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Ashley Iona channels David Bowie and Adele on new single, Leaving

Ashley Iona sings about having the power to leave an abusive relationship on her powerful new single Leaving.

I felt trapped and like I was fighting for what I wanted everyday. This song came out of that exhaustion and needing to find more strength,” said Iona, chatting about the inspiration behind the song.

Leaving starts off with a reserved, plucked guitar before Iona herself sweeps in. Listeners will be in for a pleasant surprise when her smooth, deep vocals demand your attention.

“The opening lyrics, feels like I’m losing a battle was where I was started and by the end of the song I’ve found my feet again. Writing it helped me actually get there.”

Iona wrote the song when she was in Los Angeles. She returned home last year, where she continued to write new music and worked on a show called Electric Sets with John Romeo, a local guitarist.

It was at this time that she got closer to the sound she wanted for the song, listening to the likes of David Bowie and Adele to create the dualities that characterise Leaving.

Romeo also co-produced the song. “I already knew how I wanted this song to sound, so I decided to ask Johnny if he’d help me make it.”

A student at the University of Sydney studying Speech Pathology, she collaborated with fellow USYD student Harry Klein for the videoclip.


“I had this image of being a dark space, so you could barely see me. The video is an intimate journey through that dark place.”

In the clip, we see Iona obscured in dark lighting. A ghost of her silhouette is transposed on top of her image as we watch her from a distance.

The silhouette disappears and the image returns to normal. The camera gradually closes in on Iona and she leaves the frame with grace.

 

Leaving is available now on all streaming platforms.