Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti released a new single today titled “Early in the Morning,” feat. French Montana. “Early in the Morning” was produced by DJ Clue, and is now available on iTunes. This is the latest single from Ashanti’s latest studio album Braveheart, the #1 Independent Album released by Written Entertainment/eOne Music.
The video for “Early in the Morning” premieres today on VEVO, and Ashanti will introduce the video on BET’s 106th & Park on October 20th. Watch it here (insert link). The video was filmed at Daddy’s House, P. Diddy’s studio, and was directed by Eif Rivera. Rivera also directed the video for Ashanti’s single, “I Got It” feat. Rick Ross, also from Braveheart.
In addition, Ashanti’s holiday album A Wonderful Christmas with Ashanti will be available exclusively at physical retailer Target and digital outlets on October 28th, 2014. The album features 2 original compositions as well as Ashanti’s renditions of Christmas classics.
Ashanti recently performed the National Anthem at the Bank of America 500 Weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11th, the high profile and only night race in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Ashanti’s smash hit debut album, the self-titled Ashanti, sold over 500,000 units in its first week and landed her the #1 spot on both the Billboard Top 200 and R&B album charts, and a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most albums sold by a debut female artist. In addition, her first three chart entries landed in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, making Billboard history, tying the Beatles. That year, her album “Ashanti” won the GRAMMY for Best Contemporary R&B Album, eight Billboard Awards, two American Music Awards and she was presented with the Soul Train Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year Award. Over the last decade, Ashanti has appeared in a number of films (Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die, Resident Evil 4), television shows (the 2013 season of “Army Wives” on Lifetime), recorded four more albums, penned a book of poetry, starred on Broadway and launched the fragrance Precious Jewel. Most recently, Ashanti received the 2013 Soul Train Award for Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance for “Never Should Have,” a previous single from “Braveheart.” She also stared as Teanna in Lifetime’s 2013 holiday movie Christmas in the City. She was prominently featured in the network’s It’s a Wonderful Life campaign last year with her version of “Let It Snow.”