Photo credits: Lucas Troadec
“I’d Rather Fall”, Maddie Ashman’s latest release, is the story of love at first sight. Her reluctance to the relationship is initially heard through the lyrics but her true feelings echo through the pace and rhythm of the song throughout it. She’s wary but not afraid of falling in love. And it is this person who she writes to that changes even that. A song written from the heart, “I’d Rather Fall” explores just that, following one's emotion over logic on occasion. To risk heartbreak, to risk letting your emotions take control is a scary concept for most, but Ashman molds it into something beautiful. Her almost secret penchant for love is admitted and the song feels as freeing as Ashman implies she feels.
“When I was sixteen I set my boundaries” Ashman begins, the prologue to her upcoming rejection of them. Her voice is gentle, and paired with the soft strumming behind it, makes her sound perfect for the fairy tale she wishes to tell. She goes on to explain her rules, her logic for relationships with a familiar and steady beat ongoing. But, when she introduces the love interest, and her true motivator: her emotion, the music synchronizes and flutters like the butterflies she speaks of. “I’d rather fall than feel nothing at all” the chorus explains her central theme. The music picks up the pace as she continues to walk the listener through the relationship, intensifying with her own affection. As the relationship becomes less fantastical, “I’d rather fall” takes on a new meaning, to fall in love of course, but also to accept falling and failing rather than “nothing at all”.
Maddie Ashman, a South East London based artist, began surrounding herself with music at an extremely young age. She began playing guitar at 7 years old and exploring her skill with other instruments, eventually finding her way to the cello which she now famously plays in her own songs and for Tom Rosenthal. Though she’s been in the industry for a while, her popularity skyrocketed with the release of her 2022 EP “Apparently”. She’s since been chosen as 6Music's BBC introducing Track of the Week, earned 3rd place in the international microtonal guitar competition, was named as a runner up in the BBC 1 live lounge competition, and released five singles in addition to her existing eight, the earliest of which dates back to only 2019. Follow Maddie below and stream “I’d Rather Fall” to stay up to date on her ever continuing success.
Written By Hailey Schap
FOLLOW MADDIE ASHMAN: