Meet Ashley Sankey

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Sankey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Ashley, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from never staying down. In life, tests happen, things that test your love, your light, your yes, your no, your ability to stand, and your ability to measure the glass half full or half empty. My childhood, adolescent, teen years, and younger adult years were filled with emotional roller coasters. It seemed that at some of the happiest moments in my life, after a basketball win, after a conquered fear, after a family reunion, or even after getting an A on a spelling test, the ugliness of life would show up. The death of loved ones month after month, the illnesses of loved ones, the family secrets, having to find my own way after the sickness and death of my mother. See, life didn’t stop. I developed a dependency on harmful substances to take the edge away, the fight or flight mentality used in a negative way to ease the pain at that time. All of this impacted my life and my way of thinking until one day, after prayer and introspective accountability, the only entity that could help me was God. God knew that all of this would take place in my life before I even got to that part of my life. I had to admit that I allowed the test of life to make me bitter instead of better. I had to make a decision, I had to change my narrative from why me to, why not me! I had to make the conscious choice to change the way I viewed life. What could I learn from this? What could I change in me in order to save my own life. I decided to depend on God and see the bigger picture, get help for the things I needed help with. The bigger picture for me was to live, love, feel, believe, and pay attention to the blessings of life and not just the test and how they come. Once I made that choice, things that were hindering, hurting, and holding me hostage, started falling off of me. The chains started falling, the toxicity wasn’t attracted to me anymore because I didn’t attract it, I no longer embodied that energy. In other words, “I started doing the work and I stopped letting it work me!”

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I come from an area of amazingly talented and gifted individuals. I humbly yet confidently state that I strive continuously to deliver excellence in my performances! I have a track record of doing just that! I have a classical and jazz trained background, I love music, all genres! I am deliberate with making sure my performances are always energizing and spirited!! I am a vocalist, poet, songwriter, keyboard player, guitar player, & percussionist. Some of my performances and music practice work include the Omega phi talent search, Marcus Lundy Summer Jam Series, Virginia Samford Theater, Girls Rock Birmingham. Women’s March, Artwalk Festival, Secret Stages, Sidewalk Festival, and Opener for P.J. Morton Jr. with group “Redemptive Soul.” I’ve also played on the independent artist stage at Ambient Studios in Atlanta Georgia for the 2019 Pre-Superbowl Show, presented by: Eric Norman/Ambient Studios. I was a vocalist for the 38th Southeast U.S.- Japan Association Summit (Alabama Conference,) Civil Rights District Marketplace Artist (World Games 2022) Birmingham, Al.

I’ve served as an opening artist act for Amber bullock, Talib Kweli, and The Wailers (Bob Marley Band.) I’ve also had the opportunity to do vocal work with the U.S. Billboard Charting #1 & #1 on the U.S SmoothJazzNetwork “Threestyle” Jazz Group of (London) on a few of their projects. I’ve performed in Birmingham Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, Huntsville, Al, New Orleans, Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana, Jackson Mississippi, Miami & Tampa Florida and Ohio. I released my debut album in Sep. 2013 entitled Ashley Sankey Presents “Birmingham’s Here,” followed by my sophomore album “True,” and my third album “Welcome To E~Land.” Ashley Sankey Music has over 23,000+ streams on digital music platforms combined. I’m getting ready to release my Fourth album soon!!!! Stay tuned!!

Ashley states that, “This road has not been easy, but it’s been worth it.” For the past 18 years, I have been growing and perfecting my God given talent/gift. There is no doubt in my mind that I will accomplish every goal that I am determined to accomplish. I have overcome challenges by looking at every obstacle in a positive light. I ask myself questions like; what can I learn from this? What can I change to make sure this doesn’t happen again? How can I better myself? I want the world to know that we all have a purpose, we all have a responsibility to tap into what we are called to give and pour into the world. We have a duty!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that I would say are skills would be, the willingness to learn, listen, and regroup. Everything won’t always go as planned. You can have things mapped out to the last dotted i and crossed t but sometimes, things just take a different turn. Being adaptable to change is always a plus. Being able to take constructive criticism (I had to learn that) is a plus, and being able to regroup and restructure has and still impacts me positively on my journey through life, and business. If anyone reading this is early on in their journey, my advice would be this; take advice from someone who is “Doing the Work.” Pay attention to those who have assets behind their speech. Don’t listen to an empty wagon making a lot of empty noise, those types have nothing to lose and will make you lose everything! Never be the smartest person in the room, always pair up with someone smarter than you. On the other hand, if you are the smartest person in the room, you need to find another room to learn in. Lastly, never dim your light to accommodate the insecurity inside another person. They have to do the work just like you’re doing. Don’t ever apologize for doing the work and seeing the fruit of your labor!

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was to introduce me to who God was and is. When you can’t depend on anything, anyone, or any place, you can depend on God. It has absolutely nothing to do with religion but everything to do with relationship. Your journey may not look like someone else’s journey. Your walk may be different from the next but, keep walking. Life is a journey, a path, a story worth building upon daily! Build and live your purpose and plan. Don’t walk blindly. At the end of the day what matters the most is, you seeing things for yourself, believing in it and applying it. If it works for you, “Let It Work!” God has been my go-to in good times, bad times, confused times, at any time. I’ll continue to learn, grow, and live! What my parents taught me continues to manifest in my life daily!

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