Afro-Caribbean Neo-soul artist ASHA returns with “Summer”, a tender and evocative single that captures the bittersweet ache of unrequited love. The kind of love that blooms quietly within the bounds of close friendship.
This marks her second release, following her 2023 debut single “Too Bright.” Intimate and vulnerable, ‘Summer’ offers a heartfelt portrayal of queer longing, the fear of crossing boundaries, and the quiet intensity of feelings that can’t be spoken aloud.
Reflecting on the collaboration, ASHA says, "It’s about having this deep, magnetic love for someone—your friend—while holding back out of respect, fear, and care," ASHA explains. "As a queer person, those feelings can feel especially complicated and isolating. I wrote 'Summer' from that space: tender, quiet, but burning underneath."
With her signature warmth, introspection, and a voice that carries both strength and softness, ASHA invites listeners to sit with what’s often left unsaid. Produced by Sam Nakamura, whose textured guitar contribution cradles the song’s emotion, “Summer” is both a sonic embrace and a soft exhale.
More than just a song, “Summer” is a reflection of ASHA’s gift for turning the personal into the universal, and a gentle reminder that love, in all its forms, spoken or silent, carries its own melody.