"Casper's Lullaby"

I was working on a completely different song for Halloween,
one with drama and vibrancy, but halfway through,
I experienced a very unexpected heartbreak and the music inside me quieted.
A few days ago, I began playing "Casper's Lullaby" on the piano
as a way to bring back my music and it turned into a full production.
We even filmed in a little graveyard up the hill from our place
(the Pacific Northwest has spectacular colors).



I hope this song helps usher in the Halloween spirit for you lovely folks
and that you enjoy it as it's my treat to you,
a slightly liberal variation on James Horner's incredible theme for Casper.
♥ヘ(‾◡‾ヘ) It's one of my favorite walks down memory lane.

~*~

Free MP3:



Performed and arranged by Ashley Serena
Original music by James Horner 

"Noble Maiden Fair"

Our song is now available on Loudr
and will be coming to iTunes and other avenues very soon!
Thank you so much for your support.

"Noble Maiden Fair" featuring the incredibly talented and gorgeous Karliene.
(Doesn't she look just like Princess Merida?)
My heart was full of love for mothers when I sang this,
for those who have held their babies and for those who have lost them,
for those who adopt children into their homes
and for those who are there for others when no one else is.
Your strength gives others life and is much needed. ♡ Tapadh leibh, noble ladies.

"Hush" (a Japanese ghost story)

Support this song here! Thank you!

Happy Obon! ヘ(･౪･ヘ)
Summertime is the spooky season in Japan (chills keep the heat away) so I’ve created a song to reflect a Japanese ghost story. I originally wrote a little portion of it a long time ago and wanted to flesh it out fully. Obon is a holiday to honor the dead and is more sacred and fun for families than scary, so the song reflects the rest of the summer when scary stories are told. (Obon was my deadline!)

I wrote lyrics that were creepy to me, but my native mother-in-law says my Japanese is too cutesy to be scary to her, so this was a good lesson in cultural horror! ("hai hai? like a baby's crawl? that's too cute.") Special thanks to her for language consultation and to my very dear, very patient brother for mastering it!

I do hope you enjoy "Hush" as I put my heart and soul into it, and had so much fun taking on a creepy little persona. If you are in Japan (or Hawaii) during this time, I hope you dance at Bon Matsuri!

"If We Hold On Together"

James Horner wrote the soundtrack of my childhood, The Land Before Time being the most influential of them all. I was a little girl obsessed with dinosaurs, watching this film again and again with my family, loving Littlefoot's journey with his friends to that final paradise, The Great Valley. I shared this song with my brother (who did the final master cut), since James' music touched both our hearts growing up. "If We Hold On Together" was one of the first complex songs I learned on the piano as a child, from sheet music and a little bit of my personality thrown together. This isn't a glamorous performance by me, it's breathy and raw and I believe you can hear my voice shaking throughout from trying not to cry.



"If we hold on together, I know our dreams will never die. Dreams see us through to forever..." Sleep sweetly, James, we love and miss you so much already. Thank you for sparking so much magic inside us and leaving behind you a legacy of music for generations to cherish.

Download the free MP3 here.

Performed and arranged by Ashley Serena

Final mastering by Birth Place Audio Productions

Original music by James Horner, Diana Ross, Will Jennings

"Nightingale's Eyes"

I've been playing Dragon Age: Inquisition endlessly since its release and have loved every second of it. I knew I wanted to cover the beautiful bard songs and this is the first one I heard when stepping into Haven's tavern... so now Korozjin and I present our version to you.



My brother gifted this lovely maple clarinet to me and I just had to play it in this song. I still have so much to learn when it comes to woodwinds, but slowly am building an understanding of their beauty and complexity. Practice makes perfect, 'eh? :)

Korozjin is an incredible guitarist who adds his own personality to everything he records. I loved working with him on my original song, "Warpaint", and was thrilled to play with him again on something so dear to my heart as "Nightingale's Eyes".

My little brother did the mastering of this song and I am eternally grateful for the hours he put into softening my s-sounds. Sorry and thank you, Ali!

Please do consider supporting us by purchasing a copy for yourself: Nightingale's Eyes!
I hope you enjoy our little rendition. ❤

Performed and arranged by Ashley Serena & Korozjin (Drag Lines)
Final mastering by Birth Place Audio Productions
Original music by Raney Shockne feat. Elizaveta & Nick Stoubis

Godzilla vs Destoroyah (Godzilla's Death Theme)

Hello, lovelies! 

I got to feature my voice on this incredible cover project of Godzilla's death theme 

by Michail Nowak, artwork by Cindy Soumeru! 

Classical singing is a weakness of mine, so I was glad for the challenge of this role! 

Plus, I love Godzilla (who doesn't love this kaiju?) so it was extra special.  

Check out the video to see the incredible work Michail and Cindy did 

to bring this song (and Godzilla!) back to life. 

