Ashley Berndt

ASHLEY BERNDT
What are her influences? “Nelly Furtado’s spirit, Sarah McLachlan’s piano fingers, Lauryn Hill’s freedom, Jurassic Five’s positive
words, old jazz standards’ romance of old,” Berndt explains
simply when it comes to her music. With a debut album, Beautiful
Cancer under her belt, a B.A. degree from Laurentian University in
Music Cum Laude and acting as a vocal coach in Guelph, it’s a
safe bet that Ashley is making her path to become a prominent
force in the music community and the indie scene. “I hope to
share my music with anyone who can hear me,” she says, “then
my voice will no longer be alone.” Dedicated to her Aunt Lina who
succumbed to her battle with ovarian cancer in 2008, Berndt’s
Beautiful Cancer record is a tribute and and opportunity to bring
people together collectively to celebrate life. And as the lyrics
revel in topics that are all things life, it’s the magic behind
Berndt’s voice that tells it like it is – a true story and testament to
what she wants to say. Now nestled in Guelph, Berndt is
discovering and unlocking the secrets of the city’s musical walls.
“I’ve realized that Guelph and surrounding area has almost any
genre within it,” says Berndt, “If you go to any venue, you are sure
to find anything that suits you. I have met a lot of amazing
musicians from this area and I cannot believe how giving and
positive most are. Most musicians around these parts have the
talent to be heard around the world. I am just amazed with the
quality of talent. Must be the water.” Or it could just be the
musicians who flock to the Royal City – Berndt being no
exception. She’s scooped up two members of the Kramdens and
Matt King from Apollo’s Down among others to her growing list of
collaborators she’s worked with. “I want to collaborate with David
Guetta really bad. I’d love to make my next album more upbeat,”
she says. “Also K–OS would be amazing to collaborate with. He is
a great Canadian musician with a great positive vibe.” But in the
meantime, Berndt is forging forward, gigging, teaching and
enjoying the scene as it unfolds. Her next appearance is set for
the Boathouse on November 7. “I always feel free when I am on a
stage, my true nature comes out the way it was meant to. All of
the members work really well together feeding off the vibe of the
crowd. We always seem to be enjoying ourselves up there. We
always keep in mind that we are entertainers. The music is about
the listener at that point,” says Berndt. “We are there to deliver a
show that will make people forget about troubles, their lovers,
their cell phone. The music was created to settle our emotions but
is performed to unite and share.” Catch her live on Saturday at
the Boathouse, and for further info and of course the music, check
out AshleyBerndt.com. - Echo Weekly by Carrie Humphries