Ashanti certainly isn’t Foolish after deciding to re-record her classic debut album in a bid to own the masters.
While she had the idea long before announced she was re-recording her first six albums in 2019, Ashanti has still felt ‘empowered’ by her fellow singer’s business-savvy power moves.
The Always On Time singer is back in the studio to put a slightly new spin on tracks from her self-titled debut album , which fell in April this year.
It’s been a fun process for Ashanti and one that has been on her mind for a while.
‘What I will say is I’ve always had the idea to go back in and re-record and gain the masters,’ she told Metro.co.uk ahead of her UK tour later this month.
Praising her fellow pop princess, she continued: ‘I think Taylor is amazing for what she’s done and to be able to be a female in this very male-dominated industry, to accomplish that is amazing.
‘More of us have to continue that narrative of women empowerment, and just artists as a whole. Owning your property and getting a chance to have ownership of your creativity is so so important.
‘Male, female, singer, rapper, whatever, I hope this is a lesson for artists to get in there and own.’
Ashanti has spent time recording the old songs again in Toronto, Canada, which has been a ‘super cool’ journey.
‘It’s weird because I’m touring and doing shows all the time, so I’m hearing my records all the time,’ she laughed.
‘But you go into the studio and people are like, “Argh, that’s my jam!”
‘It’s been a really cool vibe and my mum has been getting footage of me going into the booth and she’s like, “Wow, this is crazy”, when you were recording this 20 years ago at a studio in New York and now you’re here redoing it, it’s a surreal feeling so I’m super excited about it.’
Ashanti’s debut album reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and features bangers such as Foolish, Happy, Baby and Rain On Me.
The tracks haven’t aged a day over the past two decades but there’s one song in particular that surprisingly irks the singer-songwriter.
‘For some reason, I don’t like performing Rock wit U,’ she confessed.
Anyone else feel the burn? Yep, we definitely do.
The singer continued: ‘My DJs are always like, “Put Rock wit U back on the set list!” Don’t get me wrong, I love Rock wit U – I wrote the record, I love it. But I don’t know why I don’t like performing it.
‘That’s one of my biggest records and I have a good time, but sometimes it’s just like, “ugh!”’
Fear not though, one of her favourite songs is the anthemic Rescue from her first album so justice has been restored.
Ashanti’s much-anticipated tour will kick off at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on May 29, followed by dates in Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester.
Tickets are on sale now.
