If You’re "Seeing Signs," You Might Not Be Alone — An Interview with Nicole Ash on Her New Single, Start, and Guitar Heroes
- Stefani M.C. Janelli
- Aug 7
- 7 min read
Nicole Ash, a pop punk and alternative rock singer-songwriter based in North Carolina, started her musical career as a songwriter and guitarist. Best known for her guitar covers on social media, she has amassed over 85K followers. On YouTube, her most popular video, a cover of "House of Wolves" by My Chemical Romance, has garnered over 8.3K views. In 2020, Ash co-founded her band Wayne Avenue, and in 2022, she decided to go solo. Influenced by pop punk and alternative rock artists like Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and blink-182.
IB: Hi Nicole Ash, we are so excited to chat with you today!
NA: Excited to chat too! Thanks for having me.
IB: How did your musical journey begin? Was the guitar your first instrument?
NA: I started writing songs when I was young, back in 1st grade. I still have my spiral notebook with all those songs. I always wanted to be a singer, but didn’t think I was good enough and didn’t have time for lessons, so I chose to pick up guitar at 16 and teach myself. I always imagined rocking out on stage, and guitar was always the instrument I felt called to most.
IB: What surprised you the most while learning the guitar?
NA: Probably how it allowed me to listen to music in a whole new way. I’m sure it’s like this with any instrument, but once I started learning guitar and understanding the components of what I was playing, my ear began picking up on things I never noticed before. I started hearing the layers, the technique, and all the little details that used to fly right past me.
IB: Do you come from a musical family? Do any of them play instruments?
NA: Somewhat. I have some most distant relatives who were musical. My great uncle and I bonded over guitar. For the most part, though, I always felt like I wasn’t born musically inclined outside of songwriting. When it came to picking up an instrument, I felt far behind.
IB: What kind of music did you listen to growing up, and when did you first discover punk and alternative music?
NA: At first, it was a mix of everything. A lot of my music taste actually came from my older sister. We listened to Avril together, and she started introducing me to bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and eventually, my favorite band, My Chemical Romance. I owe her a lot for that.
IB: What kind of music did you listen to growing up, and when did you first discover punk and alternative music?
NA: At first, it was a mix of everything. A lot of my music taste actually came from my older sister. We listened to Avril together, and she started introducing me to bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and eventually, my favorite band, My Chemical Romance. I owe her a lot for that.
IB: Who was or is your biggest supporter?
NA: My family and friends have been super supportive! My fiancé has been especially supportive, since he’s a musician too. He’s not only supported my music but has been super encouraging in times I’ve gotten frustrated or anxious in my music journey. It’s been amazing to have a partner who gets it and is there for the journey.
IB: How did you discover your passion for the guitar when you started playing at 16? Who were some of the first guitarists to inspire you?
NA: Hands-down, Ray Toro and Frank Iero (of My Chemical Romance) were the reason I picked up the guitar when I did. The passion and energy they poured into their music made me want to jump around and give it my all. I wanted to play like them and still do!
IB: If you could jam with one guitar hero, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
NA: Probably Frank Iero. I’d love to get inside his head and understand how he approaches layering textures into songs. I primarily play rhythm guitar, and everything he adds brings a new dimension that my ear wouldn’t naturally catch. It’s mesmerizing.
IB: What is your favorite guitar in your collection? What is your dream guitar?
NA: If you haven’t guessed, I’m a big My Chem fan. Both my favorite guitar and my dream guitar are tied to that band. My current favorite is my Epiphone Wilshire Phantomatic—it’s super lightweight, has an amazing tone, and I’ve named her "Pency." As for my dream guitar, I’d love to own a white Epiphone Les Paul Custom like Frank’s iconic "Pansy."
IB: What is one pedal that you couldn’t live without?
NA: My favorite pedal is the DigiTech Drop. When I want to play a song in a lower tuning on a specific guitar, it’s way easier to just plug into the pedal instead of retuning the strings and hoping they stay in tune.
IB: Where was your first performance? Did you experience stage fright?
NA: I played my first show last summer in Charlotte, NC, with David Michael Frank. I was actually pretty nervous ahead of time, to the point I almost backed out. Luckily, he was super encouraging, and once I was there and on stage, I had a blast! It made me want to get up there more often.
IB: How do you typically start to write a song?
