I’ve never been more proud to be an Ashe fan. I can confidently say that I look up to an artist who practices what she preaches, and cares for her fans just as much as we care for her. I can’t wait to be reunited with her and all of the other amazing fans on tour this spring.