Scoring Stories, Shaping Culture - Shari Rigby & Ivey Asher

In this episode of Called As Creatives, Shari Rigby sits down with Ivy Asher—an inspiring Gen Z creator transforming entertainment from within. If you've ever wondered how a young artist navigates Hollywood’s pressures while staying true to her calling, this episode reveals it all. Ivy shares her incredible journey from Texas to LA, highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped her career in acting, music, and composing. Discover how she turned rejection into resilience, and her deliberate choices to steward her gifts as a form of ministry, inspiring others to see success beyond fame and fortune.

In a world saturated with noise, Ivy reminds us that authentic influence is rooted in surrender, preparation, and purpose. She advocates for stewarding our talents as a form of ministry, encouraging parents and creators alike to uphold integrity and boundaries in the entertainment industry. This episode is perfect for aspiring artists, parents of young creatives, and anyone seeking to live boldly while staying rooted in faith.As Ivy continues to push boundaries in Hollywood and music, her story is a masterclass in perseverance, purpose, and prayer. Get inspired—because your voice can shape culture just as hers is doing now. Tune in to hear groundbreaking insights on harnessing influence for good and transforming culture through storytelling.

Connect with THE WOMEN IN MY WORLD:

Official website: https://thewomeninmyworld.org/

Instagram:   / thewomeninmyworld  

Facebook:   / thewomeninmyworld  

YouTube:    / @thewomeninmyworld  

Ivey Asher's Instagram -  @iveyasher  

Song: “Blessing in Disguise” 

Performed by: Carlie Conner

Written by: Carlie Conner, Maggie Youngs

Produced by: Nick Lewkowski

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:06

This podcast is a celebration of women who are shaping culture, influencing the world, and boldly stepping into the entertainment industry to create God-honoring content across all media platforms. I'm your host, Sherry Reapy. Grab your coffee, settle in, and join me for an inspiring ride. Today's guest is a young woman boldly living at the intersection of calling and culture. She is a Gen Z creative who is using her voice to shape stories and bring light into the entertainment space. She's not just creating songs, she's stewarding influence. Ivy Asher is a gifted singer, songwriter, actress, and composer whose work seamlessly bridges worship, cinematic storytelling, and screen performance together. She has recently released her original songs, including Skyward, Free, and The Holiday Fave, There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays, which I love, one of my favorites. As a performer, Ivy has appeared in television projects such as Henry Danger and delivered a heartfelt performance in the feature film All is Merry and Bright. Ivy is an accomplished composer whose recent scoring work has expanded her creative influence. She created the original score for the Lady in Defiance audio drama series and composed the original score for the feature film Between the Lines in collaboration with Warner Brothers. Oh, I am so excited to have you welcome one of the women in my world, Ivy Asher.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Thank you for having me, Sherry. I'm so happy to be here.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

I am so excited to have you here and just to celebrate you and to talk about all that you're doing in the world that we live in right now. It's amazing. I want to jump in right away and start to talk to you about just all the things that you've been doing because you are releasing original music. You have been on this journey of acting and music for some time and even composing now. Tell us a little bit about your backstory and then tell us about where and how do you felt like God was calling you into this industry?

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Solid question. I was born in Austin, Texas, raised in San Antonio, Texas. During that time, my mom always said that I could sing before I could talk. And I would write these songs all the time, just in my crib. I was always drawn to the arts. I love television. I mean, I'm a 2000s kid, so I was born in 2001. I was really a Barbie girl too. So I loved imagination. I loved just playing pretend, just like normal kids stuff, but then I never grew out of that phase. When I wrote What Do You Wanna Be When You Grow Up, I always wrote a singer. I always wrote like a performer. And it never changed. It just was always in me. Biggest heartbreak of my life was leaving Texas, really. It was a beautiful time being there. I was raised in such a great community at the time. And I had all the friends. And then when we moved to Nashville, everything changed for me. I was in a public school and it was cold. Like it wasn't cold in Texas. And I still had this love for music and acting. I found like it to be almost now what used to just be something that I could just do. It was something that could help me get through certain things. Like I was severely bullied throughout my entire school until I homeschooled, really. So music became almost like a crutch in a therapy during that time where it used to just be fun. Now it's like actually healing me inside. Acting kind of was crazy because I was 10 years old, full of ambition. And I took a music meeting, and a music guy was like, Why don't you go play soccer? And I was like, I've already played five sports. I don't need that anymore. I was like, I was already a kid, so I'm ready to take on the industry. Everyone was just like, I mean, they were encouraging it, but like that passion and drive was just 100% in my in my body. I was like, this is, I'm going after this.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

This industry is not an easy industry to be in. And we're gonna talk a little bit about that because there is so much pressure in it and culturally, and then even today, I think your generation is dealing with something so much different with social media, what we coin as influencers and the push to have this really kind of extravagant experience on social media that's not really necessarily for just you, but it's also for these people that they're trying to woo to get to follow you. Having these conversations with different women, you get to see and hear how God has called them in at all different times in their lives, whether they're super young like you were, or maybe in a completely different season of life as an empty nest or going into a new season. And it's so brilliant because you go, oh God, you are just so perfect in the alignment of what you do and how you do it and why you do it. And with that being said, I want to talk to you about Hollywood because early on, you and your family. I know. Here we go.

