Ashley Maher's lifelong love for African music and dance has steadily narrowed to focus on Senegal. Born in Montreal and raised in California, Ashley's recording career began in London, where Virgin UK released her first two records to critical acclaim. After releasing a third album independently, she then relocated to Los Angeles, where she recorded albums 4 and 5, while raising her children.

 

In 2007, Senegal's superstar, Youssou N'Dour, released Boul Bayekou, a song Ashley had co-written with Jason Hann. N'Dour then invited Ashley to perform for him as a sabar dancer in Dakar and Paris in 2008. Since then, Ashley has returned to Dakar over 15 times to record with Dakar's top musicians, film her music videos, and perform. She has collaborated with Senegalese artists around the world and completed Made in Senegal, (album 7) at Papis Konate's Dakar studio in 2019.

"Imagine the soaring melodies of Joni Mitchell and the darkly lyrical twists and turns of Paul Simon, sung over a steaming cauldron of African rhythms. But, as intriguing as that may sound, it still doesn't quite do justice to the music of Ashley Maher, who manages to use those fertile sources as the stimulation for songs and performances that are uniquely her own."

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                                                             - Don Heckman, LA Times