Last Friday, pop singer-songwriter Ashe released her fourth solo album, The Girl of Your Dreams. The album followed singles “Stop the Wedding!” and “Funeral” which are the first and last tracks on the concept album. 

On this record, Ashe takes the listener through an eventual love story, but it first begins with a plea to her younger self to call off her wedding and free herself from an unhappy relationship. This track boomed in popularity when it was first released in early August of this year for its ABBA-inspired sound and powerful string instrumentals. It became a trending sound on social media for people to share their stories of “Stopping the Wedding,” whether that meant leaving a relationship, job, friendship, or anything that didn’t add joy to their life. Ashe herself has even created a tradition of throwing a bouquet into the crowd when she sings this song live, asking whoever catches it to leave any toxic situation in their lives. 

“Funeral,” the second single off the album, is the conclusion of the musical story Ashe tells. This track is a beautiful, piano-driven ballad where the singer describes the feeling of pieces falling together and finally meeting the love of her life. The song completes the complex emotional journey of the album with an ode to the healed perspective Ashe holds now.

The other 9 tracks on the album feature upbeat tracks like “Lasso the Moon” “Swan Lake” and “Love Bomb” alongside melancholic songs like “Blue Hour” and “Always September.”  The album explores themes of love, loss, healing, and perspective with a strong visual concept of classic Hollywood and soft glamour that lean into the “dream girl” aesthetic. Ashe has announced her tour following the album, with the subheading “The Starlet Returns to Sing Her Swan Song.”

Edited and Reviewed by Brie Goss