Ashatree on Their Name, Cover Art, and Interests Besides Music

Bang Tae-yeon and Moon Ji-won explain their group name, describe their latest single, and more.

For those who have not heard your music before, how would you describe it to them? How would you finish the sentence “Ashatree is ___” or “Ashatree’s music is ___”?

“Ashatree is a female duo who sings [about] real love [and has] real energy.”

What is the story behind your group name?

“Ashatree” is a team name that means “true tree.” It has the meaning of expressing a variety of music that extends like various [branches of a] tree.

What special traits or skills do you contribute to the group as individuals? Do your strengths and weaknesses balance each other out?

Moon Ji-won is a soulful vocalist with [dark] vibes. Bang Tae-yeon is a technical vocalist who crosses various emotions. [We are] a duo of two harmonized vocalists with different emotions.

What careers would you be pursuing if not music?

Bang Tae-yeon: [A] designer [or] skin care worker. I'm interested in bags and clothing fabric, and I like to take care of my skin.

Moon Ji-won: [A] live club president. One goal is to [own] a space where you can sing as much as you want in a good atmosphere.

Please describe your new single, "Plea"!

It is a remake of [a] Bubble Sisters [song from] 2003 with [an] emotional reinterpretation. It has been reborn as [a] breakup song, by adding careful emotional expression and powerful singing to the original [message of] mournful parting.

Do you have a personal favorite piece of cover artwork?

Personally, [we] think the album cover [for] “YOUR ENERGY" contains a lovely feeling that goes well with the song.

Please share some information about these songs:

"When It Rains": There was a huge flood in Seoul as soon as the song was released.

"YOUR ENERGY": It's our affectionate debut song. It expresses gratitude to the fans who listen to and like our songs. The high note part is harder than [that part in] any other song, but it's a song that gives more energy [than our other songs] to those who listen to it when they sing it well.

Did you set any career goals for 2023, and have you reached them yet?

To be honest, [our] goal for this year is to get on the charts. [We’re] always trying to grab opportunities to show more [of] Ashatree to many people.

What is next for you? Do you have any upcoming projects you can give hints about?

Although it is not decided, it is in the planning stage to play our songs on Korean music programs, and we are constantly preparing for the next [release]. 

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourselves or your music?

Ashatree is a duo who sings songs that express true energy and love for many people. [We] want to show you various genres of music. Please continue to show a lot of love and support [for] Ashatree! Asha asha treeting, [aka] fighting!

Check out Ashatree’s newest single here, and keep up with them on YouTube and Instagram!

Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity. Photo courtesy of Ashatree.