I've been picturing you naked...

If you decide to ignore all my other recommendations, at least give Ashnikko a shot. Trust me, it’s an experience you won’t forget anytime soon. The first time I heard her music, it was exactly what I needed—upbeat, fun, and not too serious. Just the vibe I was looking for. She embodies the story of how young people can overcome tough times, bullying, and strict backgrounds to become their own unique selves.

Born Ashton Nicole Casey in Oak Ridge, North Carolina, she grew up just 15 miles away in Greensboro. She seemed like your typical pre-teen (we’ve all been there, right?). She’s a Pisces, with her birthday on February 19, 1996.

"I spent my childhood in North Carolina in the Bible Belt of the United States. My adolescence was spent in a notoriously homophobic Baltic State of Lativia. Being queer in those environments is one of the greatest heartbreaks of my life It will stay with me forever. I have sanded over the rough edges of it, made it hurt less but the weight of it still sits in my chest, a smooth marble .

I took the seed of who I was and buried it so deep inside myself that it lay dormant hibernating, waiting. It was only when I moved to London at age 18 when I started to find my people in the queer community, that I let my roots take hold and my growth begin. I learned that Love is not conditional or constricting it is not rooted in fear. Learning that was like realizing I had been breathing wrong my entire life." – Ashnikko

Just like a bunch of new artists out there (think Billie Eilish, Awfultune, and Lorde), Ashnikko kicked off her journey with a SoundCloud account as well. Her debut track, "Krokodil," was produced by Raf Riley and dropped on SoundCloud back in July 2016. In 2017, she released her first EP, "Sass Pancakes," through Digital Picnic Records. Then came her second EP, "Unlikeable," in November 2018, followed by "Hi It's Me" in July 2019. One of her singles, "Stupid," featuring Yung Baby Tate, blew up on TikTok, and that’s when her career really started to soar! The track hit number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and even made it to the Spotify Viral 50. By August 2020, it was certified gold in both the U.S. and Canada! Another track from the EP, "Working Bitch," also gained traction on TikTok.

"Daisy" dropped in July 2020, and a month later, a music video came out thanks to a collab with Beats by Dre and TikTok. This track marked Ashnikko's big break, making waves internationally in places like Australia, Belgium, and the UK. It hit number 24 on the UK Singles Chart, marking her first entry and top 40 hit there. In October 2020, she released her third Halloween-themed song, "Halloweenie III: Seven Days," and snagged a nomination for Best Push Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Both "Cry" and "Daisy" are featured on Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, which launched on January 15, 2021. The mixtape also included "Deal with It" featuring Kelis and "Slumber Party" featuring Princess Nokia as its third and fourth singles. To promote the mixtape, Ashnikko announced The Demidevil Tour, scheduled for October 2021, covering North America, the UK, and Ireland. After taking a year off, she popped up in September 2021 on Lady Gaga's remix album, Dawn of Chromatica, where she worked on a remix of "Plastic Doll."

The two-sided singles "Panic Attacks In Paradise" and "Maggots" dropped on September 29, 2021, paving the way for her first new single, "You Make Me Sick!", which came out on February 8, 2023. Then, on March 1, she revealed that her debut album, Weedkiller, would be released on August 25, 2023. The Weedkiller World Tour kicked off on March 24, 2023, in Japan and wrapped up on December 11, 2023, in Ireland. The second single from the album, "Worms," followed later on March 2, 2023. On May 24, she released the third single, "Possession of a Weapon," and the latest single from the album, "Cheerleader," came out on July 28, 2023.

Ashnikko has done some touring since her Soundcloud days and is currently opening for Billie Eilish on her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour on December 20, 2024 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California!

She's INSPIRING! Here's my favorite song and video by Ashnikko:

And this article wouldn't be closed to complete without a video of "Daisy":