Grammy-winning artist and hitmaker Ashanti is without a doubt a defining face of R&B.
From “Foolish” to “What’s Luv?” and multiple Guinness World Records for her debut self-titled album, the New York-born and raised singer has truly embedded herself within pop culture alongside the addicting nostalgia of the early 2000s.
With new music on the horizon, and the Aussie and New Zealand leg of the Rock Wit U Tour kicking off in November, we sat down with Ashanti to discuss how R&B has evolved, the importance of ownership in the music industry and her favourite collaborator. Spoiler: the answer crashed the interview.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: We’re so keen for your return to Australia. What is your favourite thing about Down Under?
Ashanti: It’s such a great vibe. I always get so much love. Australia appreciates music. You know what I mean? You go out there, and the crowds are singing your records, and it’s just so much love. So I love that. I actually really like the seafood, and every time I go, the weather is awesome. I always have a great time.
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How do Australian crowds stand out from the rest of the world?
I think just being an American artist, when you travel outside of the country, it’s like a different kind of love because there’s not a lot – everyone doesn’t travel so far.
So when you do travel, I feel like they appreciate it so much more, so you may get a little extra screams. The hands might go up a little bit higher. It’s an abundance of love, and to still be receiving the same love as I did when I first came to Australia as a new artist is a blessing.
You’ve previously toured here before. Do you have a specific memory about Australia that you keep close to you?
I would say there are a couple of really cool memories I want to say. I think Brisbane and one other place are in my sizzle reel, like when we do a recap of everything in my career, because the crowd was just insane. So I remember being a new artist and having a crowd go crazy, you know, over my first album that’s actually in my current sizzle reel, which is crazy. So you guys made the cut!
I had a great time at the [Sydney] Opera House. The beach is in Bondi. Yes, I loved it. Oh my gosh, so much fun. I love the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast is basically the Miami of Australia! We have so much love and respect for you. You’re such a legacy artist, and you’re absolutely a defining voice of R&B. How do you feel R&B has changed now in the 2020s?
I mean, sonically, obviously there’s a difference. It’s a little bit more technical. The songs are a lot shorter. Anything over two minutes is like, you know. Back when my first album came out, the songs were like three minutes, 3:30. Now it’s like maybe a verse, a B section, a vamp, a hook out. So it’s a little bit more of a vibe.
Some of the content is different. It’s a little bit more explicit, and it’s a little more accepted, you know. But listen, it’s all good. You know, we grow, we make progress, and things change.
Touching on how themes have changed in music, especially the explicit nature of the subject matter in tracks, do you think that’s for the better or do you think it’s a bit of a regression?
You know what? Honestly, I think that’s each to their own, you know what I mean? Some people are here for it, and some people maybe don’t love it. I kind of think people need to use that, you know, at their discretion, and it kind of depends on the vibe, you know. As I said, some people may want to hear it and some people may not.
As a woman of colour in the music industry, has much changed when it comes to supporting WOC artists?
I think that there’s really no choice. I think that women of colour are running things as far as music, and we love doing what we do, and I think we’re killing it. So, you kind of have to, you know, you kind of have no choice but to get out there and support, which is a beautiful thing.
Being an absolute OG in the music industry, what is a major issue in your opinion that the music industry still needs to address or pay attention to?
I think it’s really important to stress the importance of ownership. Owning your records, owning your masters. Getting in there and being very aware when you’re creating [and] what you’re creating. Again, taking that ownership – as far as writing, as far as producing and all of those things.
It’s really, really important. The concept of 360s and record labels owning so much of our creations, I think that that is kind of dying for a lot of artists. A lot of artists are out there now getting their masters and rerecording, which is one of the things that I’m doing: recording my masters and owning my masters.
Understanding the business is very, very important.
I want to throw it back to your amazing career. I have so much love and nostalgia every time your music comes through. You have a major amount of collabs under your belt, from Fat Joe to Tupac. Who was your favourite to collaborate with?
Well, I’m gonna have to be a little biased…My beautiful husband here. [Ashanti’s husband and fellow R&B icon, Nelly, then spawned into the Zoom window, sporting a giant grin. “Just making sure,” Nelly shared].
“Good job, baby. Here you go,” Nelly added before kissing her on the cheek.
Lastly, before I let you go, what is your favourite song to perform and why?
It kind of changes on different days, but what I will say is “Foolish” is absolutely my mark, my baby. Every single time gets the crowd up screaming to the top of their lungs, and you can hold your mic out. You know, it’s 15,000 to 20,000 people singing a record that you wrote over 20 years ago. It’s a beautiful thing.
For complete tour and ticket information, see here.
ASHANTI AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2026
Monday, November 9th
Riverside Theatre, Perth WA
Wednesday, November 11th
Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD
Friday, November 13th
TikTok Entertainment Centre, Sydney NSW
Saturday, November 14th
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne VIC
Monday, November 16th
Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland NZ
