We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Oken recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

There have been so many wonderful people that I’ve met throughout my career and insightful stories that I’ve been able to tell as a journalist. One interview that sticks out is a piece I did with the rapper Hopsin a few years ago when I was still a bit greener. As we were chatting about his single that revolves around his childhood and wanting to do better for himself and his family, he talked about abuse patterns and learning how to spot generational issues and break the curse, so to speak. At that time I was thinking about similar things in my own life and patterns. It was so incredibly insightful to me to see someone honestly grapple with that. I appreciate that he was so honest with me about a subject matter that can be difficult to discuss publicly. That interview, like so many others that I’ve done with artists since then, changed my way of thinking about so many things. It’s a testament to the power of art and the connections that music can make for us all.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an entertainment journalist who is mostly focused on the alternative rock music space, interviewing artists about why they craft the songs that they do and telling their stories. I also write artist bios, teach writing courses, do screenwriting and copy editing, and prodigy management on the side. You can definitely say I do a bit of everything.

My path into the industry is somewhat different. I knew that I wanted to be a music writer for as long as I can remember and I had no idea how to break in because I didn’t have any connections. When my mom was ill and especially after her passing, I pushed myself to go after my dreams and started writing for blogging sites and cold pitching outlets. Patrick, a then editor at MTV News, gave me a chance to write an album review of Ariana Grande’s latest record which I did well with. That led to more work with MTV News and I wrote for other outlets, taking on pieces I had only dreamed of writing.

I am proud of so many things but I’m mostly proud that I have been able to make a career out of something that I dreamed about doing since I was younger.

I would want people to know that I love rock music, meeting people, and telling stories that let everyone feel like there’s a place for them in the scene and the larger world.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the lesson of rejection being an indictment of one’s writing abilities. For every pitch you land, many rejections precede that. It can lead to opportunities you missed out on, ones that you think won’t happen again. Throughout my career, I’ve learned that no can mean just not now and that a missed opportunity to do one thing can open the door for something bigger. Never take No as a long-term answer and try not to let it dictate your journey.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

For me, the best sources for new music are my industry connections and social media. I love it when publicists I know are promoting a band I haven’t heard of and I get to see what they’re all about from their perspective. Social media is an incredible tool for discovering new music. I can go onto Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms and hear new music, follow the band’s page, and hear it on their terms. I’m always happy to hear about new music, add it to my workout playlist or my list of bands to watch, and see where they can go.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @themillionthashleyyouknow