Zandi Ashley

How did you get your start in Music? Did you grow up in a musical family?

I grew up in a Filipino household, so that meant karaoke all the time. However, no one within my immediate family was really musical. I was a microphone hog as a small child. We had a small keyboard growing up in Sacramento, California and my Tita Belle (Aunt), who lived with us at the time, taught me how to play “Beauty and the Beast” and taught me how to sing songs like “Crazy” by Patsy Cline. My parents appreciated music very much and once my parents noticed my passion for it, they placed me in piano lessons, which escalated to vocal and guitar lessons. I’m grateful to have parents that nurtured that initial spark in me.

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Who are your musical influences? How do they have an impact on your music?

My earliest influence was an alternative/indie band called Never Shout Never. I just loved the candid songwriting. The songs they had with a ukulele inspired me to want to learn every song. They released their Harmony Deluxe album at a Hot Topic, and it came with a chord chart for all of the songs and I remember spending all my free time learning every one, which really improved my guitar playing. The alternative/indie band He Is We inspired me with her voice timbre and her songwriting as well. Those were my biggest influences during my most developmental years. The Beatles have a special place in my heart mainly because my first guitar teacher always had us play them and I got more into them in high school. I had a big phase of listening to just Woodstock artists. And fast forward to where I am now, the UK alternative/indie group Oh Wonder is the main artist that influenced my band Scorpio Szn, alongside the sounds of Bedroom Pop. I think what links all these artists to my music is the raw vulnerability they reflect in their songwriting. I’ve always appreciated indie artists because they felt more human than the Pop artists and that feels comforting. I’ve always made sure my music came from the most authentic place because I have this fear of being misunderstood. With music though, I can control the narrative and I do my best to stay true to who I am in my writing. When I think of people hearing my music, I hope it feels like a relatable friend talking to them. Human connection in music always makes the biggest waves, whether reflected in the writing or the live instrumentation. Digital can never take away how novel and warm true musicianship is.

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What was one of your biggest obstacles in your music career and how did you overcome it?

To be very candid, I think it was losing my music partner Armando Orona who I built Scorpio Szn with. I ended up moving to Florida from New Mexico (where we started the project) to continue to expand Scorpio Szn, but shortly after I did, he got an incredible offer to further his career and moved away. At the time, that put a strain on the friendship and partnership and we could feel the connection slipping. It was hard to accept not just losing my creative partner, but losing a friend. I admire Armando greatly; not only his musicianship, but the way he handled the business side of things. He always  knew how to get the next gig, he handled gear stuff, and found a way to incorporate new technology into performances. He just has a top-notch work ethic and he is a passionate person with determination. So when he parted Scorpio Szn, I felt the weight of all these things I suddenly had to be responsible for. I didn’t really know how to handle the logistics or the creative aspect of being an independent musician. Before he left, we were riding a high, winning “Song of the Year” at the 2021 Wavy Awards held in New York (independent music award show promoting diversity and exclusivity). It was a hard shift internally and navigating what the future held for Scorpio Szn constantly rattled my mind. I didn’t know whether to keep going with the brand or become a solo artist. It’s been quite a journey the past four years. I mistook my music career as my identity and had to learn how to compartmentalize. I started to grow a resentment for music during that time, but eventually I learned how to balance, rest, and find what felt good for me with music so it would be fun again. Now, I’m happy to be performing and creating again, but at my own pace, while holding more compassion for myself. I will always be so grateful for Armando. Our Scorpio Szn journey was so exciting. I’m happy to have had a friend who saw my value and was willing to put in time and effort to create something incredible together. 

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I know it’s difficult for working musicians to juggle work life with music life. How are you able to balance them? 

I feel very happy to have a job that values my musical talents. I’m blessed they support my music and give me scheduling flexibility that allows me to hold space for both.

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What is your writing process? 

My writing process varies! Sometimes I’ll get poetic inspiration during the day and just write lyrics in my notes. Other times, I’ll have melodies and sing them into my notes app. However, when I feel inspired to write, I will play around with chord progressions until I find one I like and scroll through my notes app and see if anything fits!

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Many independent musicians find posting on social media uninspiring and tedious. However you find creativity in making online content. How do you find the fun in creating the content to connect with your audience? 

I have such a love-hate relationship with social media! I think what’s important is to have fun when creating content. I used to stress out about my content having to be uber consistent and aesthetic, which resulted in me feeling so pressured. I think if your inspiration for your content feels organic, that’s when you’ll connect well with your audience. It just flows when it feels authentic on both ends, at least for me! I lose interest if there’s too many moving parts in a process.

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Tell me about Scorpio Szn. How did the group come together? 

Long story short, it happened when I graduated Full Sail and moved back to New Mexico. I had a photographer friend who finds models on Tinder, so I said, “Heck, I’ll find people to make music with.” I ended up having a jam session with two people, one of whom was Armando (mentioned above). He ended up helping film a music video and we were just good friends who liked making music after that. One night, we both got stood up by people we were into at the time and just spent the night making music, we ended up recording a cover and decided to call ourselves, “Scorpio Szn” because we’re both scorpios! Eventually we just ended up writing originals and performing live. It all came out of nowhere and I’m so blessed. Over the years, it’s grown from a duo to different band members. The thing about the Scorpio star sign in astrology, is that it’s constantly evolving. I’ve always felt that way with this project. From a duo, to a band, to experimenting with different sounds, it’s taken on so many different forms. I’m grateful to have had some incredible members throughout the years. Alongside Armando, shoutout to Hanz Heredia, Emmanuel Morales, and Gregorio Hernandez for holding it down in Albuquerque, NM and to Juan Gutii, Blake Tabernacki, Orlando Cruz, and Chandler Haughton who really helped expand the Scorpio Szn chapter in Orlando, FL.

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What is the story behind “Favorite Song”? Did you use your normal writing process to write it?

At the time, I think I was in a relationship that I felt I wasn’t completely present in anymore. I had imagined myself if I were back in the dating game and what that confident version of me would say and that’s how “Favorite Song” came to be. 

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How do you think the music industry can improve on nurturing a healthy environment for women musicians? 

Definitely having each other’s backs, but that’s just something we should have as women in general. Definitely holding more women empowering events, I feel like that’s definitely brought me closer and safer in our own music community of women. Anytime I see another woman rock the stage at an event, I immediately network and follow them on social media. I think if we continue to openly support each other and take away the mindset of feeling the need to be the “best in the room,” we would grow as a community. Re-shifting the lens of not feeling like everyone is competition. Early on during my college years at Full Sail, I remember someone saying, “The people in the room are either your friends or your foe,” and honestly, why would I want to be on bad terms with everyone? We’re literally all a blossoming flower and there’s enough room in the industry for a beautiful garden of talented women. I absolutely LOVE how women like Chappell Roan speak up for women in the industry, especially at the recent Grammys. This past year, music was run by women and we’ve actively seen our bigger female artists jam out to each other’s music. I love to see that!

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What advice would you give to any aspiring musician wanting to pursue a music career?

Really lean into the things that bring you the most joy and the right opportunities will always find you. 

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What can we look forward to with your music?

Just more music! A video and an album, but no ETA. Taking it slow and steady, it will be ready when I am.