More about: Ashnikko

On Friday night (1 May) Ashnikko held a live stream gig in association with her debut studio album, DEMIDEVIL. As the screen fades in, her signature logo appears amongst sparse heavy breathing before she appears on-screen with a face of glitter, riding a holographic pink bear. As she sets into single release, ‘Tantrum’, Ashnikko makes it very clear just how hard she is going to deliver on this live stream.

Off to a courageous start, Ashnikko steps into her next track, ‘Toxic,’ at this point you can see the official setup, as she stands in the centre of her fairy-tale, mushroom kingdom. I don’t think any of us imagined we’d get to this point with live music, but considering it was a live stream Ashnikko really made Friday night feel like the real deal. Her vocals were crystal clear, the setup was daunting yet enchanting, and her DJ Krystal Lake was delivering some quality stuff on her decs. 

Making her way through her DEMIDEVIL tracklist, Ashnikko rolls into third track ‘Deal with It’ as DJ Krystal Lake spins Kelis’ adlibs from ‘Caught Out There'. Taking a moment to emphasise the importance of the fundamentals of consent, Ashnikko says, “my body, your bodies, are not invitations for harassment or abuse of any kind. What I’m wearing, fuck that, this is not a fucking invitation,” before, of course, spinning into her 2018 feminist riot, ‘Invitation'.

In just the first four tracks of this show Ashnikko is literally bouncing across the stage: each track has been a whirlwind of events, only proving just how fucking excited we should all be for her UK tour this December. On a roll of female-power enthusiasm, up next is, unapologetic ‘Little Boy’, the ultimate diss track to arrogant, cis, heterosexual men. 

Surrounded by loony, galactic visuals, false devil horns and wings, Ashnikko continues with ‘Slumber Party'. The visuals, mixed with her now luminous mushroom kingdom, were certain to send any acid trip haywire. Accelerating into ‘Manners’, Ashnikko, cackles while she raps: “In the moonlight, dancin’ no pyjamas, that dick tastes like yankee candle”. Ashnikko is literally the coolest fucking artists and lyricists making warped hip-hop right now. 

Whizzing through the melodic ‘Good While it Lasted’ and ‘Cry’, the screen fades out and in again as Ashnikko appears laying in a tub of jelly screeching: “fuck capitalism, but you should buy this jelly bath.” Fading into her first costume change, Ashnikko breaks into energetic album intro ‘Daisy’, later followed by country inspired, ‘Working Bitch.’

Appearing from absolutely nowhere are two dancers head-to-toe in neon bodysuits, dancing as flowerpots whilst Ashnikko sings ‘Drunk With My Friends.’ Moments later the artist finds herself in hysterical tears, as she announces to us that she has in fact just pissed herself a little bit. Something none of us anticipated, yet are none too surprised by. Cackling and coughing into her mic, Ashnikko whispers “demidevil” before spiralling into ‘Halloweenie III Seven Days.’ 

Penultimate track ‘L8r Boi’ is followed by Ashnikko running into her ‘crowd’ and thanking everyone as she returns to her dressing room, reading on the door as, ‘Fart Girls Dressing Room’. Exiting like this you immediately presume that was her finale, whilst questioning why the hell she’s forgotten to perform her iconic, ‘Clitoris the Musical,’ but of course, this is her encore people! As the screen blacks out, Ashnikko crawls out of a clam gooey, as she concludes with, ‘Citrous the Musical.’ 

A very on-the-nose performance from Ashnikko that’s only emphasised our obsession with her kaleidoscopic energy even more. 

More about: Ashnikko