From Melbourne to the World: ASHWARYA Is Destined for Greatness

Welcome to Life in Levi’s, a new Hypebeast editorial series created in celebration of the iconic Levi’s 501 jean. As the 501 celebrates 150 years this May, we ask top Australian artists across three diverse genres their ‘greatest story ever worn’, where it has taken them — and where it’s heading to next.

ASHWARYA’s career started in the darkest days of the pandemic. She was creating music in her bedroom, shooting DIY videos in the garage and in turn, creating a loyal fanbase – unbeknownst to her. What ASHWARYA didn’t expect, was that when the lockdowns ended, she was about to blow up. From a humble bedroom in Melbourne, to playing stages around the world. It wasn’t easy, but ASHWARYA is driven by adversity. This is her story.

Her debut headline show took place in the midst of two half-year lockdowns. The circumstances could hardly be described as ideal.

“I don’t know how I managed to pull it off,” the 24-year-old tells Hypebeast. I felt so confident and yet so emotional. It was a full circle moment: when you see people singing your lyrics […]. It just makes everything feel real. For the longest time, I was locked inside and isolated from all of that. So it was like, ‘Oh, shit! People actually listen to my music.’”

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ASHWARYA’s effortlessly cool brand of pop and hip-hop found an audience quickly. 2020’s “Psycho Hole” got regular airplay on triple j and her debut EP, Nocturnal Hours put her firmly on the map in a time when her most dedicated fans couldn’t leave the house. ASHWARYA was determined to become the main character of her story — taking a proudly DIY, hands-on approach to write her success into existence.

“I did most of my videos for the EP in the house and in the garage. I feel like I always find a way to get my vision across – even if that’s a DIY approach, which is kinda my favourite way to go about things,” she explains.

In the throes of the global pandemic, the future was uncertain, and yet, ASHWARYA’s resilience sent her DIY approach to art into full swing. “Having been through it, I think the experience was super beneficial because I learned so many skills along the way,” she says. “Now I can shoot my own music video if I want to, or do an edit to my tracks from my bedroom if I want to. And now working with other people outside of those constraints, I can apply those skills.”

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Which leads us to the highlight of ASHWARYA’s story so far: the day she got the phone call from Dua Lipa. Touring with a pop megastar of that calibre was a formative experience; the physical embodiment of years of hard work. Her dreams were literally stepping into reality’s clothes. “I just didn’t expect that to happen at all,” she says.

“This is one of the biggest acts in the world but I couldn’t take my eyes off the crowd. It’s crazy the connection she has. I want to be able to have that level of command over my audience one day. It was super inspiring to be so close to something outstanding.”

ASHWARYA is thinking long term when it comes to leaving her mark on the music industry and what success means to her. “For me personally, to have longevity in this industry, I want to make good music. As much as Dua is a good performer and has a lot to offer other than just music when she’s on that stage, the music is doing all the talking.”

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With a reputation for a personal style as creative as her music, ASHWARYA is often experimenting with fashion. For her, it’s all about the act of self-expression in the name of art. That extends all the way from the lyrics she writes, to her penchant for oversized 501s. Like many emerging pop artists of her talent, ASHWARYA sees no distinction between who she is on and off-stage.

“I usually gravitate towards an interesting silhouette,” she says. “If the silhouette is interesting, I gravitate towards that. I always like to have an element that stands out. It’s comfort first, with a street element to it.” It’s something she’s been considering for as long as she can remember. “When I was younger, my mum and dad let me pick out whatever I wanted to wear for the day. Having that freedom, I got the confidence to just push the boundaries.”

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Of course, there’s more to style than just fits. More often than not, we’re drawn to clothing that has a personal connection woven into its threads.

For ASHWARYA, that means finding inspiration in her family’s immigration story. Following a move from India to Australia, her father was selling phones door-to-door. Levi’s were his work, casual, and formalwear of choice.

“My dad lived in Levi’s. I’d borrow them all the time,” she smiles. “That iconic branding on the back hem is burned into my memory.”

Having achieved so much already, ASHWARYA’s story is still unfolding. With a songwriting trip to the UK in the works and major international attention coming her way, it seems there’s only one certainty:

“Expect the unexpected,” she says. “I like to keep people on their toes.”

ASHWARYA’s story is still unfolding. What’s your unwritten chapter of the Greatest Story Ever Worn?