R&B Singer-Songwriter Ashlee Goes Viral With Sexy “Alone With You”

Major labels are taking note of R&B singer Ashlee's viral success of her independent single "Alone With You." Building steady momentum, the music video directed by Ronald Reid is quickly approaching 2 million streams on YouTube while the audio has surpassed a combined 9 million plays on the video-sharing website. The original audio has 3 million views and several dance versions of the song have generated millions of streams. "Alone With You (Felea Emanuel Remix)" has 2.3 million plays, "Alone With You (Robert Cristian Remix)" versions have played more than 2.7 millions times, and "Alone With You (Creative Ades Remix)" mixes have more than 1.3 million views.

The response is warranted, given Ashlee's talent, appeal and collaboration with producer jonxlewis who heads Supreme Legacy Entertainment. Ashlee's seductive falsetto and self-penned lyrics provide a sexual empowerment anthem for women as she calls the shots over jonxlewis' sexy, mid-tempo ballad.

Ashlee, 23, wanted the song to capture a female perspective about sex. "My whole purpose for the song came from real place, being the woman and me being the dominant one and in a sensual setting," Ashlee says. "I tried to portray that. I wanted to make the act of sex not just about men. A lot of times it's just for men, but no it's for women too."

Generating millions of streams is humbling. "It's crazy," Ashlee says. "I'm really proud of it. There was no special promotion. It was just me putting out raw material. Everyone who was a part was a friend from the producer to the guy who shot it. People from all over the world are hitting me up daily. Girls are in the comments are saying, 'Yes.' They are liberated by it. To be able to share that and make them feel that. It's a very powerful feeling but not like a power trip, more like it humbles me that I'm able to do what I am able to do. It motivates me to be able to keep doing it and sharing myself with the world and the world appreciates it."

Quayshuan Carter, who signed Ashlee to his label Que Global Entertainment / Que Records after an introduction by jonxlewis, was impressed with the strides Ashlee and jonxlewis made independently. "The growth of Ashlee's music with no machine behind it is a testament to how impactful she is as an artist," says the veteran music industry executive who has helped generate over 100 million dollars in revenue for companies such as Uptown records, Ruffhouse/ Columbia, BMG, and Tommy Boy Records. "She is something special, and the numbers clearly show that she is needed in this marketplace."

Ashlee McDonald has always been obsessed with music. When the rising R&B star was a child, she analysed song lyrics and emulated her favorite artists Brandy, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys, who were a part of her older sister's music collection. Even though she realized she could sing when she was 9-years-old and she won a poetry contest in elementary school, she did not begin writing songs until high school where she was a member of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), jazz choir and chorus. She never seriously considered a career in music until her performance of Christina Aguilera's "Bound to You" at a school event moved her choir teacher to tears and to encourage her to "go pro."

Shortly after high school, Ashlee scored 50,000 streams of "Know Ya," the first song she ever posted on SoundCloud, without any promotion. She worked with a small collective of singers, songwriters and producers for a few years until creative differences caused them to disband. jonxlewis contacted Ashlee after hearing "Know Ya" on a mutual friend's Instagram page. Their styles complimented each other and they began recording. After finding success with "Alone With You," jonxlewis took the project to veteran music industry executive Quayshaun Carter of Que Global Entertainment / Que Records who signed her to an indie deal.

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