Taylor Swift impersonator Ashley Leechin is under fire for impersonating the artist in public. She clarified her position on Instagram.
‘It’s just Ashley,’ she says as she is led out of a mall.Taylor Swift fan pages on social media were flooded with videos and photos of one Ashley Leechin on Sunday night. Ashley is known on TikTok and Instagram as a Taylor Swift impersonator. Her most recent move, however, drew criticism from Taylor’s supporters when she went to a shop in Los Angeles dressed as Taylor, complete with a few ‘bodyguards’ dressed in black.
‘Meet Ashley behind the mall’
Ashley was dressed as a white shirt, blue trousers, a red bag, a red cap, and Taylor’s distinctive red lipstick when she entered the business with her entourage, attempting to prank some customers. Her ambitions were quickly dashed when security at the shop led her out. People flocked around them, wanting to take pictures of Ashley, still thinking she was Taylor. Ashley had gone to Disney World earlier in the day, pretending to be Taylor.
Ashley’s reaction to criticism
Ashley took to Instagram Stories to claim that the conduct was not’malicious’ and that celebrities frequently use decoys. “Please don’t expect me to turn off my comments, stop creating stuff, or simply disappear. It’s called freedom of speech for a reason, and you have as much space as you need to express yourself. The films that have surfaced have been taken far out of context, and I just want to thank individuals who have messaged me and said extremely lovely things. “I just hope those who are upset about speculation don’t dwell on it and can enjoy their day,” she wrote.
‘Taylor won’t be proud’
Fans of Taylor Swift are now furious at Ashley. Several took to her Instagram handle to leave angry comments on her recent posts. “I usually don’t comment stuff, but that ‘social experiment’ was done in such bad taste. Please, I’m begging you to see this from Taylor’s point of view. She was just absolutely BOMBARDED at her FRIENDS rehearsal dinner and you are now causing scenes at different locations? This is going to end up being a safety risk.” Taylor’s fans recently flocked to her friend Jack Antonoff’s wedding, hoping to find her there and causing a scene.
Another person wrote, “I don’t think Taylor would appreciate you trying to trick fans at Disney World. SEEK HELP.” A Taylor fan explained, “In your story you said celebrities hire decoys all the time. That’s different. You weren’t hired for anything. You are in desperate need of attention so you made a way to get it, to trick people, and to make headlines. Taylor was just bombarded at what should be a very private event and she has clearly stated how she hates being made an object instead of a person. And yet, you pretended to be here knowing it would cause a shitstorm. You took it too far this time, and I hope you take a step back and realize that.”
Last year, a video of Ashley went viral in which she was strolling down the street and a Taylor Swift fan became upset and overwhelmed thinking it was the singer. Ashley’s friend kept saying to him, ‘It’s just Ashley,’ a statement that has become synonymous with her.
Meanwhile, Taylor recently completed the first leg of her billion-dollar Eras Tour in the United States. She also stated that the 1989 re-recordings will be released in October.