"Ballad of the Forresters (Talia's Song)"

This was such a powerful song in Telltale's episodic Game of Thrones game,
I had to pay tribute to it with my own interpretation.
There are many lyrical variations depending on the choices you make in the game
(which I think is wonderful),
so these are the lyrics Talia sang for my Ethan.

I started learning the bodhrán for this (my first ever drum!), took up some shakers and jingles, and of course threw in some penny whistle to give it a more tribal, natural feel.



This is my debut release on Loudr.fm (special thanks to Karliene for publicizing it as now my dream of self-publishing isn't so daunting)! I'm so excited to share this song with you all, and I do hope if you enjoyed it, you might consider supporting my music by purchasing a copy for your personal listening. ❤ Buy Ballad of the Forresters here!

~*~
Performed and arranged by Ashley Serena
Final mastering by Birth Place Audio Productions
Original music by Jared Emerson-Johnson

"Child of Light"

This game is very dear to me and I wanted to celebrate it in the best way I knew how: with music. Here is my tribute medley cover of "Child of Light" a game that touches my heart so deeply. ❤ 
~*~
Free MP3!

Performed and arranged by Ashley Serena
Final mastering by Birth Place Audio Productions
Original music by Cœur de pirate

"The Coventry Carol"

What are your favorite traditional Christmas songs? There are so many to choose from!

I grew up loving this one because it sounds so "olde" (dates back to the 1500s)

and meditative as it's normally performed with a choir (a capella).

When I looked up the lyrics to learn them for this cover,

I was surprised at how somber the message actually is!

But I love songs that offer a closer perspective on people,

and this one shows a very fearful, yet nurturing side of Mary. ❤

So here is my simple video for a simple cover of a beautiful, traditional piece.

Wishing all you lovely friends a warm and wonderful Christmas!

~*~

MP3 here!

{performed and arranged by Ashley Serena}

"Come Little Children"

Ooh, I love Halloween! *･゜ﾟ･*☆
This is my interpretation of the iconic (and very spooky) song from Hocus Pocus.
Stealing children to gobble up... it's so dark! ...As is my video (sorry about that).



This song reminds me of all the lore of dark creatures stealing children in the night if they wander or misbehave. This is also a tribute to those beasties, from faeries to namahage to Baba Yaga!

Vocals, instruments, arrangement, video © Ashley Serena

Mixing/Mastering © Shady

"Come Little Children" © Disney

Poem © Edgar Allen Poe

"Feel the High Seas"

I featured in Fox's epic pirate piece and got to play a siren! 

"Come, bonny sailor, I can give you all that you ever want..."

"Feel the High Seas" © Fox Amoore 

Photography © Kristen Knorr

"The Last Unicorn" (feat. Karliene)

You know someone is a true talent when they inspire you so easily, just by talking with you. Karliene has such a mastery of her voice, and to have the chance to bring her onto a project so close to my heart is truly a dream come true.

"The Last Unicorn" was one of my favorite films as a child. I've been wanting to do a tribute for a while now, but it just wasn't coming together. When Karliene joined this project, I immediately knew the direction I wanted to take, and with her beautiful voice, was able to complete this dream. I cannot thank her enough.

A huge thank-you also to Shady for his wonderful mixing/mastering skills!

Download here:

Vocals: Ashley Serena & Karliene

Instruments: Ashley Serena

Mixing/Mastering: Shady

Video: Karliene

Aisling's Song

I do apologize for smiling while recording this slightly melancholy song,  

I just adore this film so much. 

The marriage between Christianity and Paganism, 

showing harmony rather than painting one as worse than the other, is lovely to me.

And Aisling is the very best. 

Here's a translation of the Gaelic:

You must go where I cannot
Pangur Ban, Pangur Ban
There is nothing in this life but mist
And we are not alive
But for a little short spell
Pangur Ban, Pangur Ban
There is nothing in this life but mist
And we are not alive
But for a little short spell



If you're a little confused on what this song is about
or intrigued by The Secret of Kells film itself,  give it a watch!
(It's on Netflix, hee.)

Instruments, vocals © Ashley Serena
"Aisling's Song" © Bruno Coulais
"The Secret of Kells" © Cartoon Saloon
No copyright infringement intended, for personal pleasure only.

Changes All Around

Recently, I've had the immense pleasure to work with
the lovely Mr. Andre Pascher (aka Shadow Wolfen/Shady).
He sings like a prince, and mixes/masters our vocals so beautifully.
We've completed four songs together, and I'm going to dump them all here at once!
(Though if you follow me on other sites, you've probably already
been exposed to them properly: one at a time.)

"A Thousand Years"
This was my first time working with Shady.
I didn't know his style yet, but we quickly found that he's more talented at mixing,
and I can make videos, so that's how we run things now!
And yet... this particular music video is still in production. Heh.

