BIO
Get ready to get dark and dirty with Queen of the minor key, Ashlea Reale, as she combines her Aussie folklore with New York Slim’s Americana hill country blues fretwork. A ‘salt of the earth’ acoustic duo, these gals have a passion for bringing new life to dark stories from Western Australia’s colonial past. Their performance can be likened to a true-crime podcast meets Australian folk with a sprinkle of Americana country bluegrass. Wrapped up in foot stomping rhythms and clever lyrics, bushrangers, convicts and shipwrecks take centre stage. These gals are original, but true to tradition, and will have you captivated from the first chord to the final holla!
Ensnaring audiences with her charming stories of local outlaws, Reale’s song writing style displays her ability to combine humour with the heartfelt through clever melodic devices. In 2019, Reale and New York Slim collaborated on their first studio album, which was presented as a special Australian Heritage Festival concert at the notorious Fremantle Prison.
Reale spent the covid lockdown digging through the archives and researching the darkest stories from Western Australia’s colonial past, resulting in the beginnings of their latest album which features the mutinies, murders and shipwrecks from WA’s treacherous coastline. These songs are set to be released on the duo’s second studio album in mid-2024 which will be launched on their UK tour.
Notable Performances
2022
Mandurah Arts Festival, WA
Support for Vikki Thorn, WA
Gidgestock Festival, WA
2021
Toodyay Music Festival, WA
Fairbridge Festival, WA
Folk on the Water – WA Folk Federation event
West Australian Guitar Festival, WA
Gidgistock Festival, WA
2020
Fairbridge Festival, WA - CANCELLED
Palm Creek Folk Festival, QLD - CANCELLED
2019
Mandurah Crab Festival, WA
Australian Heritage Festival, WA
Folk in the Forest Festival, WA
WAMFest, WA
2018
FRINGE WORLD Festival, WA
Mandurah Crab Festival, WA
Mandurah Stretch Arts Festival, WA
2017
Top Half Folk Festival, NT
Previous performances include…
2016
FRINGE WORLD Festival, WA
Fremantle Heritage Festival, WA
Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, NSW
Wallaby Creek Festival, QLD
Wimborne Minster Folk Festival, UK
Knitted Character Folk Festival, UK
Kasey Chambers support artist
2015
Fremantle Heritage Festival, WA
FRINGE WORLD Festival, WA
2014
Fleurieu Folk World Festival, SA
Palm Creek Folk Festival, QLD
Fairbridge Festival, Pinjarra WA