Student artist of the month: Sheena “Angel” Ash ’25

Sheena Ash ’25 conveys her emotions through singing and poetry. Being raised in the rich culture of church, Ash was surrounded by music and gospel throughout her childhood. Now as an artist, Ash channels her emotions into her art, hoping to inspire others through the power of words and melodies.

When did you start singing and writing poems?

I guess when I was one [when] my mom told me [that] I love rhythm, beating, and patterns. But poetry, specifically, I think middle school, right before COVID started. I started exploring a lot with expressions in general and different ways beside storytelling.

When did you realize that you were a talented poet?

I [realized] after my mom had read my poem [which] I had submitted to the Until Justice Just Is competition at the YWCA. That specific poem had been written in around 2024 and I modified it to fit more of the prompt [for the competition]. I asked my mom what she thought about this poem. She read it, broke down in tears, and said, “This is so raw, I can feel you through this.” Even after the poetry festival, people [told] me how much it moved them and how much it changed their perspective on the world.

Do you see your poetry and singing as connected?

For sure, poetry gives me the language and the music gives me the feeling. When I couple those two concepts, it creates this powerful thing for me because I feel both of those like they pick back off of one another.

How do you think your poetry and music reflect who you are as a person?

I think it’s real and it’s deep. It really articulates my heart. With singing and poetry, I feel like I’m able to truly convey a deeper version of myself and a more complex version of myself.

What specific themes or topics do you usually perform?

When I sing, I sing a lot of contemporary songs. I like rhythm, blues, [and] jazz music. Especially within the Black community, jazz, gospel, and rhythm have been an integral part of [our] society. I appreciate the way it allows us to communicate w it h e a ch other. We feel the music rather than just hear it. What is your creative process when writing poems or rehearsing for a song? Sometimes I will ground myself, I’ll step outside barefoot in my front yard and [make] peace with the world. Other times I’ll wake up, get home, sit in bed and really think. [Then] I’ll pick up a pen or a notebook and start typing out words. I start with words.