Hailing from Los Angeles, by way of Nashville, singer, songwriter, and perf… Read Full Bio ↴Hailing from Los Angeles, by way of Nashville, singer, songwriter, and performer Ashlyne Huff is an engaging new voice on the contemporary music scene, with a vocal prowess and gift for songwriting you usually only find in veteran artists. Signed to Liquid Digital Media — a division of Anderson Companies — Huff will release her debut album later this year. She co-wrote every song on it and the result is a stellar pop effort that showcases her flair for storytelling. "The songs are pop, but I'm from Nashville, I write like a country singer," Huff says with a laugh. "I'm inspired to do three things in my songs: Change a bad mood into a good one, represent an experience in a relationship that anyone's had, and let whomever is listening know that he or she is not alone feeling the way they do about it."

The result is a collection that captures a range of moods and emotions, like the spunky first single, "Heart of Gold," which calls out a relationship-phobic guy and lets him know what he's missing out on. "I write about what I know, and what I don't know," Huff says. "Not all of my songs are about things that have happened to me, but they deal with things I've thought about a lot and want to get out of my system."

According to the White Flag Songfacts, the lead single has nothing to do with relinquishing control, but rather trying out something new. Huff told MTV News: "Most people are like, 'Oh, what are you surrendering?' I'm like, 'Nothing, really, besides my heart.' I wrote it about something that actually drew from some life experience," she explained. "Some guy, like, likes you, tries to get your attention, [and] you don't necessarily blow him off, you just don't notice. And finally, you ... take a second and you decide, 'OK, I'm gonna give this one [a] shot. What do I have to lose?' and then it ends up being kind of awesome. The good kind of surrender — it's good for you not to control every moment of your day."

Huff's urge to express herself through songwriting is not surprising given her family background — music is in her blood. Her father, Dann Huff, is an in-demand producer and session guitarist who has produced albums by Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts and performed on hits by Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Faith Hill, while her grandfather, Ronn Huff was a sought-after arranger on Nashville's contemporary Christian music scene. Ashlyne was born in Glendale, CA, where she took naps in the music studios where her father was working. "The noise was soothing to me," she says. "I couldn't sleep in silence. My parents would put me in the car and drive me around with my dad's music on full-blast and I'd fall asleep instantly."

The Huff family moved to Nashville when Ashlyne was five, which was when she got bit by the performing bug. "I was watching Full House and Jodie Sweetin's character danced to the B-52s' ‘Love Shack.' That one episode changed my life. I decided to be a dancer." Huff began dance lessons at the age of seven and took it very seriously. "It was my sport; it was my life," she says. At age 11, she joined the Opryland Kids Club in the final year that the theme park was open, and realized she'd have to be able to sing if she wanted to continue to perform as a dancer. "I was actually afraid to sing because people came in and out of my dad's studio who could sing really well," Huff recalls. "But I did it and wound up singing all through high school."

After graduating, Huff enrolled at Nashville's Belmont University to get a degree in Music Business. "I studied publishing and copyright law and thought maybe I'd go into production," she says. "I used to do my homework in the studio with my dad and I liked the atmosphere and loved being around musicians. I learned how to use all the equipment, like Pro Tools, and started editing my own dance songs at 13. It was like my computer game. While everyone else was playing Nintendo, I was playing Pro Tools."

While attending college, Huff's love for songwriting blossomed. "My dad had told me when I was 12 that I would never be a writer unless I had something to say," she recalls. "At 19, I went through a bad breakup and I decided to write a song about it just to get my feelings out. Then I thought, ‘What if I could help someone going through the same thing? I'd feel better if I knew something I wrote helped someone else.' From then on, I was hooked."

In December 2006, Huff was approached by Anderson Merchandisers — one of the nation's largest distributors of pre-recorded music, movies, and books, which services retail stores throughout the U.S. The company was launching its own record label, Liquid Digital Media, and wanted Huff to be its first signing. Huff agreed if she could begin recording after she graduated from college the following year. Meanwhile, she auditioned for and won a part as a dancer in LeAnn Rimes' video for "Nothin' Better To Do." A year later, she re-enacted the performance along with Rimes and the other dancers at the CMT Awards. "It was a great experience," Huff says. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything." It was also the last time she found herself dancing behind another artist.