SPEAKER_01 4:57

Let's dive in there.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Well, yeah, let's go. I I remember when God called us to Hollywood and my husband and I took our youngest son. Our oldest was already in college, but our youngest son was still in grade school. And we left and went to Hollywood in 2009. I went at the age of when I had everybody telling me, you're crazy, you should have been there many years ago, you're never gonna get any jobs, you're too old, this will never happen, nobody's, you know. But I knew that I knew that I knew that God was calling me into this industry. And so we went. And I know talking with you and your family, you had the same experience where all of a sudden, when the decision was made, you guys picked up and you went to California. So talk a little bit about being in California, what it was like for you to go through the audition process, what kind of training did you go through? What were some of the pros? What were some of the cons that you faced? And just inevitably the experience that you had uh as this really young teen, young adult, kind of young. Like a child. Young and yeah, child. You were a child star, really. When you went there and just talk a little bit about that experience.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

Oh, yeah. I think when it came to acting, because I, after that meeting, I was like, okay, fine. You know what? He might be right. I'm not ready for music. So when I dove into acting, I was not a normal case in the sense that I got my first audition ever for a movie and I booked it. And I was the only non-Disney kid, like at all. I didn't, I don't even think I had a headshot. I didn't have anything. Like I was just me, myself, and I. And that was like really cool. I mean, the people that I got to meet on that set was unreal. And I probably had a Nashville agent for two months, two, three months. Then they told me, we can't handle the auditions that you're getting. You need to get a bigger agency. They suggested me to, funny enough, Atlanta agent. And then I spent like probably six months driving back and forth to Atlanta, auditioning for like everything, getting headshots. And then I remember it might have been like eight months almost of us doing this Atlanta thing. And I sit down with my agents and they just like look at me and they're like, We think you're so talented. We can't handle everything that you're doing at this scale right now. As an Atlanta agency, we can't reach where you need to go. And they're like, You're too good of an actor. Cause they didn't do, they did West Coast, they didn't do East Coast stuff. And so they didn't do a lot of things. Vancouver was popping off, like everyone was filming in Canada, they couldn't get auditions for those things. Netflix was starting to a little like push a little bit more in like their creative zone. And so they were like, We suggest you go to LA. So in 2015, my mom had a friend out there, and she she's like, you know, my mom, she's just like get it done kind of woman. She is a powerhouse. She's like, My kid's got a dream, you know. I'm gonna support her through and through, like, no matter how long that dream goes, like, we'll be there. Me and Lottie, my sister, she and I were obsessed with Los Angeles. Like, we loved it. We were like, there's something about LA that we just loved. And my mom was like, You can't be in love with a city you've never been to. So let's go spring break. I'll plan everything. I'm gonna stack our schedules. And she's just like ready to really like girl boss all the way to every building, go to the 21st floor of Disney and like, you know, get it all done. And the Lord like stops her and he's like, Do I plan your kids' lives? Or do you plan your kids' lives? Do I do I have every step accounted for, or do you? Do you do that? And she just like stopped and she was like, God, you're in control of their lives and their career, and I'm gonna surrender this to you. And if you want them to go to LA and have a bunch of like meetings and all this stuff, then I'll let you do it. So she sits us down like a few hours before our flight, and she's like, By the way, I didn't email anybody. I felt like the Lord told me to just not, and so we're gonna go. And she's like, I have a plan A, which is us having all these emails show up, and you know, God pulls through, or plan B, we're gonna go live it up in LA, and we're gonna just have the best week of our lives. And I was like, let's go. So we get on the plane, obviously, we we fly into LAX, and when we land and she turns her phone off of airplane mode, she had uh 16 emails, eight emails each for me and Lottie. And it was managers, agents, auditions. Like I have, I still to this day don't even understand how that worked, but that ended up being the busiest week of my life. I met with Disney, I met with Nick, I had met with the top agents. It was just like the craziest thing ever. I ended up getting signed in the room for my agent and manager, just like unheard of. From then on, we were like, dude, we're doing it. I had braces at the time. And obviously, I think if anybody knows, like braces are an absolute no-no in acting. I had the clear ones too. So the first thing that they told me to do was get rid of them. I'm like, you don't need those.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

You know, I have a funny quick like beat. Tell me. I literally just, you know, because I had a jaw issue and I've been, I had gone through this whole thing, and I get where I'm going with this is I had two different orthos tell me because of the jaw situation that I had that I needed braces, and it would be a two-year situation. And as an, you know, a woman that was already in the industry and older, and I had to opt out of them and go a different route. But I just remember going looking at them and going, you can't have braces when you're on camera. There's just it won't happen. And they're like, Well, how about behind the teeth? And I'm like, No, I don't think so. Like, no, you what? So I get it, I get it, I get it. So any age, it's an doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

So no, yeah, and I think it would be cool if we saw some kids with braces on television. I think that would be lit. But I did, I got rid of braces, and then I mean, not kidding. After that, like fall of 2015, Lottie books Disney, and from then on, I just was like, we are in Hollywood, like we are in acting. I was in a lot of acting schools too. Like, I did a lot of acting coaches. Lori Lively was one of my acting coaches, Kelly Park, Chrisha Bullock. I auditioned for like Henry Danger since Henry Danger even started. When I finally booked Henry Danger for the first time, like years, years and years of auditioning for it. They were like literally like so excited that I was there.

