Introducing "Never Better"!

If you remember the amazing recent single from Nicole Ash, "Stitch the Thread", then you know that was the third single off an upcoming EP. Well, that "upcoming" timeframe is now considerably shorter! Nicole will be releasing her first EP, "Never Better" in just one week! You definitely won't want to miss it.

In order to let us all learn a bit more about the release, Nicole was nice enough to answer a few questions for it. I hope you love everything she had to say as much as I did.

What do you want listeners to know about the EP?

"Never Better" is an ironic title for an EP that taps into nearly every emotion (love, confusion, anger, resentment, confused, hidden, greif, depression, etc.) that you feel in tumultuous times. It tells a story of losing yourself, even when you're not sure how to re-discover yourself. The final track "Better Off Alone" really locks in the uncertainty and is meant to leave the next chapter open for myself and the listener, showing that you don't need to have everything figured out to move forward.

How did you come up with the EP cover artwork?

I'm actually pretty into tarot and would practice reading the cards in my free time. I always loved the art and deeper meaning in it, especially with custom decks. I had the idea of each song being represented by its own card while not saying the title. It seemed like a really cool and unique way to represent the full collection of songs. The cards read "the city" "the grave" "the mask" "the needle" and "the ghost", showing an artistic glimpse into the story of the EP from the cover art. I asked an artist in my network to design the cards and knew they would be the focal point.

Do you have any favorite memories of the recording process?

One of my favorite memories was creating the music video for appreciating the good moments together, even when the friendship had ended. We ordered pizza, blew up balloons, and pulled out every nostalgic item we could find including an old TV, gaming consoles, and VHS tapes. It completely encapsulates the song, and was such a fun video to create with friends.

What was the biggest challenge with creating the EP?

The biggest challenge is probably releasing the final 2 songs. I have no problem writing incredibly vulnerable music, but these are my first releases truly diving into mental health and the uncertainty I tried to hide, even from myself. At the same time, these songs are the ones I feel like need to reach people the most because of the story behind them.

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Nicole Ash is a solo artist originally from New Jersey and now based in North Carolina. She started her musical journey as a songwriter and guitarist, gaining recognition for her guitar covers on social media and her band, Wayne Avenue. Her social media following has now surpassed 85k followers, thanks to her signature energetic guitar covers and alluring performance personality. In 2022, Nicole took a bold step into singing with her solo project, a true testament to her dedication and artistic evolution.

Her influences of pop punk and alternative rock are evident in her music, particularly from artists such as Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and Blink-182. Nicole is set to release her debut EP in 2025, a milestone in her journey, and hopes to inspire others with her mantra of relentlessly following her dreams.

Be sure to look for her other appearances on Section 36!