Billboard-charting artist blends smooth jazz, R&B and pop on her latest release, written by Allan Rich and produced by the team behind John Legend’s “Tonight”
Billboard-charting international recording artist and singer-songwriter Ashley Paul is back with “I Just Had to Fall,” a single that marks a striking new chapter in her sound — and pairs her with one of the industry’s most decorated production teams.
The New York-born artist has spent years building a global following on the strength of her expressive vocal style, moving fluidly between pop, dance, jazz and soul across releases like “Bingo Baby,” “Hearts Up” and “Ribbons.” Those singles have racked up millions of streams and earned Ashley recognition across international radio and music charts, cementing her reputation as an artist unafraid to cross genre lines.
“I Just Had to Fall” pushes that versatility further. Written by acclaimed songwriter Allan Rich and produced by four-time GRAMMY-nominated duo Bizkit & Butta, the track wraps Ashley’s soulful vocals in a sophisticated blend of smooth jazz, R&B and pop. The single is already gaining traction at smooth-jazz radio, and it does so without losing the emotional honesty that has defined her catalogue from the start.
Behind the boards, Bizkit & Butta — Allen “Bizkit” Arthur and Keith “Butta” Justice — bring a pedigree few production duos can match. The Philadelphia-born, Los Angeles-based pair are four-time GRAMMY nominees, Soul Train Award winners and platinum-selling producers whose credits include John Legend and Ludacris’ Billboard No. 1 hit “Tonight (Best You Ever Had),” Miguel’s “The Thrill,” and work with Ne-Yo, Ledisi, TLC and Sean Kingston. On “I Just Had to Fall,” they bring that same musical depth to a refined, jazz-leaning arrangement built to frame Ashley’s voice and the song’s deeply romantic message.
The result is a record that plays to the strengths of everyone involved — Ashley’s emotional delivery, Allan Rich’s songwriting pedigree, and Bizkit & Butta’s genre-fluent production — and one more example of Ashley Paul expanding what her sound can hold.
More on Ashley Paul: ashleypaulofficial.com
More on Bizkit & Butta: bizkitandbutta.com
Instagram: @official_ashley_paul, @butta.bnb, @bizkitbnb