SPEAKER_02 11:23

I love, I love that you said the 21st floor of Disney. I remember my youngest son was doing some auditioning at the time and he went to the 21st floor multiple times. And when you say it, when you've been it and you've lived it and you've experienced, you understand it. It's a big deal. It's a big deal to go through this process because you're talking about thousands of kids.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:43

And by the time they get there, and it's down to three or four, you know, that's in this room and the experience. But what I also really loved about what you just said too is that, you know, here's casting directors, you know, you're taking your classes, you're learning, you're growing, you're immersed now in the culture there, and it's time, right? You take the time. The casting directors are taking the time to get to know you and your talent and you start to work alongside of them. It's like a partnership. But they're really, I mean, you can audition for something for two, three, four years and go back for all these different characters because the casting directors are really helping to kind of push you through and keep pushing you through to these producers. They see the hard work, they see, they see something in you. And then finally, there will be something that will click.

unknown 12:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

I just want to encourage everybody that's listening right now, and especially in this industry, that that is really the process. You know, there is no quick way to finding yourself on set. It is really about doing the work, learning and growing in your craft and being patient. I think patience is huge for us. Huge. And through the process, though, is where we learn to carve out just really working through our identity because we're really like this hurry up and wait. And it doesn't come quickly, right? A lot of times you think it is. My question for you, then kind of leading from there, is you go through peaks and valleys. It's peaks and valleys through this entertainment industry that we're in, which is life in general. But how would you, where you're at today in your life, define success because of the peaks and valleys that you've gone through and and so much now that you've experienced in the entertainment industry?

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Oh, it's a good question because I think a lot of people measure success as fame and fortune. Success for me is what I'm doing right now is releasing music. That's a huge deal. That's a huge privilege too, because it's hard to do that. And or auditioning too. Like, I think you're a working actor if you're auditioning. I think that's like, I don't know how everybody feels about that, but I know for a fact I learned I'm a working actor if I'm putting in auditions. And I think a lot of people who don't understand the entertainment industry, they're like, well, you're not really in anything. So, like, what are you doing with your life? We all call it the 10-year overnight success. You have to put your hours in. Like, that's even a thing in music. Right, right. You have to put that in. And some people don't. Like, I had a friend, she was awesome, and she booked, she booked a huge blockbuster Disney movie and then just kept booking. Like, she never stopped. And I remember helping her with an audition one time, and she was just like, I haven't booked. I've put in three auditions and they didn't book me. And I was like, I have put in like thousands of auditions and I haven't been booked in like five years. Yeah. Natural frustration just comes with what we do. That's just like it's frustrating when you're passionate about something, you know you can do it, you're, you believe in yourself and and you're doing the work and you're not seeing the fruit of it yet. I want to tell to any actor that's also going through the motions of if you're walking and you're auditioning and you're putting in auditions, and even if you don't get a callback, I still think you're you are being successful in the sense that you're being called in and seen. And whether that takes you to this amazing big opportunity or not, just know that you're still, you're still working. Like what you're doing is important. It's not less important because you didn't win an Oscar. And I think that's that's at least how I measure my success. How far we get to go is totally up to the Lord. But I I enjoy every single step as best as I can.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

I love that that you're saying that though, because really, first of all, I think in any career, it's hard work, right? It's the reminder that it doesn't happen overnight. And I I talk about this a lot because whether if you were going to be a doctor or you were gonna be a financial advisor or you were gonna be a dentist, whatever it might be, a school teacher, you would go through the process of education. You would go through the process of internship, you would continue, and you know, there's a continuation of education so that you're constantly building a better you and also realizing that that's part of that's part of the goodness of us experiencing something that we have been called to. And in the industry, I love what you said about, you know, a working actor, a lot of it's just auditioning, it's prep, it's going through the process of learning lines, the education. It's how can I build my skills and my resources out even more? How can I be present in a moment when I'm learning about something? And I think that follows over into everything that we do in life because really what it comes back to is hard work, right? Hard work, focus, knowing. And I think that's a big part of even thinking about where you're at and what you're doing in your life is that I wonder if there's been times for you through this process that were you able to discern or think about, wow, this is the talent and gifts that God's given me. But it's not just about the talent and gifts. It really is a call on my life. And if it's a real call on my life, then how do I take the talents and gifts and then use them as a ministry as I'm going through the peaks and valleys of this industry?

SPEAKER_00 17:10

I mean, have you have you thought about it like that at all? Or for sure. I I have my good friend, her name's Jess. She's she's an amazing pastor woman. We did a young adult's night, and one night she just talked about stewarding the gift and the reason why God gave it to you. And she talked about how this ministry school that she was at, this kid came to her and was like, I want to be a pastor. And she's like, Okay, great. Why not be a pastor? She goes, Have you done your homework? Like, have you done your schoolwork for this? And he was like, No, I'm wasting my time. Like, when am I gonna write an essay? And when am I gonna do blah, blah, blah? I know where I'm supposed to go. And she was like, If you know where you're supposed to go and you're not putting in the work, then you can't steward what you've been given and you won't be able to steward it well when you're when it's given to you. And so I sat there when I heard it, and I was like, ooh, have I stewarded what the Lord has given me well? To be quite candid, I think two years ago I went through a whole gonna maybe sound Christianese a little bit, but like a stripping season where like everything was ripped away from me. And I had to be face to face with myself and go, if I never pick up anything ever again, if I never sing again, if I never write again, if I never play piano or act again, will I be okay with my life? And through that season, I think the Lord confirmed how much it's in my blood, like what I'm supposed to do. And it was the act of surrender to the Lord of being like, I think when you know it's your call, immediately give it up to the Lord. Immediately put it on the altar because it wasn't yours in the first place. And it's a hard lesson to learn. But if you can learn to live your life knowing that it's something you're supposed to do, but also in the constant state of surrender, I think you are gonna have a better perspective of every loss, every disappointment. There's purpose in that disappointment. And so when I heard Jess say that, I like remember praying immediately after and was like, Lord, this is a gift you've given to me. How can I steward this that you've given me? And how have I not stewarded it well? And it's like, you don't really put much care and effort into your auditions anymore. We call that burnout, but it's okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Like I was good.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

