Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Settles.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Ashley Settles. I am 24 years old, and I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. I started baking as a kid. I always enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen, and family dinners and holidays were my time to shine. I read cookbooks looking for new recipes. Cakes, cookies, pies, or anything else I wanted to try—I always had my family to taste-test and offer feedback. In elementary school, while other kids wanted to be astronauts, models, doctors, or the president, I wanted to be a chef. My Uncle Bill was a chef, and I saw the passion he carried for his craft. Then, when the annual book fair came to my school, my Aunt Kathy, who also worked at my school, purchased my first set of measuring spoons and a recipe book. Before entering sixth grade, I attended a summer camp where one of the activities was a cooking class. We made various cakes and breads and took home copies of the recipes. I used one of those recipes to bake bread for a gathering and remember getting compliments on something I made for the first time from people other than my family. My love for baking only grew from there, and I still use the measuring spoons I got at the book fair.
Honey Bash Bakes started in 2022 with my sister. The name comes from a mashup of our names, Bailey and Ashley, and the fact that, as kids, we used to call each other “Honey.” We had the name, I designed the logo, and we were off from there. Our family and friends already knew about our passion for baking, and eventually we became the default bakers for holidays, birthdays, baby showers, and other special events. We went from baking for family to posting our creations online and gaining regular customers. I now run the company on my own while my sister focuses on her music career, but that hasn’t slowed anything down. Over time, I’ve worked at several restaurants and bakeries to improve my skills, and I still work part-time as an ice cream cake decorator. I’m always working to get better and love to learn and keep growing—not only in my business and baking skills, but as a person as well. Community and family are very important to me, and through my business, I try to make every customer feel like family.
Baking wasn’t my only stage, though. Coming from a musical family, I grew up performing with them and still do so as often as I can. I’ve been singing since I could walk and talk, and I quickly found my voice. My dad played the organ, and my mom was the choir director at our church, so that was the first place I ever sang on stage. My family also performed at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center many times while I was growing up. I remember the Green Room, backstage, and the hallways as if I lived there. One day, my family let me perform with them on that stage, and I carried that moment with me. That’s when I knew I wanted to perform when I got older. In fifth grade, I started playing the flute in my school band. I went on to play in my high school orchestra, then in the chamber orchestra and piccolo for the pep band in college. I also sang whenever I had the opportunity. Between talent shows, show choir, and a cappella groups, I loved creating music with others.
Today, alongside my siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, I perform with The Settles Connection, a performing and recording group founded by my aunt, Odessa Settles. We’ve performed in countless venues throughout Nashville, contributed to several well-known recording projects, and been a part of movie soundtracks. My father, Calvin Settles Sr., serves in many roles within the group, including pianist, songwriter, arranger, vocalist, and band director. My mother, Sara Settles, is also a member of the group and is a powerhouse vocalist who shines on any stage. He has always been my favorite musician and songwriter, and she has always been my favorite vocalist. I am honored to come from them, and I believe my voice is a blend of theirs that carries a piece of each of them with me wherever I sing. I’m also a lead vocalist and songwriter for Pitch Black Studio Orchestra (PBSO), another family-founded band. Both groups continue the legacy of the generations of musicians who came before us.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it hasn’t always been a smooth road at all. Sometimes the road was nowhere to be seen.
As a child, I wanted to be a chef, but in high school, something in me changed. I didn’t abandon my love for food, but I decided to pursue my other passions just as seriously. While at Ensworth High School, I was in orchestra, the school’s a cappella group (Encore), and had leading roles in musicals, all while playing four sports—volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, and track and field as a shot putter. I also took visual and ceramic art classes and participated in clubs like Chess Club and Knitting Club. I stayed busy. I loved trying new things, and with so many interests, I wasn’t sure which path I’d take, but I decided to focus on music for a few years.
While all of my friends applied to as many schools as possible as early as possible, I always knew my road would look different. I applied to one school right before the final deadline: Belmont University. I decided that if I didn’t get accepted, I simply wasn’t going to college, and I was okay with that. I was accepted and auditioned for the Commercial Voice program, but I wasn’t accepted into the program itself, and my heart broke a little. I had listed Early Childhood Education as my backup major, but I knew music was where my heart was.
Instead, I listed my major as “undeclared” and auditioned for Belmont’s a cappella group, The Beltones, hoping to sing. I was rejected again, and it hurt. I was determined not to quit, though, so I focused on my general education courses. During my first couple of years, I wasn’t enrolled in any School of Music classes. Instead, I worked in the practice rooms, supervising the building and locking up after musicians finished for the night. In my free time, I would sit at the piano, write songs, and sing to my heart’s content. Eventually, I began taking classes toward a Music Business degree. During my junior year, I auditioned for The Beltones again and was finally accepted. I also auditioned for the Commercial Songwriting program and was accepted there as well. For a moment, it felt like things were finally looking up.
