New single from Ashleigh Harley

Ashleigh Harley is a singer-songwriter whose work grew out of one of the most difficult chapters of her life when she began writing music while facing severe complications from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and a prognosis that gave her just six months to live. In a hospital chapel, surrounded by life support equipment and sitting in front of a piano she’d never played before, she began creating songs as a way of expressing the words she feared she might never have the chance to say.

What began in those uncertain moments would become the path of a wider musical journey built around determination, honesty and connection. Tracks including “Differently Abled” and “This Christmas” arose from her time in hospital, reflecting experiences of isolation, love, gratitude and the longing to experience something as simple as an ordinary life. Her recovery against the odds changed the direction of her life, but it also gave her music a purpose beyond personal expression; Ashleigh set out to use songwriting to support people facing struggles of their own, eventually founding a charity and donating the licensing rights to her music to help others.

Her songs therefore exist within a larger mission, where storytelling becomes a way of encouraging people through difficult circumstances and creating a sense of connection. “Differently Abled” was selected for a prestigious showcase at London’s O2, while the song is also set to feature in The Dark Horse, a film from an Oscar-winning team. Her work continues to find opportunities where music and advocacy can exist side by side, giving her personal experiences a platform from which they can reach much further.

Now, Harley takes a very different emotional route with “Itsy Bitsy Bikini,” a song built around a familiar summer feeling which embraces a playful idea while carrying the same sense of purpose that has come to define her work. Within its lighter character sits a message about strength, celebration and the importance of supporting young people living with terminal, chronic and rare conditions. The song’s first performance is set to take place outside No.10 Downing Street as part of The Dark Horse and the Save Our Lives campaign.

Ashleigh will be joined by 60s legend Brian Hyland for the special performance on 22nd August, bringing together music and advocacy in support of the campaign’s focus. That setting gives “Itsy Bitsy Bikini” an added significance and for an artist whose musical life began in a hospital chapel while confronting the possibility that she might not survive, stepping into a public performance built around raising awareness represents a striking continuation of the journey. The song may carry a lighter tone, but the intention behind it remains intrisically linked to Ashleigh’s experiences.

Proceeds from Spotify listens to “Itsy Bitsy Bikini” will go towards the initiative supporting young people living with terminal, chronic and rare conditions. With support from Wise Music Group and Universal Music through a charity licence, the release allows listeners to contribute to that cause simply by engaging with the music. Ashleigh’s earliest songs were created when she was confronting isolation and the unknown, transforming the things she feared she might never say into music but “Itsy Bitsy Bikini” distils laughter, celebration and joy while still carrying a message about people who are facing extraordinary challenges.

Listen to Itsy Bitsy Bikini here

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