Ashanti: ‘I’ve had a bodysuit snap off on stage. That was not my coolest moment’

Ahead of her Australian tour, the Grammy winner talks about her marriage to Nelly, fans rushing the stage and her secret skill

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Your debut album Ashanti turns 25 next year and you’re in the process of re-recording it. How do you feel about that album now?

We are rerecording it so I will own my masters. Sonically, it will be a lot clearer. It was 25 years ago so it’ll sound a little more new, obviously, but with the same classic vibe. I’m very excited. What I’ve learned is that I’m just really grateful to have written records that stand the test of time. Foolish is turning 25! That I can still go to an arena and hold the mic in the air and hear everyone sing those lyrics is a beautiful feeling. And a blessing.

Owning my masters is really important to me. Nowadays, obviously, things are a lot different compared with back when I first came out as an artist. But after 20 years, you get the right to go in and legally rerecord your masters … and take back what’s yours, so to speak. Hopefully it inspires artists to try and take control from the beginning – hopefully you don’t have to wait 20 years! But if you do, you go in, you get it done and you have fun with it.

You and your husband, Nelly, have been together for decades. What do you like most about him and what gets on your nerves?

He has got to have the biggest heart I know. He is so generous and genuine – he will literally take the shirt off of his back and give it to you. He’s really a beautiful person. And he taught me a lot about staying positive and looking at the glass half full, as opposed to half empty. He has an amazing heart.

What gets on my nerves? Definitely the thermostat. He likes it to be cold and I like it to be warm and toasty and cozy. A lot of our beef happens over the thermostat. Our compromise number is 70 degrees fahrenheit (21C) because I would prefer 80, 85 and he would prefer, like, 60. I’m like, “Bro, come on!” So we agreed on 70.

What has been your most memorable interaction with a fan?

Obviously 20 years ago it was very different – you are a new artist so people would come up to me, crying and shaking. And I’m very grateful for that. But being in the game for 20-plus years, teenagers that weren’t even born back then come up to me now. I met a young girl recently and I was like “How do you even know Foolish?” I saw her singing every word in the audience with her mom. It was the coolest thing.

You want to hear something crazy? This young girl did an interview with me at SiriusXM recently and she said, “Oh my god, I love you! My dad named me after you!”

As a millennial, John Tucker Must Die is a very important film to me. Do you find acting easy? How does it compare to making music?

It’s just another muscle to flex. I really enjoy acting. I think the difference is you have a lot more control in music, especially if you write your own music. If you’re on stage, you know people are there to see you. When you’re acting, you’re portraying a character that someone else has written and you’re being directed … so although it’s really cool to dip into another version of yourself, it’s kind of limiting because you’re there to portray what they want you to.

What’s the most chaotic thing that’s ever happened to you on stage?

I definitely have had some – I guess we’re going to call them very excited fans – jump on stage and give me a hug mid-performance. I’ve also had a bodysuit snap off on stage. That was not my coolest moment. We had to have the band play for a second. I went into the wing and got it together.

When you get to a hotel, what’s the first thing you do?

I wipe down the phone and the remote with disinfectant wipes – always!

If you could collaborate with another artist you haven’t already worked with, who would it be and why?

I like a lot of the newer R&B girls; they are really cool. I love SZA, I think she’s really, really dope. She’s shown me so much love since the beginning. Summer Walker is dope too. And I like women empowerment. Nothing against the guys!

What is the best lesson you’ve learned from someone that you’ve worked with?

Usually your gut is right. Sometimes, as artists, we second guess ourselves – but usually your gut is right and you’ve got to follow it. My husband has definitely said that to me, because he’s always like, “You second guess yourself!” But we all do that.

Is your baby boy coming along on the Australia tour?

Yes, he’s coming to Australia with me. I really thought long and hard about it but I can’t go that long without seeing him. I’m very grateful and blessed to have an amazing nanny. It definitely takes a village. Being a working mom and travelling all over the world definitely takes its toll. And I’m a mom that cooks all of his food from scratch. Everything is organic. Most people have liquor, chips, candy on their rider – and mine is just like, organic sweet potatoes!

I don’t know if it’s a secret, but I’m actually a really good cook. My go-to dish is Chilean sea bass with rice and vegetables. And I am good at impressions.

[In a very convincing Australian accent] Well, I think my best imitation might be you at the moment.

Ashanti’s Australian tour kicks off in Perth on 9 November