Despite those wins, I was facing a much bigger battle: depression. It was something I had first noticed in high school, and while I was involved in support groups and organizations that helped other people, I wasn’t getting help for myself. I suffered silently as I stopped going to class, stopped completing assignments, and eventually dropped out. I was now in debt with no plans to return to college.
After a semester at home, though, I enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University in the Songwriting and Recording Industry program. I was excited for a fresh start, but I faced another setback when many of my credits didn’t transfer, leaving me further behind than I expected. I could feel my depression beginning to grow again, and when I was turned away from school counseling because of limited resources, I decided to seek therapy on my own. It helped for a while, but the stress of school, feeling behind my peers, and carrying more debt eventually led me to leave college again. This time, I didn’t go back.
Those became some of life’s biggest obstacles, but also some of life’s biggest motivators. Once again, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew I loved to perform, had a passion for baking, and wanted to work my way out of debt. I worked in several restaurants, but it wasn’t until I became a high-volume baker that I realized baking wasn’t just something I loved—it was something I was good at and could build a career around. I’ve always known I’m not the typical 9-to-5 office type. I need work that inspires my creativity, and both music and baking fulfill that for me. Even though Honey Bash Bakes already had a name, it wasn’t until last year that I decided to truly grow the brand and build it into a business. Along with baking for regular customers, I began participating in vendor events last October and launched the Honey Bash Bakes website in February of this year.
I’m also taking the next step in my music career by debuting as a solo artist this August under the name Ladie Aline. “Aline” (pronounced eye-lean) is a family name—it’s my middle name and was my grandmother’s name before me. In a way, I carry a piece of my family with me wherever I go, and I hope to make that name proud. Through every setback, my family has stood beside me, and I know they’ll continue to do so.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am both a baker and a musician. I own a business called Honey Bash Bakes, where I create custom desserts and serve the greater Nashville area. When people think of Honey Bash Bakes, I hope they think of my baking apron, natural brown packaging, delicious Southern flavors, and bright orange labels. I’m proud of the constant growth of my business and of rising to meet the standards of the opportunities I’ve been blessed with. I especially enjoy baking for schools and partnering with other local businesses and organizations.
I also occasionally work at the Black Candle Company in Nashville as a Lead Candle Instructor. For Father’s Day, though, I wasn’t an employee—I was a caterer, creating custom-designed desserts for a private event. Over the years, I’ve learned how to produce quality desserts on a large scale while still giving each customer the personal attention needed to create beautiful custom desserts for events of any size. What sets me apart is that I genuinely love serving people. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone’s reaction when a dessert helps make their celebration even more special, and I’m able to sweeten their day!
With music, I wear a lot of hats as well. I started playing the flute in fifth grade and continued through high school and college in orchestra and pep band. I also play a little piano, but my main instrument is my voice. I love creating sounds and watching a song come to life from just a few notes or a simple phrase. Like growing a plant from a seed or baking and decorating a cupcake, I love the process of creating something from scratch. I’ve written and released music with Pitch Black Studio Orchestra as both a vocalist and songwriter, and I’m excited to debut my solo career as Ladie Aline with new music later this August. Just like the rest of my life, my music draws inspiration from many places. I grew up in church, studied classical music, and developed a love for jazz, rock, R&B, indie, funk, and just about anything with a good beat. I believe there’s something for everyone in music and beauty everywhere you look. I’ve been fortunate to grow up surrounded by artists—not only in my own family, but also at school, church, and everywhere I’ve spent enough time to build community. Having so many friends and family members who share my passion for music is something I never take for granted.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t put too much stock in luck. I believe I am where I am because of God, hard work, and the support of the people around me. I have a lot of people in my life whom I rely on and who also count on me. I am loved, and I always try to share that love and pass it on to others. Both of my career paths require the support of other people, and I know I can’t do much alone. I love baking for others and sharing my creations, often volunteering my services to help make someone’s day a little brighter. With music, I love collaborating with other people and creating something beautiful together. One of my favorite feelings is performing on stage with other musicians, hearing their musical ideas come to life, and responding by adding my own to create a unique and moving sound. I’m thankful for the people God has placed around me and for the support they continue to offer, whether it’s buying a cookie, listening to my music, or working alongside me to create something new. Their encouragement has played a much bigger role in my journey than luck ever could.
Pricing:
- Cupcakes: Starting at $25/dozen
- Cookies: Starting at $24/dozen
- Custom Cakes: Starting at $45 (or your current minimum)
- Dessert Tables/Catering: Custom Quote
Contact Info:
- Website: https://honeybashbakes.com
- Instagram: @honeybashbakes and @ladiealine
