artist interviews
asha perry
@asha.perryy, twenty two, she/her
what is your art form?
musical theatre/acting/singing.
what do you do and why do you do it?
i have a passion for all kinds of performing, but especially in musical theatre. it makes me incredibly happy, and i haven’t yet found anything else in life that gives me that same joy.
who/what has inspired you in your artistic practice and why?
i take my inspirations from many different performers, whether that being from musical theatre, film, tv, or the music industry. i’m inspired by passionate people who clearly have fun and enjoy what they’re doing.
what do you think your role is as an artist? has anything stopped you from fulfilling this role?
i think my role is to provide entertainment and an escape for people. i want my performances to make people feel, whether it be happy, sad, or anywhere in between. i want people to forget the stresses of everyday life for a second, and enjoy the moment they are in.
what have been the biggest challenges in your artistic journey?
separating myself from the people i am inspired and influenced by. it’s so easy to copy the iconic performance of someone else, but i’m working on adding my own flair into whatever i work on, whether it’s a character or a song. i want it to feel like me.
do you believe that good art comes from turmoil and suffering, or is that a romantic notion?
i don’t believe good art comes from suffering, i think good art can come from anything. creating art is different for everyone, but i would agree that it’s a very romantic notion to believe that good art only comes from suffering.
how do you feel your age impacts your experience as an artist?
especially within musical theatre and film, people are often casted older than what the stage age is, so i still feel quite young and feel as though i’m still growing in the art form and learning from others who are older than me and have been practicing for years. but i feel as though i have a fresh perspective on many characters that have been played for years.
what about your gender/race/sexuality/disability etc.?
being a female in musical theatre is interesting, as the majority of auditionees will generally be female, but there is a significant lack of female characters. this leads to quite a negative atmosphere at most auditions because there’s 60 girls all competing for the 1-2 roles that they can play. it’s a tough business.
when it comes to art, what would you tell your younger self?
be yourself, keep doing what you feel passionate about doing, and follow your dreams no matter what.