Meet Ashley Gardner, a 30-year-old budding musician from Street, Somerset, who is ready to set the stage on fire with his passion for music.

Despite a challenging past filled with bullying and self-doubt, Ashley's resilience and love for music have driven him to pursue his dreams and share his story with the world.

Ashley has faced significant adversity throughout his life, including severe anxiety and low confidence stemming from relentless bullying. "Most of my life, I've been bullied, trolled, and told I'll never be good at anything," Ashley shares candidly. "If I'm completely honest, I don't believe in myself, and if I'm being brutally honest, my family don't either. But I love singing, and music is in my bones."

His musical journey took a pivotal turn at the Welcome Family Park in Devon, where Ashley has been a regular visitor for the past decade. It was there that he finally mustered the courage to participate in the 'Search for a Star' competition, an experience that changed his life. "Once a week, they do a 'search for a star' competition for kids and adults. Every year, I kept saying I was going to do it but chickened out until a few years ago. I finally got the courage to go up in front of everyone, even though I was shaking like anything. The feeling was amazing!"

This newfound confidence propelled Ashley to start writing and releasing his own music. With the help of the platform Fiverr, he collaborated with producers to create backing tracks and recorded his vocals on his phone due to the high cost of studio fees. In the past year and a half, he has released eight singles, with his latest track, "Feeling The Heat," set to drop on 11th August 2024. His songs tackle various themes, from grief to respect for women, and even fun tunes about carnival and holiday experiences.

Now, Ashley is ready to take his music to the next level by performing live. His first gig, "It's My Life," is scheduled for Saturday, 5th October at Glastonbury Football Club. This ticket-only event is available via Eventbrite, with free tickets accessible through his Facebook Page, Ashley Gardner Official.

Ashley's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the healing strength of music. As he prepares to light up the stage, he says:: "Life's too short, with so much stuff going on in the world, and I want to do stuff that makes me happy."