With her demon-meets-anime-girl looks, foul mouth and lyrical prowess, the singer and rapper is one of the Tumblr generations hottest new acts, collaborating with artists like Grimes and Princess Nokia. One to watch, she won't be rising to the top quietly!
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Ashnikko (also known as Ashton Nicole Casey) is a singer and rapper. Raised in a musical household, she was exposed to many different genres of music growing up – her parents’ tastes ranging from Slipknot to country music. Around the age of 10, she was inspired by rap music after listening to the album Arular by M.I.A. As a teenager, she moved from America to Estonia and then Latvia, before moving to London, England on her own at the age of 18.
2016-2019: Career beginnings and Hi It’s Me
Ashnikko uploaded her first song, "Krokodil" (which was produced by Raf Riley) in 2016. Her debut EP, Sass Pancakes (also produced by Raf Riley and featuring Avelino), was released on Digital Picnic Records the following year. Unlikeable, her second EP, was released in November 2018, launching the singles "Blow", "Nice Girl", "Invitation" featuring Kodie Shane, and "No Brainer".
In 2019, Ashnikko released her third EP, Hi It’s Me, preceded by the promotional single "Special". On the same day as the EP’s release, she released its title track. The EP’s second single, "Stupid", featuring Yung Baby Tate, was a viral hit on TikTok and reached number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and the Spotify Viral 50 chart. The single was certified gold in both the US and Canada. "Working Bitch", its follow-up, was also a TikTok hit. October 2019 brought a tour with Danny Brown as well as the promotional single "Halloweenie II: Pumpkin Spice".
Around this time, Ashnikko also co-wrote nine tracks for Brooke Candy's debut album, Sexorcism, and she features on two of them.
2020-present: Breakthrough and Demidevil
"Boss Bitch" by Doja Cat was co-written by Ashnikko and features on the soundtrack for the film Birds of Prey. Ashnikko was due to support Doja Cat for her Hot Pink Tour of the US before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She released the standalone single "Tantrum" in March 2020, performing it the following month for The Fader's Digital Fader Fort event. In June 2020, she released the single "Cry" featuring Grimes, along with an animated music video that was nominated for "Best Pop Video - UK" at the 2020 UK Music Video Awards. "Daisy", Ashnikko’s breakout hit, was released in July 2020. The single was followed by a music video released in collaboration with Beats by Dre and TikTok a month later. The song charted internationally in countries including Australia, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, where it reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. "Halloweenie III: Seven Days", her third Halloween single, was released in October 2020. In November 2020, Ashnikko was nominated for Best Push Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, was released on January 15, 2021. It features "Cry" and "Daisy", as well as "Deal with It" featuring Kelis and "Slumber Party" featuring Princess Nokia – the mixtape’s third and fourth singles, respectively. October 2021 brings the Demidevil Tour, which sees Ashnikko perform in North America, the UK, and Ireland.