Real Talks w/ Ash

Award-winning Haitian-Canadian artist Jessie Simmons sits down with me for a raw, soulful conversation about her evolution — creatively, personally, and spiritually.We talk Haitian artists rising on the global stage, what’s inspiring her now, and how her health journey (including living with PCOS) reshaped her self-discipline, self-love, and relationship with herself.Jessie opens up about the parts of her she’s reconnecting with, the parts she’s meeting for the first time, and the one thing she’s most excited for in this new chapter: happiness.We close with my signature “Let’s Be Real” segment, where Jessie gets honest about the truths people sugar-coat around healing and transformation.If you’re in a season of rediscovery, this episode is for you.

It's tiiiiiiiiime! *mariah carey voice*After a much needed hiatus, "Real Talks w/ Ash" is officially back and here to stay. We even got a new setup and everything!In this episode of Real Talks w/ Ash, I sit down with creative entrepreneur and Co-CEO of Kultur Ties, Axel S., for an conversation on creativity, collaboration and culture. We kick things off with some hot takes; from whether AI is killing creativity to why everyone's suddenly a DJ or podcaster, and then we get into some real talk - leadership, burnout, authenticity and what it takes to build community in the creative space. Axel shares his journey building Kultur Ties, an Ottawa-based platform creating meaningful events and cultural connections, and we get honest about the struggles and wins of being a creative in 2025. Topics we unpack: - AI vs. The Soul of Creativity - The rise of "everyone's a creator" culture- What collaboration REALLY means - the mtyhs about passion, success, and b"being booked and busy"-Leadership and staying grounded in chaos ABOUT AXEL:Axel S. is the founder and Co-CEO of Kultur Ties, a Canadian media and events production company based in Ottawa, Canada. With over a decade of experience in the entrepreneurial space, Axel enjoys the challenge of methodically thinking through ideas and bringing them to life,. He is also a poet, enjoys binge-watching TV shows, and staying active. Follow us on Instagram! Axel S. - Co-CEO & Founder of Kultur Ties @shareyourpiece   @613RnB  @deeplyrootedtalks Ashley Ighorewo - Host & Founder of Freegxrl Media @__iamashley@realtalkswithash @Freegxrlmedia