I was burnt out and I was like, you're right. I I memorized my lines, maybe now, and I just have them on the screen. I'm like, I don't care, I'm probably not gonna book it. Like my attitude was wrong, and like everything about it was wrong. And it's the reason why I say this is because the Lord isn't telling you to always be prepared because he wants you to like just it's annoying. He's doing it because one day you're gonna have an audition, one day you're gonna have a music thing, and you need to be sharp as a sword when that comes. Yeah, and you're ready to like give your best because he knows your best. And so if he knows you can be the best and he's telling you how to, and you're ignoring it, and then that big opportunity comes, we get mad and we're like, well, I've totally failed that. He's like, bro, I literally told you like three, three months ago, three weeks ago, to start prepping, to start rehearsing, start doing voice. Just be ready. Be ready in the preparation of what's to come. When it's your call, don't make it your identity. Know that it's surrendered to the Lord. It was never yours, but always know to be practicing and know that it's a privilege to practice for that big moment, for that big like open door that the Lord has for you.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

No, that's so good. I always talk about preparation and talent when they come together. That's when we see real success in this industry. We're talking about some really good stuff here. And there's people that are gonna be listening right now that, you know, different seasons in life, but I have a lot of women who are stewarding their children in the sense of acting music, you know, children who really do believe that they are called to be creative, that that God has called them into this industry, and some very young ones as well. What would you say to that parent that is navigating this with a child? Because a lot of them come to me and say, I am scared of this. This place is dark. This industry is dark. It is a culture I do not want my children in. I do not want them doing one thing in this industry. How do I keep them away from it? What would you say to that parent who's listening right now?

