On her own or with her fun-loving band, Smashlee performs a charming and heartfelt hybrid of original rock and retro-pop, sometimes called ‘sunshine surf rock’, or Smashlee's own description: 'cheerful chick rock'.
Smashlee is Ashleigh Somerville (or 'Smash'), and she grew up in BC's sunny Okanagan Valley. She wrote one of her first songs at age 8 to help remember place names for a geography test. Eventually, her lyrics progressed from “Winnipeg, Lake Winnipeg”, and she went on to study classical voice and piano at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, and jazz vocals and improv at the Banff Centre for the Arts. But it wasn’t until she picked up her mother’s vintage tenor guitar and plugged it into a mini Marshall stack a few years ago that she felt like she’d found the most honest way to express herself. She now lives near the beach in Vancouver, BC, and tries not to disturb neighbours like 85-year-old Effie, who bangs on the ceiling with a broom to tell Smash to "Keep it down!"
Smashlee has released two CDs: Smashlee’s Wee CD, a four-song EP of her signature ‘sunshine surf rock’, and for Christmas, a genre-defying LP called 'Peace, Love, Joy', brimming with retro holiday magic.
Smashlee’s music has been used on both public and commercial radio, used for film and stage, and recorded by other artists. As a live act, Smashlee has been responsible for many a hearty ruckus at countless coffeeshops, restaurants, festivals, and beach venues.
Smashlee is currently honing material for a full LP of sunshine surf rock. In the meantime, you can catch her playing select engagements throughout BC, and wherever else the sun may be shining ...