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

Here I brought in the wickedly talented Knorr to star as Timon
(his voice is the most narrative I've ever had the pleasure of recording),
and Shady snagged his friend, Paul Dlubis, to play Pumbaa (hello deep voice).
We hope to do more multi-lingual covers in the future!

"Love Will Find a Way"
This project was actually supposed to be completed before the other,
but we ran into so many production problems!
Thankfully we jumped the hurdles and got to finish this little beauty. :)

"Say Something"
I avoid this song on the radio because it's just so sad.
But when Shady sent me his vocals for it,
I couldn't say no -- just listen to that belt! Mm!
I couldn't get through recording this without choking up,
so my part is a little quieter.
I like it better that way though.

Other big changes have happened recently!
If you hadn't already noticed, this website has a shiny new look.
I wanted it to be less cluttered, faster loading, and easier to navigate.
(Hope I succeeded.)

Another change: Husband got a new job!
And we moved to Washington state! Woo!
The picture for this post is what our backyard looks like.
Hello, Secret Garden.

One last change, I will be working from home for the majority of the time now,
so I will have more time to devote to music (and blogging)!
Thank you for making it this far in this ridiculously long post
(I promise not all of them will be like this),
and I look forward to posting much more frequently!

"Forever With You"

This was a romantic piano commission for an Italian client, and was so fun to do. 

In fact, I'll be releasing another romantic song soon. 

ALL the lovey dovey! 

"Forever With You" © Ashley Serena

image © respective owner 

"An End, Once And For All"

This cover is dedicated to my sweet husband 

who introduced me to this game series 

that I have come to love so very much.

Instruments, vocals © Ashley Serena
"A Future for the Krogan" © Christopher Lennertz
"An End, Once And For All" © Sam Hulick

"Lugia's Theme"

I still have a long way to go with my pennywhistle, 

but here's a progress report!

Lugia is a favorite of mine, and its theme is meant for this instrument. 

"Lugia" image & pennywhistle © Me
"Lugia's Theme" © Nintendo

"Away in a Manger"

Knorr and I wanted to represent the countries we're tied to with this song   and thus a trilingual version was born. :)
Merry Christmas from us to you!



てんをくだりしかみのみこは
かいばおけにやすみたもう
よるのしじまにつきはてりて
ひかりささめくほしのむれも

Jesús en pesebre, sin cuna, nació
Su tierna cabeza en heno durmió
Los astros, brillando, prestaban su luz
Al niño dormido, pequeño Jesús

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And fit us for Heaven to live with thee there

Vocals by Elegarde (Ashley Serena & Knorr)
Piano and cello by Sharon Meilstrup
Image by respective owner

"Double Double Toil and Trouble"

I was struggling with recreating this lovely seasonal piece;
I adore John William's medieval sound so much, but it was making me stuck!
So, Knorr swooped in and saved the day,
turning this piece from its original whimsy
into a more melancholy, Carmen feel -- meeting our Halloween deadline!
(Isn't his organ playing fantastic? Gives me shivers!)



This is my first piece produced with Pro Tools.
Still much to learn, but I'm getting there!
Happy Halloween!

Arranged and performed by Elegarde (Ashley Serena & Knorr)

Warpaint

Toulouse approached me with the idea of creating a song based on her warrior character, Blue Kitsune. "Asian and sad" were keywords in what she wanted, and hey, those are my comfort zones! :D After seeing her sketches, I developed a very folksy, almost dance-esque version of this song. We agreed it needed more bite, and that's when Korozjin was brought on board. He took my tune, revved up his guitar, and pushed this song to a level I never thought it could reach. It's been such a privilege to work with these two incredible artists!

Support the music!

悲しみという (The thing we call sadness)

落ちた涙 (Is but fallen tears)

魂が燃える (Our souls ignite)

染んだ体 (And color our bodies)

Grief will always burn with tears

Charring us, ash and dust

Souls ignite over the years

Painting rust, staining us

誰様形作る生活、素描？ (Whose life am I molding, this rough sketch?)

僕、絵筆を全部持つ (Only I hold the brush)

誰でもない (No one else)

Painting my true colors now

In the air they can breathe

You are asking yourself how

Your eyes could be deceived

我心には (Within my heart)

彫った涙 (Are engraved tears)

永遠にこのまま (I will stay this way forever)

痛んだ体 (A body full of pain)

Whose life do I draw and mold in my hands?

Paint to dust, glass to sand

I hold every brush known yet to man

So I am alone

吠えてる (I'm crying out)

聞いてね (Please hear me)

痛いので (Because this hurts so much)

Daring to believe more than what I see

Is how I glimpse eternity

この染んだ世界の香り (The fragrance of this painted world)

Is all that matters to me

この染んだ世界の意気 (The spirit of this painted world)

Is all that matters to me

Vocals, lyrics, koto, choir sounds, background instruments © Ashley Serena
Guitar, drums, bass, mixing, mastering © Korozjin
"Warpaint" artwork © Toulouse