Girls Write Nashville Benefit Concert Highlights Student Songwriters and Special Set from Ashe
The 5th Annual Benefit Concert for Girls Write Nashville returned to 3rd & Lindsley with a lineup centered on the organization’s student artists before an intimate headline performance from Ashe. The event was broadcast live on Lightning 100 radio and served as the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser of the year.
The evening was hosted by co-founder Jen Starsinic and student co-host Shakiah, with local artist Brother Love serving as emcee. It opened with a writers round featuring four Girls Write Nashville participants sharing original material.
Girls Write Nashville In The Round:
Thalia Dills opened the round, followed by Koley Berry, Anya, and Nevaeh. Each songwriter performed two songs, with time left at the end for a few spontaneous “on-the-spot” additions.
Dills performed “Opposite,” a song written as part of her time with Girls Write Nashville. Berry’s second-round performance of “Keeping Score” showcased her songwriting voice, while Anya’s “Blankets” paired darker lyrical themes with a softer, understated presentation. Nevaeh drew strong attention from the room with “Tragedy,” an original inspired by Hamlet.
Across the round, the stripped-down setting made space for a range of stylistic influences while emphasizing the emotional weight behind each performance. The format allowed the focus to remain on songwriting and delivery, with each participant bringing a distinct perspective to the stage.
A Special Performance By Ashe
Ashe followed with a special acoustic-style set that shifted between solo piano performances and songs accompanied by Emma Harvey on guitar and harmonies. The performance offered a more intimate presentation than a full-band show, highlighting vocal dynamics and songwriting details throughout the set.
Ashe has toured within the past year as part of her collaboration project, The Favors (with Finneas), but solo appearances have been less frequent. That made the benefit concert a destination performance for some fans, with some folks traveling from cities as far as Boston and Chicago. The smaller setting gave those fans a rare chance to see Ashe in a more personal performance.
Early in the set, “Another Man’s Jeans” drew loud cheers from the attentive crowd. Ashe later moved to piano for a dramatic and emotionally charged rendition of “Angry Woman,” using an emotionally charged arrangement to emphasize vocal range and phrasing. The performance leaned into a cinematic feel while remaining grounded in the room’s quieter atmosphere.
She closed the night with “Moral of the Story,” the viral breakout track she described as the song that changed her life and reinforced the importance of vulnerability in her writing.
Throughout the set, Ashe also returned to the purpose of the night, talking about the importance of peer support, collaboration, and mentorship for developing artists. She shared reflections on the need for support for women in the industry, along with personal stories about songwriting, career lessons, and creative growth. These themes closely mirror the work Girls Write Nashville does year-round.
As co-founder Jen Starsinic emphasized throughout the event, “One safe space can change everything.” The organization provides free songwriting mentorship, music production programming, and creative community for female-identifying and gender-expansive youth, primarily through partnerships with Metro Nashville Public Schools.
The annual benefit concert serves as the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, with support coming from ticket sales, donations, event sponsors, and additional contributions including raffle items provided by community partners.
To learn more about Girls Write Nashville or to support their programming, visit their website here.
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