Ashley Hamel wrote “New England Baby” in her homestate of Connecticut, USA: a place of suburbs and small town living. Against this backdrop of comfort and ease, Hamel sings out her frustration. What emerges is the familiar story of a desire for growth outside the place where you grew up, brought to life through Hamel’s expressive vocals and a rich production - recorded entirely in Jakarta, Indonesia. Shortly after writing the song, Hamel did leave Connecticut. Instead of following her peers to New York or LA, she set up shop in her mother’s home country, Indonesia, where she could experience “what it’s like to feel assimilated” as a mixed-Indonesian American. There, Hamel collaborated with producer Leonardo Ringo, co-producer Gabriel Mayo, and a host of Indonesian musicians to bring her folk/pop English-language songs to life. “New England Baby” emerges as a unique collaboration poised to bring Hamel’s talent to international attention. The first single off an upcoming EP, “New England Baby” will kick off a 3-part series of EPs chronicling Hamel’s personal journey over the past five years. Each mini album features four songs tied together conceptually in the telling of the story. In the first, “Chapter One: The End”, Hamel penned piano ballads and folk songs about disappointment, resignation, and a hunger for belonging. The following EPs (to be released through 2024) will continue the story, through loss and recovery and ultimately to contentment and hope. - August 2023