SPEAKER_00 21:26

I would say trust the discernment that you have as a parent and trust the discernment as your kid. When I was a kid though, I knew my parents were on my side and were always there to protect but also support me. And so there's a balance there for sure. But when I think about my mom, I think she sat down and she she looked at me and she was like, There's a lot that you can do, and there's a lot that you can't do. What do you want to do as an actor? What do you want to live with? What career do you want to build? And And I remember being like, I don't want to do nudity. Like, I knew I was like, I remember being 15, being in an audition. They asked me to do something I wasn't ready to do. And knowing it was wrong in my heart, I walked out of that audition, totally knew I was never gonna book that. Like, obviously. But I remember being like, this is wrong. And I think for the parents that are stewarding their kids that are like, oh gosh, I don't know what to do, let them know their boundaries. Like, figure out your boundaries. I say no to a lot of roles. I learned to not be desperate early in the in like the beginning of my career because at the end of the day, the right role will find you. And you don't ever want to take something you don't want to live out. Saying no to nudity and no to certain other like content that I just I don't want to play that character. I think it's great that people would, but like I just personally don't feel that way. I knew my mom supported me, but she also was there to help me out. There were some roles that I was like, should I do this? Should I not do this? I think it's supporting them and protecting them, but also knowing that like your kid can change their minds as well. And I think that that's also okay too, because not only are you figuring it out, they're figuring it out. I think that's probably the best advice that I could give is know your boundaries, know your kids' boundaries and like defend them.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Absolutely. I think it's such good communication, right? We have communication and we have the ability to have those open conversations. And that's really what it is. Anything we do, even when it comes to just being consumers of content too, right? Like when we're watching something or listening to something. I want to talk to you. I want to shift gears a little bit from the acting to the music because that has been such a big part of your life. Hey friends, if you're enjoying today's episode, we'd love your support. Hit like, subscribe, comment, and share this video, which helps us grow the channel that directly supports the women in my world and our mission to develop, educate, and launch Christian women in the entertainment and media industry. Every action you take truly makes a difference in our ministry. And now we'd like to share a brief video about the heart and mission behind the women in my world. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us. Hi, I'm Sherry Ritby, the founder of the Women in My World. Our goal is simple but powerful. We focus on developing, educating, and launching Christian women in entertainment and media. Our aim is to train up emerging talent, empower them to craft impactful, God-honoring content across various platforms, and contribute to positive global change through leadership roles. We invest in women by providing opportunities to learn essential skills in their desired field. Through hands-on education and on-the-job training, we build a community of like-minded women who shepherd others to grow and flourish in their careers. The Women in My World has helped support and launch women into key positions, such as producers, script supervisors, production and costume designers, directors, makeup and hair artists, and so many more. These women have gone on to expand their resumes and their relationships, which have provided opportunities to work on major network television shows and feature films. Due to the small percentage of Christian women and decision-making roles and entertainment, believers must invest in their training, mentoring, and discipleship. These women can then become a voice to change in the negative narratives influencing our culture and shed light on topics we desperately need to tackle from a biblical worldview. The Women in My World is honored to help support women and their careers in entertainment and media as they bring redemptive stories to life and uplift, encourage, and influence the world for Christ. You have been on this upward swing of you're releasing singles, you are doing videos and social media, and I want to talk about some of the songs that you've released recently. Why are these the songs that have, you know, have empowered you to move forward? Why are these the songs that you've chosen? How did they come about? Tell us a little bit about the most recent song that you released and how you're speaking to the generation today with your music and give us a little backdrop on what type of music you sing.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Okay, I love that. I think I sing pop music, I think it has some faith influence behind it for sure. But I most definitely still have rung true as a pop artist, even to this day. I think they're special because I came forward writing this album in that state of surrender after kind of putting everything down, laying it all down, and going, okay, this is what you're called me to do. What do you want me to sing? And so for Skyward specifically, I love that song. I didn't love it at first when I got it, I'll be honest. It was so different than what I was used to. And I remember we were just having a fun time writing it. Mitch Parks is my producer. He's who I've worked with this entire process. And listen to the lyrics, it's all about starting in one place and ending in a completely different place. It starts in the nighttime and it kind of ends in the daytime. And it's like the night season of like, I was dancing in the moonlight, I was finding my way with my eyes closed. Like I was directionless. I didn't know where I was going. But then all of a sudden, you know, you can view it as the Lord came in, or you can view it as passion came back or inspiration came back. It can be through a depressive season and then finding that reason to keep going forward. It is made for anybody in any kind of perspective, but that's the song is ultimately like I'm going up. There is no ceiling now. There's nothing gonna hold me back from what I thought was gonna hold me back. And so when I didn't like it, I sat with the lyrics and I think I sat and laid on my floor, which I usually do when I listen to my music, and I'm sitting and I'm like, wait, I really like this song. It's really good, and I actually really resonate with it. It's actually exactly where I'm at in the season of my life. And so I just when I got it and I was like, let's push it forward. Ultimately, I I moved a single that I was supposed to release, this recent release, Skyward, was gonna be later. And I was like, no, I think it needs to come out now. I think this is the messaging for now. And for free, the song I didn't want to write, that's the joke, is I didn't even want to write that song. I came in super emotional. I love emotional songs, and there will be a time and day where I get to release all my heartbreak songs and all of the like, you know, the sad emo hours of Ivy Asher at two in the morning. But like, that's not the season that I'm in right now. It's not the season that I'm supposed to release the music. And so this album specifically is all about growing up and living life. And so for free, when Mitch was like, what if we wrote a happy song? Has like, what if, what if, what would that look like? And he's like, Let's find out. So when we did it, it came to be like one of the funnest songs. His kids love it, his kids are like the tester of music, and he's like, and I think it's awesome that kids listen to my music. I actually think that has the highest honor ever that a parent would let their kids listen to my music. I'm like, yeah, heck yeah, listen to my music. Like, come see my show. Like, let's have a good time. Like, let's have super fun. Like, let it be a safe environment for everyone, no matter age, anything. It's just, it's it's music for everyone at any time in their life. And I love free because it did resonate with the kiddos. And they sent he sent me a video of them dancing, and I was like, I won! I did it. So that one was just a it was a freedom song. It was a good moment for like feeling free. Everybody needs a song that's like, you know, breaking out, and you're like, yeah, I'm like, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

I'm like, I I'm constantly listening to your music because there's a lot of upbeat energy to it, and it feels so good. I'm I'm really curious right now, because you you mentioned Mitch, who writes alongside of you, I'm assuming, and produces. Talk a little bit about the process because I'm sure that there's a lot of people who are listening that goes, I want to do music. I would love to write a song. Or maybe I'm that person that has tried to write a song, but I have no idea what the process looks like for me to navigate even getting a song done. Like, what does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 30:21

Oh, it looks like many different things. It looks, it can look like washing the dishes and you're like thinking of a melody, and you're like pause and you put the dish down and you hit your phone and record it, and you're like, this makes no sense, but I'm just gonna throw the melody down. It also can look like a phrase. I have a song that's coming out. It's my next single called Jesus is a friend of mine. And that was a phrase that I came up with that I wasn't walking with the Lord. I wasn't walking with him at all. I was questioning my faith. It came through such a heavy season of church hurt too. I don't, I remember the lyric used to be, I don't know what I think about God, but I get Jesus because he's all I've got. I knew Jesus loved me. You know, we sing that song, Jesus loves me. This I know from the Bible tells me so. I knew, but in my heart, like I was not connected to God. There was a disconnect, but I knew Jesus was a homie. But I was like, this guy, this guy who smited people, I don't know. I was like, I am.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

You're like, I'm not sure. That old testament stuff is a little strong. Intense.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

