"Hypnotic", the debut single from ASHBA, the solo project of former GUNS N' ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba, will make its online debut on August 14 via Edgeout Records. The track, which was mixed and mastered by three-time Grammy nominee Luca Pretolesi of Studio DMI (Steve Aoki, Diplo, Lil Jon), features a guest appearance by Cali Tucker, the daughter of country music singer LaCosta Tucker and niece of country music legend Tanya Tucker. According to a press release, Ashba is "the first artist to combine multiple genres with EDM into one unique, explosive sound." On Thursday, August 13, at 9:00 p.m. PDT (midnight EDT August 14), Ashba will host a special watch party on Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m. PDT (midnight EDT, August 14). Immediately following the video premiere of "Hypnotic", Ashba will be joined by celebrity friends and a celebrity-moderated question-and-answer session. Says Ashba: "My debut single, 'Hypnotic', is a high intense EDM track with big rock guitars. When I perform live along with my DJ, the futuristic AI visuals will take the crowd on a journey to the unknown. I will be featuring a different singer on each track. This music will have no boundaries." A "Hypnotic" video preview is available below. "Ashba's unique version of EDM immediately caught my attention. And now, the industry is calling 'Hypnotic' the new sound coming out of Vegas," says Tony Guanci, Edgeout founder and label head. Written and produced by Ashba, "Hypnotic" opens with his signature guitar sound accompanied by the sultry vocals of Tucker, who teases the listener with "time to steal the show." With Ashba's unwavering experimental vision and Pretolesi's skillful mixing touch, "Hypnotic" exalts life on the dance floor as a space where the cares of the day are cast aside for a night that "makes you lose control" while enjoying a live experience like no other. Produced by Ashba and following the recent filming guidelines, the video for "Hypnotic" was filmed at one of Sin City's most exclusive mansions and embodies the ultimate Las Vegas fantasy. Beautiful provocateurs, outrageous "colorscapes" and mind-blowing music inspire guests at this private affair to shed all inhibitions and celebrate life as if "tomorrow may never come." Just as the night is about to climax, the intimate over-the-top rave gives way to a surprise twist, injecting his playfulness and humor. Ashba has brought together a formidable team for his project that includes Gavin Maloof, founding partner Vegas Golden Knights/vice chairman, Maloof Companies; and Tony Guanci, Edgeout founder and label head. "Hypnotic" will appear on ASHBA's first full-length effort, which will arrive later in the year via Edgeout Records. On the set of the "Hypnotic" video, Ashba told Las Vegas Now about his solo project: "I left GUNS N' ROSES, and SIXX:A.M. went on hiatus for a bit. So I've always had this vision to take all the genres that have inspired me as a kid growing up and put 'em in a blender as a producer and see what comes out. And this really unique sound came out. And I'm a big fan of EDM, so it's been great. It's EDM with big rock guitars and cellos and violins and congas. There's no limits. It's awesome!" Although Ashba initially started work on the project as a collaboration with his SIXX:A.M. bandmate James Michael — under the band name PYROMANTIC — it has since evolved into an Ashba solo venture, with Michael announcing in 2018 that he was stepping away from the group. Ashba commented: "Over the past couple of years, I have found myself going through a musical transformation — almost an evolution, you could say. I allowed my creativity to flow freely without trying to restrain it to conform to a particular genre. I found the whole journey very liberating and also very exciting. It allowed me to experiment with new sounds and compositions that cross the boundaries of multiple music genres, to create something so unique and exciting that I cannot wait to share it with the world." Last year, Ashba spoke to "Vegas Junkeez" about how his new project came together. He said: "It started off in the beginning, me and the singer from SIXX:A.M., James Michael, we had some time off and we started writing like we did. And it eventually evolved, and obviously, it went in a direction, and I pushed it really hard in a direction, and then James kind of got busy and went off [to do] his thing. But it's evolved into this incredible thing that's just awesome. And to have congas and horns… And it's very worldly. It's designed to make the body move. It's full-on dance stuff, but it's great." Calling his solo effort his "number one priority," Ashba said that he is "so, so inspired" by the music that he recorded thus far. "This is everything I've ever wanted to do," he said. "It's kind of like your whole career, you learn all these things, you work with all these people… [This] is kind of just my labor of love — it's something I truly wanna do for me — and it's so gratifying to be able to be in a position… "I've had an incredible career — thank god — but this new thing is just the next chapter," he explained. "It's really special, and it's really a lot of fun. And it's given me the freedom as a songwriter and a producer just to create any style… Basically, I don't have to write for one vocalist or one voice… I can write not only for that, but multiple genres, as long as we keep it within kind of these wide walls that we call [ASHBA]. It's finally my vision unfiltered. So it's really cool. And I'm excited. I think people are really gonna like it. It's something completely different than I've ever done — something new. It's very creative. And me being a creative person, it's the perfect, perfect thing for me, I guess — the perfect project." Photo credit: Michael Pool
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