In early 2008, a song Huff co-wrote with Tommy Lee James and Stefanie Ridel, entitled "I'm Done," appeared on the Pussycat Dolls' latest album Doll Domination. Also last year, she began collaborating with songwriter/producers Mike Busbee and Mathias Wollo on the tracks that will appear on her debut album, which will be released in early 2010. In the meantime, Huff continues to attract fans with her powerhouse voice, upbeat personality, and relatable songs. "I really think there's something for everyone in my songs, no matter how old you are," Huff says. "I just can't wait for people to hear them."

http://www.ashlynehuff.com/

Runway
Ashlyne Huff Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's hard to believe that only this photograph
Is where you and me can be
So many nights I can't even close my eyes
'Cause you are the light I need

I'm on my way, I'm on a one-way airplane
I got to get it back now, I got to get it back now

I'm looking for a runway, the runway to you
So, baby, light my way
I'm looking for the runway, the runway back to you
So, baby, light my way, I'm coming home to you

I'm looking for a run, run, run
I'm looking for a run, runway
I'm looking for a run, run, run
I'm looking for a run, runway back to you

I'm starting to see a familiar place again
I'm getting close to you
I know I'm late, it's killing me, just one more day
I got to get it back now, I got to get it back now somehow

I'm looking for a runway, the runway to you
So, baby, light my way
I'm looking for the runway, the runway back to you
So, baby, light my way, I'm coming home to you

My heart is beating out of my chest now
Is it really you?
I'm never gonna leave you again now
Got to get back now

Looking for a runway, the runway to you
So, baby, light my way
I'm looking for a runway, the runway back to you
So, baby, light my way, I'm coming home to you

I'm looking for a run, run, run
I'm looking for a run, runway
I'm looking for a run, run, run
I'm looking for a run, runway back to you

I'm looking for a runway
I'm on my way, got to get back now

I'm looking for a runway
Got to get back now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ashlyne Huff's song "Runway" explore the theme of distance and separation between two people who are deeply in love. The opening lines express the frustration of being unable to be physically with someone you love and the sense of longing that comes with it. The singer is lamenting that they only have a photograph of their loved one and cannot stop thinking about them, even at night when they try to sleep. This sets the stage for the rest of the song, as the singer is determined to find a way to be with their loved one again.

The chorus of the song is where the singer expresses their desire to find a runway that will lead them back to their loved one. They are willing to do whatever it takes to get back to them and be reunited. The repetition of the phrase "I'm looking for a runway" emphasizes the sense of urgency and determination that the singer feels.

The second verse of the song reveals that the singer is getting closer to their loved one, which creates a sense of hopefulness. However, they also feel guilty for being late, which adds an element of conflict. The bridge of the song is the moment of realization when the singer finally sees their loved one and feels their heart pounding in their chest. They vow never to leave again and feel a sense of urgency to make up for lost time.

Overall, "Runway" is a romantic and emotionally charged song that explores the universal theme of distance and separation in relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

It's hard to believe that only this photograph
Being separated from her loved one, the singer questions how just a photograph is all that's left of their memories together.

Is where you and me can be
The photograph is the only place where the singer can be with the person she loves.

So many nights I can't even close my eyes
The singer spends countless nights sleepless, unable to stop thinking about the person she misses.

'Cause you are the light I need
The person the artist is missing is the source of light that makes her happy and fulfilled.

I'm on my way, I'm on a one-way airplane
The artist is taking a flight to find her loved one and is fully committed to making things right.

I'm looking for a runway, the runway to you
The singer is searching for a path that leads her back to the person she's been missing and needs to be with.

So, baby, light my way
The singer needs the person she seeks to guide her way back home.

I'm starting to see a familiar place again
The artist recognizes familiar places that bring back memories of the past with the person she loves.

I'm getting close to you
The artist is getting physically close to her loved one and her hopes are high.

My heart is beating out of my chest now
The artist's heart rate has increased dramatically as she gets closer to the person she was missing.

Is it really you?
The singer is unsure that it's her loved one in front of her and needs confirmation.

I'm never gonna leave you again now
The artist is determined not to leave her loved one again after reuniting with them.

I'm looking for a runway
The singer is still searching for a way to be with the person she loves.

Got to get back now
The singer is in a rush to get back to her loved one and will do anything to achieve that goal.

Contributed by Anna H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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