That's almost intense. And so I found comfort in Jesus though, in in that season. And I knew he was the comforter, and I knew he was that. So that song came from that was just a phrase. That was just a phrase in my brain. Like, Jesus is a friend of mine. I obviously didn't know like what a friend we had in Jesus. Like those songs I came to me after, but I'm glad I didn't know because the original idea came from nothing other than my own brain and the ideal realm of heaven, basically. So that was a phrase. So I wrote that down, and then I took it into a session and I wrote that with uh Paul. He's a totally different guy. He's Paul Duncan, he's incredible. Mitch ended up producing it, but you know, it music comes from a lot of things I produce a lot. And one song that's on the album, too, it's called Rules of Life. I had this track and I like layered, I like love layering things, and I can't get technical with everybody, but like a lot of synthesizers just made this one sound, and it's so cool. And I brought it to Mitch and I was like, I don't know what this is, but I think this is something. And he was like, Let's produce it together. And so we were cooking, like we were in the kitchen and we were cooking up this track, and through that track, I just threw out like, I don't know the rules of life, like I don't know what I'm doing. And he's like, That's it, like that's the song. Like, let's write about you not know what you're doing, and you don't know that nobody told you what you're supposed to do. And so writing and working with Mitch, it's also finding somebody you're comfortable with. Like, he's just somebody that I know that I can come to at any point in my time in like time and day, and just be like, I'm not feeling super great, and him be like, Cool, let's let's write about it. Like, he's the same person that I can yeah, I can go to. And so I think a lot of people, John Mayer even says, like he said it on a podcast, he likes to just write songs and he will be like sitting with his guitar or like I was thinking at a piano, and he'll just hit record and he'll just play, and he will put words. He sometimes he thinks focusing on words is hard, and so he's like, just get the melody out and like flush that out and then worry about the words later. So I think the process of songwriting is different for everyone, but it doesn't have to look like a certain thing. It doesn't have to be like, I have to have this lyric, I have to have this melody. Sometimes it can just be like a sound, it can be it can be anything, it can be your day that you had. Like, man, that could be a good song. You can use it as a journal entry, just start rhyming your day. If the bird was blue, like what else rhymes with that? Like, you know, just like write through through your day and just get comfortable writing. And then one day you'll find it and you'll you'll get it and you'll be like, okay, this is a little bit easier. I got this. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:07

Yeah. And I I do that with writing. If I'm writing, you know, and writing a script or if I'm just journaling or whatever, but I always feel like if the less you think about it and the more you just free flow, the better off you're gonna be. This is when like that something special happens. I want to talk a little bit about where you were, because we're talking about music that you're creating, we're talking about acting. I love that you have this incredible creative spirit that God has married with ministry, really, for you, and to be such a voice. Right now, I think generation Z, there's this cultural pressure, right? And I want to talk a little bit about that because you're in a world that is so visual and so audible, really, in so many ways. But you're part of that generation and you're navigating social media pressures, comparisons, cancel culture, constant visibility. And so I want just to talk a little bit right now about what challenges are you facing as a Gen Z? And how do you navigate that that pressure, that comparison, that culture challenge right now? How do you tackle that with everything that you're doing in the industry?

SPEAKER_00 35:16

I tackle it through, well, partnering with truth is a big, big deal for me. And I think it's hard and I don't get it right all of the time. But when it comes to social media, it is a difficult thing. I don't really love it. Like, I hate to say it, like I love the fact that I've connected with people. I love that I all of the things that come with it. There's so many major pluses. I stream on I stream on TikTok and and Twitch, and I stream funny enough, Minecraft. And I found that a lot of people just like to hang out with me for a few, like I'm not kidding. Like I have people that will join me the second I start my live stream. Four hours later, they'll still be there. And so these people are longing for connection, they're longing for a corner, a place to just land that's just chill and fun, and they can kind of be whatever they want to be or comfortable in their own skin. And I think social media has breeded insecurity in such a way of like comparison is the thief of joy. It's a fact, it's so true. I I mean, I could scroll all day on TikTok and go, well, you know, my music isn't skyrocketing because I don't have millions of followers. Yeah, there's some truth to that, but that's not the point. I I think my whole thing is if one person listened to my music, if one person listened to anything and that was it, that would be enough for me. Learning that in social media, where it is a numbers game. Oh, I didn't go viral, that wasn't good enough, or I I got, I don't know, like that video didn't work, or this doesn't work. And I mean, I'm constantly faced with criticism over and over and over about what I should do and what I'm not doing right and all of this stuff, and you're just like overwhelmed. And I think staying true to myself is it's what I want to do. I'm like, I'm not gonna change because one day somebody's gonna find me and they're gonna be like, wait, that I like that. Like, I relate to that. The reason why people gravitate to the people that they do is there's originality to them. I think you also have to put social media on the altar. You have to know that you're you're the Lord has each and every step. As frustrating as that can sound, sometimes it's true. And like, do I believe the Lord is gonna take me to the places that I'm going to? Social media is a very big deal in the entertainment industry now. It's like, well, if you don't have this many followers, then what do you bring to the table? And I think that's a lost art, is what people bring to the table who don't have that many followers. There's so many talented people out there that don't have millions of followers. And there's now a privilege to having followers, and there's more things to having it. So I think it's easy to fall into this not good enough, almost like self-deprecating mental space. When I started taking social media as I don't really care. Like the right people are gonna find me. And until that happens, I'm just gonna keep hanging out and doing my best. I think that's when the pressure kind of came off of me. And it's like, it's not that serious. It really is not that serious. We're we're okay.

