This is the definition of a goosebumps moment! In a video that has drawn 36 million views, subway busker Ashley “Slim” Stevenson delivered a soul tour de force with her unique and powerful arrangement of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide”. With only her acoustic guitar for accompaniment, Ashley sang with such devastating emotion and conviction that it will touch you somewhere deep in your soul. You can tell that Ashley tapped into something profound here that makes this performance so special.
The way Ashley takes the folk classic and delivers it in an R&B format in her own distinctive style makes this a very memorable performance. She sings absolutely nothing like Stevie Nicks, but somehow gets right to the heart of the song. This is the kind of talent that should be on the world stage rather than busking in the subway. The Music Man has to say this is the most unique take on “Landslide” that we’ve ever heard.
YouTuber Bo Rodda uploaded Ashley’s performance, which went viral. One viewer commented: “Who else remembers this video and comes back to it every once in a while and still gets chills?”
Ashley “Slim” Stevenson has delivered a number of performances from her busking sessions. Ashley has such a distinctive style, which is really highlighted hearing her approach across multiple classic songs.
Ashley “Slim” Stevenson, also known as Slim Freedom, is a busker from Chicago, Illinois. She came to public attention when Bo Rodda uploaded her take on “Landslide”, which she performed in the Chicago subway.
The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that after going viral, Ashley performed her signature arrangement of “Landslide” at TEDxChicago. She also has performances uploaded by Chicago busking channel WCTA Chicago Underground Sound. Ashley also uploads videos to her own YouTube channel Ashley Slim Stevenson.
Ashley performs a range of rock, pop and folk songs from the 1960s to the modern era, as well as her original music.