Ashton Fletcher Irwin (born 7 July 1994) is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician, known for being a member of the Australian pop rock band, 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over 2 million concert tickets worldwide, and the band's songs streams surpass 7 billion, making them one of the most successful Australian musical exports in history.
Early life
Ashton Fletcher Irwin was born on 7 July 1994 in Hornsby, New South Wales. His father, who is an American, left the family when Irwin was two years old. His mother, Anne-Marie, struggled with alcoholism, and as a result, he spent his childhood "hanging out with drunk people at pubs". He later elaborated, "My upbringing is interesting, I didn’t have a father, my mom has struggled with alcoholism my whole life. I’ve grown up kind of bringing other people up…I’ve had to be relentlessly positive, and I have a very depressed mind". Irwin frequently moved houses as a child, mainly residing in Richmond and Windsor. Irwin's mother "didn't have a lot of money" and as a result, Irwin would "struggle to eat from week to week".
Irwin's uncle was a drummer in a death-metal band and his step-father played drums in a punk-rock band. Irwin learned how to play drums at nine years old after asking his step-father to teach him. Irwin helped raise his younger siblings, half-brother Harry and half-sister Lauren, whilst attending Richmond High School, from which he graduated in 2012. During his high school years, prior to the formation of 5 Seconds of Summer, Irwin formed a jazz-funk band called "Swallow the Goldfish" with his classmates. Ultimately departing from the band, Irwin pursued a year of higher education at a TAFE college, studying music, before choosing to leave due to his commitment to 5 Seconds of Summer.