SPEAKER_02 38:16

Well, I think it's a good reminder that you said something really significant that you have to put it on the altar, right? Social media is not the end all to be all. I actually have experienced multiple times that there are a lot of things like when we've released books or we've released films or whatever. There's a lot of people out there that have a smaller following or actually, you know, the social media handle that's that's smaller that actually has a better push because those are loyal and following. Like they're real people, they're authentic to what the message is and the branding behind the individual. And so I really love that. I hope that we can all get back to real life communication. People need real communication. We need to be able to have communication and conversations that actually sharpen us. You know, it says in the word iron sharpens iron. So how are we being sharpened by conversation and relationship? And you don't, you just don't get that from telephones and scrolling, right? And it says even in the word, like, you know, you don't want to be distracted. And I think that distracting us and keeps us off our game because we're looking at others rather than keeping our eyes on the prize. And when we're not keeping our eyes on the prize, we're not able to run our own race. We're running somebody else's race almost unintentional, but we are because we're comparing ourselves. And what I love about what you do, Ivy, and the strength that you have is that you not only come from an acting and music perspective, but you really do look at the the work that you're doing through a lens of your faith. And that's what keeps you, I think, so connected. And I guess in my mindset, and what I'm what I would love to ask you is, you know, do you believe that music can actually shift the culture? And if so, how? Like, because I think music and storytelling in so many ways can shift a culture and impact a generation. How do you think that happens? And do you believe that can be done?

SPEAKER_00 40:10

Yeah, I do. I think that music is a universal language. I think everybody can learn a song. And it's proven time and time again, We Are the World is one of the better songs that we have, and everyone knows it. You have these songs that bring people together. And I think with social media, with where we are in every every aspect of life, I want to remind people that we are stronger together. And the enemy loves to divide and conquer. That's something that I hate seeing is how much division we have. And I think communication is also connection and community. Music is powerful because it it meets you where you're at, but it can take you places as well, negative and positive. Music is a unifier, it's a beautiful thing. Every single person's going through something in that one song. They could all come to that one song, one conclusion, and just go, that song got me from this place. And then that other person would be like, that's so funny. It met me in this season of my life, and that's when it spoke to me. And so I think, yes, I do think it changes the culture. It changes atmospheres, it changes moods, it helps you understand what you're going through and a lot of what's going on around you as well. It's beautiful. It's so good.

SPEAKER_02 41:16

Well, I want to talk to you because I I know we're getting ready to wrap up. You are also composing music, which so you've also stepped into that role. And that is a completely different. I mean, it's not completely different, but it is different. There's so many more elements to composing because you are designing something that sets the atmosphere and a mood for whether it's a visual experience or whether it's an audible experience. And so very excited. I know you've done a short film before, but you came on to work with me. You and I met on a movie called Allah's Mary and Bright, which we got to be on a Christmas movie together.

SPEAKER_00 41:51

I was her younger version. Yeah. Don't we look alive, guys?

SPEAKER_02 41:54

That's right. Like, that's right. And we had such a good time. And I love that the Lord was just highlighting you in my life to say, this is the woman. And I didn't even know what that looked like. I'm always caught off guard when the Lord will be like, here, this is what I want. I'm like, do I am I obedient in that? Does that even make sense to me right now? But then when I step out in faith and I say, okay, I'm not sure that I'm hearing right, but I'm gonna do what I think that you've just called me to do. And then what I realize is, and just like with you, is that he was like, Yes, this is the yes that I'm pointing you to. And so I remember calling you and I started to tell you about a project that we have called A Lady in Defiance. And I shared the whole kind of backdrop of this, you know, incredible 1880s Western. And it's about these three powerful sisters who, you know, go across the country and they face tragedy. And and, you know, and we talked about it, and then I said, What do you think? And you were like, Well, let me just see, you know, if I what I come up with. And I think I don't even know. I always say this, I don't even know if it was like 30 minutes later, and you sent me what today is now the theme song for a lady in defiance. And you ended up scoring um the series, and it's so powerful. I mean, everybody who's just listened to the first episode has just been blown away by the emotional journey that they go on, not only with the talent and the actors, but the music. And then you came alongside of me, you created other music, and I don't know that people even realize how hard this is, but I would ask you, like, hey, can you get me this music tomorrow? I have to record it on site live. And you'd be like, Oh, let me take a deep breath. Yes. And then you would do it, and inevitably, here comes this, like these awesome songs in this movie. And then you come on and you score this movie between the lines. I I know I've just rattled on a lot, but I but but tell us a little bit about first of all the experience in saying yes as a composer, what it was like to do an audio drama for the 1880s, you know, and what kind of flavor you brought into that to tell this epic story about these three sisters. And then talk a little bit about what it was like for you then to step into a feature film which was starring Jennifer Taylor and Christopher Paloja and gosh, I mean, you know, Josh Swickard, I mean, some really awesome folks. Talk about this experience and what it's meant to you.

