Last updated on November 28, 2025
Ashley Sorrell: Infusing New Flavor into Detroit’s Music Scene
Imagine yourself in the kitchen of creativity. You sprinkle a dash of D’Angelo’s soulfulness, add a splash of Erykah Badu’s mysticism, blend in a tablespoon of Christion’s smoothness, and gently stir in a teaspoon of Busta Rhymes’ uniqueness. As the melodic nectar comes to life, the flavor you’re experiencing is Ashley Sorrell, one of Detroit’s best kept secrets.
My introduction to Ashley was a memorable one when she graced Royce Da 5’9′s 7th studio album, “The Book of Ryan.” Her voice left an indelible mark, yet there lingered a sense of something unfinished. Fast forward to Royce’s Grammy-nominated masterpiece, “The Allegory.” It was there that Ashley, came into her own. With her warm presence gracing three exceptional tracks— “Pendulum,” “Upside Down,” and “My People Free” —I realized, in that very moment, I was in love with the sound of Ashley Sorrell.
Ashley’s voice spoke to me in a way that rarely happens. I was excited, I needed to hear more, there is something about Ashley’s energy that’s contagious and comforting. I knew I was going to write about her, better yet, hoping I would run into her at Heaven Studios and do an interview, but that never happened.
My curiosity led me to dive deeper, steering me towards YouTube. I searched ‘Ashley Sorrell’ and the first video that popped up was Nector, produced by heizenBURR and shot by Clark Bishop; a video with a disrespectful amount of views (4,800). As I immersed myself in this journey I was feed nostalgia, Karl Kani winbreaker, Adidas track pants all reminiscent of my childhood when hip-hop was shaping my life.
Digesting this video was something like a soul stirring experience…
That was almost three years ago….
Emerging from what felt like an eternity, Ashley has graced us with her latest masterpiece, ‘Vegetarian.’ The video, a mesmerizing creation produced by Black Liquid and brought to life by Sidd Finch, is far from ordinary. It’s a visual journey that introduces us to a world where a baby alligator and a bed of flowers coexist, evoking feelings of creative brilliance and vulnerability. When you blend this artistic marvel with Ashley’s contagious energy, her unforgettable voice, and dance moves that echo the spirit of Sada Baby, you’re essentially cooking up a recipe for success that’s unlike anything else – an immersive experience for the senses.
Thomas Dishaw is the creator of RapTherapy.co and founder of Artist Deserved, a platform built to help artists earn more. During his work at Royce da 5’9″’s Heaven Studios, he interviewed influential Detroit artists including Tee Grizzley, Babyface Ray, Payroll Giovanni, Royce da 5’9″, Icewear Vezzo, and Street Lord Juan.
A lifelong hip hop fan, Thomas launched his independent label Napalm Productions at age 20, releasing albums and mixtapes from 1998 to 2008.
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