NA: Usually, I start with lyrics. I’ve written a lot on long walks or sitting on my bedroom floor. Sometimes I’ll piece together a bunch of one-liners I’ve written down over time. I’ve also experimented recently with writing lyrics over the music. When I write that way, the melody always comes first. I focus on what feels catchy and then build the story around that.
IB: How does recording with a band differ from recording solo?
NA: I’ve really enjoyed both. Working with a band gave me a fresh perspective on writing and recording. There were things I wouldn’t have thought of on my own, and it was awesome to learn directly from a bandmate. Recording solo offers so much freedom, which I love—I can move at my own pace and experiment however I want. I’d definitely love to record with a band again alongside my solo project, because there’s always more to learn and new ways to challenge myself.
IB: You just released “Seeing Signs” on August 1st. What, what was the songwriting process like? How did it differ from your previous releases?
NA: I wrote this one pretty similarly to my past songs with my producer, JoJo. He co-wrote the instrumentals, and I wrote the lyrics and vocal melody. I remember having this kind of cheesy line stuck in my head: “This is my one confession, your smile heals my depression.” It wouldn’t leave my brain, so I knew I had to lean into it and write a love song. What makes this one different is that it’s the first happy song I’ve ever released.
IB: What inspired you to become a solo artist? Do you prefer band or solo?
NA: Honestly, I love both! My first solo single, “Someone I Hate,” was a really personal breakup song. I originally planned to release it with my bandmate, but it was something I deeply felt called to sing myself. Around that same time, I was moving farther away, and it didn’t really make sense to keep pursuing the band. Becoming a solo artist pushed me to figure things out on my own, and I’ve grown to love that independence. I’ll always make my own music as a solo artist, but I’d love to be in a band again at the right time.
IB: If there was anything you could tell your younger self, what would it be?
NA: Keep playing and following your gut. Somehow, I always knew I was destined to make music and to have people watching. Even though I didn’t know how, I trusted that by playing and putting myself out there, I’d find a way. Younger me had no clue where to start, but eventually, she just decided to take action. She’d be so proud.
IB: I noticed on your Instagram post about consistency, you stated that posting once a week for five years greatly improved your stage presence. In what other ways has this helped you?
NA: Posting on Instagram is what helped me launch my entire music career. Posting covers and watching them back helped my stage presence and technique. I started getting seen and connecting with others in the industry to build a network. And most importantly, showing up consistently has helped build trust in myself, that yeah, I am meant to do this.
IB: I see that you offer social media coaching for musicians, as well as a free eBook, Creating Content as a Musician. What drew you to wanting to help other artists?
NA: When I started, I had no clue what I was doing. I tried things, failed, tested different approaches, and eventually found what worked. Deep down, I’ve always wanted to help other musicians, kind of like the artists I look up to helped me. Since I get a lot of questions about growing on social media, I began creating resources and offering coaching specifically for musicians. Music and content creation have always been passions of mine, so it felt like a natural fit. Now, I’m evolving my coaching beyond just Instagram growth to support musicians in overcoming other content and mental blocks I’ve faced and worked through in my own journey.
IB: Do you have any tips for other independent artists for their social media presence?
NA: Stay incredibly true to yourself. It can be so easy to get swept up in the numbers and lose yourself in it. I’m even guilty of getting caught up in it at times. But the times I grew and connected the most was when I was fueled entirely by my passion and intuition. Strategy definitely has its place, but people can tell the difference between when you’re genuinely connected to your content and when you’re just showing up to check a box.
IB: What is one song you wish Nicole Ash wrote?
NA: I would never want to take it away from Green Day, but I think it would’ve been really cool to have written a song like “Jesus of Suburbia.” It feels like an entire story in one song, even though it’s just one piece of a larger concept album. I absolutely love the transitions within the song and the character of St. Jimmy. Absolute genius.
IB: What’s next for Nicole Ash?
NA: Right now, I’m releasing a few more songs as part of my debut EP! I can’t wait to share it with you!
IB: Thank you for chatting with us!
NA: Thank you, too! This was a blast. Appreciate it!
Stream "Seeing Signs" below!
Credits:
Vocals, Instrumentation, and Lyrics: Nicole Ash
Co-written and co-produced: JoJo Centineo & Harrison Witcher
