Ashe and Suki Waterhouse Bring Together Folk and Rock and Roll with New Single, “Pushing Daisies”
My two worlds suddenly collided when Ashe and Suki Waterhouse announced their single “Pushing Daisies” just a few days ago. The artists debuted the song on October 23rd at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles when Waterhouse brought out Ashe as a special guest. Waterhouse is currently on The Sparklemuffin Tour celebrating her latest album Memoir of a Sparklemuffin. Their collaboration on “Pushing Daisies” brings listeners a fun blend of everything that makes Ashe and Waterhouse unique and magnetic. Both artists have the freedom to showcase their distinct sounds through uplifting and catchy instrumentals, and the lyrics keep the song grounded and fresh. The title alone blends their contrasting yet complimentary sounds and aesthetics as artists, with Ashe having a more folksy and groovy sound, and Waterhouse channeling a rock and roll princess persona to tap into angelic and sometimes hypnotic vocals and instrumentals.
Ashe and Suki Waterhouse performing at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, photo by Muriel Margaret, @worldfamousmuriel on Instagram.
“Pushing Daisies” may seem at first glance a light and fresh title that reminds us of frolicking around fields in the spring and summertime, but for those who do not know, the phrase is used as an informal idiom to mean “dead or buried.” The first known use of the phrase is in a poem by Wilfred Owen in 1918 and has been used ever since in casual conversation to reference flowers growing over a grave. Ashe and Waterhouse take advantage of the phrase’s somewhat misleading meaning by setting dark and, at times haunting lyrics against sweet and peachy instrumentals. The song itself becomes a reflection of the phrase with lyrics such as “Skinny dipping in the river, cut my feet on/Some broken glass, then I went walking, nearly bled out” that when paired with a simple but catchy combination of drums and guitar is easy to dance along with, until you read the lyrics alone.
Ashe is no stranger to collaboration, especially with artists outside her typical genre. Collaborations with artists such as FINNEAS, Niall Horan, and Diane Keaton have proven her talent for balancing her sound with others but on “Pushing Daisies” with Waterhouse, Ashe proves she has become a master. The song feels balanced, as their addictive vocals blend together beautifully, and neither artist feels out of place. “Pushing Daisies” is for Ashe and Suki Waterhouse, and Ashe and Suki Waterhouse alone.
Like the phrase “Pushing Daisies,” the song potentially has a duel or hidden meaning that may not seem obvious to listeners. The track captures the complex feelings surrounding a breakup and the period after, which can be isolating and uncomfortable. The song’s lyrics allude to when someone moves on and starts a relationship with another person: “I think I got insomnia and she's a queen/She likes to go out dancing under the sheets/She might be out to kill me and I'm afraid/I might be pushing daisies.” However, these lyrics in the chorus could reference not to another person, but to an alternate persona. Whether we are conscious of it or not, there will always be facets of our personality that we do not display publicly or to certain people. The chorus may reference such a phenomenon or the reality that many people feel to try on a different version of themselves to feel accepted amongst society or a certain group of people or person. This being the case, the chorus may refer to how this behavior can quickly catch up to us once we become exhausted of constantly putting up a facade, and thus “Pushing Daisies” can inspire us to be ourselves in every aspect of our lives.
Be sure to give “Pushing Daisies” a listen and if you enjoy what you hear, check out the reviews for Willson and Memoir of a Sparklemuffin. Also, be sure to catch Suki Waterhouse on tour this fall!