SPEAKER_00 44:18

Yeah, it has been a wild experience. Composing was something I always wanted to do. I remember being in LA and composing just little pieces of like, this is what would happen when this character experiences this. And I didn't even know what I was doing. And so when you called me and ultimately told me about that, I just remembered of 17-year-old Ivy in our LA apartment creating this atmosphere for this TV show that I had just have had in my brain for forever. And it's like, I can do it, but I don't know how to do it now that it's serious. You know, it's not like fun anymore. It's like it's an actual ass. It's a job, it's a job, it's a job now. I think when you called me and I was hesitant, I was shaking. I was like, before you sign me or anything, let me just send you what I can come up with, and then you just tell me. And I remember being like, it's okay if you hate it too. I'm not gonna be offended. And you're like, Ivy, shush, this is like the best thing I've heard in a long time. When I got Lady in Defiance, when I got the script, I was in love with it. I remember getting to one of the parts with Jesus, and it shook me to my core. And I was like, okay, I love Western music. I just I got inspiration from a bunch of different things, and I just sat with it. Well, firstly, I prayed, Lord, what do you hear? What do you hear? I'd scroll and I'd find sounds that I like and I'd put them all together, and I'd just like mash them together through these scenes. And when I got the voices and I heard the actors, it was easy to almost sit and be like, in this moment, like, how do I feel? What do I want to feel as a listener? What do I want to feel sonically? And like, how do I want to be moved? Listening to it and going, okay, sometimes it would just be me playing on the piano and just like playing it as well in a somber, sad like feeling. And I'm like, okay, that's kind of the vibe. Or it's like an intense moment where you lose people that you care about and you want to go and you want to feel that like heartbreak, but you want to feel that intensity. And so it was fun to create, it's almost like you have the story, and then there's a story also being told with the music, and to have control over that was crazy, and it was really fun. But I it was a challenge too because at times I was like, I have no idea how to do this. I don't know how to, I didn't go to school for this. I learned piano by ear. I am figuring this out literally as we go. When it between the lines happened, I remember it starting out as like an 80s thing. You sent me, you were like, Hey, we have a song. I want you to sing for this. Will you write an original song for the scene? I need it in 24 hours. And I was like, I can do that. I can totally do that. Let me call my producer. So I called Mitch, who's like really good at 80s stuff, and I was like, Mitch, I need you to send me the greatest thing. And I sat in this room that I'm in and I wrote just say yes, and it's a pivotal moment in the movie. I'm super happy that I was able to do it. So thank you for taking a chance on me.

SPEAKER_02 47:10

Well, I'm actually excited because to me, it really was a moment that the Lord spoke to me and was like, this is your woman. And I think that's what plays so well and really is so cool to watch what God does through the Women in My World Ministry is that He really does bring the women that he's getting ready to cultivate, right? Like that he's getting ready to do something with. And so it's it's awesome to be able to step back and watch what he did with you because you took both of these projects and you elevated them to the whole next level of what these projects were about. I um, as a director, producer, writer, specifically, I guess as a director, you know, when I'm in post-production, I am, and even pre, everything that creates the story, whether it's wardrobe or hair and makeup or a location or whatever that is, is all happening simultaneously for me. I'm thinking about all of it. I'm thinking about what drives the entire movie so that it's not only visually pleasing, but it actually is a character. Those pieces are characters in the movie. And then when I get into production, I'm seeing it. And then when I get into post-production, I see it all come together. And the other part of post-production is music. And so often people don't even understand. Like if you watched a movie as just an assembly and it doesn't have the sound or the music or anything with it, most people wouldn't like it. They wouldn't even, they wouldn't resonate with it. Most of the time, it's really hard to even resonate with. And so what music does is really creates an entire new character and world for us to emotionally connect to. And I think that you as a composer and Luke, I mean, Luke is unbelievable. You know, you both were able to take these projects and move them into this next space of excellence and epic. You know, when I think about epic sound, epic music, that's where we're at. And I so thank you for being so willing to step in and say yes. If I'm so excited that you're at the age where you're at, you're at the place you are in your career, you're a woman in my world, and you are somebody who is literally putting your fingerprints on things that I really do believe are gonna change culture through the art of storytelling. Oh. What's next for Ivy Asher? And where can people follow you and how can they support you through all of the things that you're doing?

SPEAKER_00 49:26

Well, you can always follow me on social media as much as we talked about it. That would help. Um, I'd love for you guys to be a part of the community that we've built online. That would be awesome. All my social media handles are in my name, just Ivy Asher. And yeah, what's next is just releasing music and you know, starring in a movie, hopefully soon. Wink wink. And I'm excited for I'm excited for that as well. And just, I mean, dropping dropping the next song, which is Jesus is a friend of mine that comes out on Good Friday. I don't know when this is gonna be released, but Good Friday. If it isn't already out, then you should stream it and sharing it and tagging me would mean the world to me. But yeah, releasing music, continuing to work in the acting space. That's that's basically my agenda.

SPEAKER_02 50:10

That's so good. I love it. Thank you for influencing culture the way that you are today. And I'm just I'm so proud of you, and I love that you are one of the women in my world who's constantly, constantly making me just feel encouraged and inspired through this process. So thanks for joining me today. Thank you for having me, Sherry. You're the best. Well, everyone, thank you again for joining us for another incredible interview on the women in my world. Man, you you've gotta like just sit back, listen, and make sure that you follow Ivy, you listen to her music. Um, I would tell you to go on not only Spotify, but any of those RSS feeds that you listen to, that you love, go on to YouTube, watch. You do not want to miss out on this young lady's career and who she is as an influencer today in the culture that we're living in. So make sure to support her. But thank you again for joining us, supporting the women in my world, and uh, we look forward to seeing you again next time. We hope today's episode inspired you. If it did, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with somebody in your world so we can reach more and more amazing women in entertainment and media. We'd love to hear from you. So drop us a comment below. Your support truly means the world to us and it helps us keep doing this important work. Also, don't miss out on signing up for our newsletter and you get our acting prep guide for free. It's packed with tips to help you step into your purpose. If you feel led, also please consider donating to support our ministry. All the links are in the show notes below. We can't wait to hear from you to join us next time.