Ashlee + Evan (EP)
{{Infobox album
| name = Ashlee + Evan
| type = EP
| artist = Ashlee + Evan
| cover = Ashlee + Evan EP.png
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2018|10|12}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{duration|m=19|s=42}}
| label = Access
| producer = {{hlist|Austin Brown|Brian London|Verdine White}}
| misc = {{Singles
| type = EP
| single1 = I Do
| single1date = {{Start date|2018|09|07}}
| single2 = Paris
| single2date = {{Start date|2018|09|14}}
| single3 = Safe Zone
| single3date = {{Start date|2018|09|21}}
| single4 = Tonic
| single4date = {{Start date|2018|09|28}}
| single5 = I Want You
| single5date = {{Start date|2018|10|05}}
}}}}
Ashlee + Evan is the eponymous debut extended play (EP) by Ashlee + Evan, an American musical duo consisting of married singers Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross. It was released on October 12, 2018, by Access Records. The EP was released during the broadcast run of their self-titled reality television series, Ashlee + Evan.
Background and development
Early in the couple's relationship, they would frequently stay up until 3:00 AM singing songs together.{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2018-10-12/Ashlee-simpson-ross-and-evan-ross-share-the-love-and-inspiration-behind-their-new-music-and-tv-show|title=Ashlee Simpson Ross and Evan Ross Share the Love and Inspiration Behind Their New Music and TV Show|publisher=}} The couple announced their engagement in January 2014{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20775210,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140114012419/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20775210,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 14, 2014|title=Ashlee Simpson Engaged to Evan Ross|accessdate=January 13, 2014|date=January 13, 2014|work=People|first=Sheila|last=Cosgrove Baylis}} and were married on August 31, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/article/ashlee-simpson-married-evan-ross-wedding|title=Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross Are Married|accessdate=September 1, 2014|date=August 31, 2014|work=People|first=Mia|last=McNiece}} While visiting Ross during a studio session sometime in 2015, the duo recorded a song called "Permission to Love". According to Simpson, this is when she realized that they worked well together. Simpson revealed that the couple were writing music together in May 2016. By this time, they had written approximately ten songs and were mostly focused on finding their own sound.{{cite web|url=http://www.wetpaint.com/ashlee-simpson-kids-evan-ross-music-1494676|title=Ashlee Simpson Kids: Singer Talks More Babies, Music With Evan Ross|date=19 May 2016|publisher=}}
For the EP, the duo "wanted to do something that felt organic".{{cite web|url=https://nylon.com/articles/ashlee-simpson-evan-ross-new-ep|title=Ashlee Simpson And Evan Ross On The Challenges Of Creating Music Together|date=10 October 2018|publisher=}} They drew inspiration from Simpson's love of American soul singers Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, as well as Diana & Marvin (1973), a duets album by his mother Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. The couple also found inspiration in the recordings of American musical duo Sonny & Cher.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ashlee-simpson-evan-ross-interview-album-reality-show-720733|title=Ashlee Simpson Is Ready to Start Over|first=Ilana|last=Kaplan|magazine=Rolling Stone |date=11 September 2018|publisher=}}
Singles
"I Do" was released as the first single from the EP on September 7, 2018.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8473410/ashlee-simpson-ross-i-do-evan-ross-new-single|title=Ashlee Simpson-Ross Announces New Single With Husband Evan Ross, 'I Do'|magazine=Billboard |publisher=}} The track sold 11,000 downloads in its first week and debuted at number six on the Billboard Pop Digital Song Sales chart and at number 16 on the Digital Song Sales chart. This marked Ross' first appearance on a Billboard chart and Simpson's first chart placement in over ten years.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8475859/ashlee-simpson-evan-ross-billboard-chart-debut-duo-i-do|title=Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross Make Billboard Chart Debut as a Duo With 'I Do'|magazine=Billboard |publisher=}}
Critical response
Mike Nied of Idolator called "Home" a "chill-inducing moment" and noted that it appears to be "one of the most sure-fire hits" on the EP.{{cite web|url=http://www.idolator.com/7686868/for-all-the-lovers-stream-ashlee-simpson-evan-ross-self-titled-ep-here|title=For All The Lovers: Stream Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross' Self-Titled EP|date=12 October 2018|publisher=}}
Tour
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue |
| scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Date
! scope="col" style="width:10em;"| City ! scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Country ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Venue |
|---|
| colspan="5"| North America{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Ashlee-Simpson-and-Evan-Ross-Release-Debut-EP-and-Announce-Tour-Dates-20181012|title=Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross Release Debut EP and Announce Tour Dates|first=TV News|last=Desk|publisher=}} |
| January 7, 2019
| rowspan="8"| United States |
| January 8, 2019
| Union Stage |
| January 10, 2019
| Atlanta | The Loft |
| January 11, 2019
| Exit/In |
| January 12, 2019
| Chicago |
| January 14, 2019
| Dallas |
| January 17, 2019
| Slim's |
| January 18, 2019
| The Roxy |
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| total_length = 19:42
| title1 = I Do
| writer1 = {{hlist|Evan Naess|Palmer Reed|Austin Brown|Brian London|Ashlee Simpson|Verdine White}}
| length1 = 3:18
| title2 = Paris
| writer2 = {{hlist|Naess|Brown|Nazerine Henderson|London|Simpson}}
| length2 = 3:18
| title3 = Safe Zone
| writer3 = {{hlist|Naess|Simpson|Henderson|Paul Blair|Jamie L Jones|Lamont Neuble|Tim Stewart}}
| length3 = 4:02
| title4 = Tonic
| writer4 = {{hlist|Naess|Brown|Henderson|London|Simpson}}
| length4 = 3:09
| title5 = I Want You
| writer5 = {{hlist|Naess|Palmer|Brown|London|Simpson|White}}
| length5 = 3:24
| title6 = Home
| writer6 = {{hlist|Naess|Simpson|Torin Martinez|Richard Velonskis|Krystin Watkins}}
| length6 = 2:28
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2018)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2018-10-27/soundtrack-sales|title=Soundtrack Albums - October 27, 2018|publisher=Billboard|date=October 27, 2018|accessdate=April 19, 2019}} {{subscription required}}
| 17 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Ashlee Simpson}}