Ashe, “Rae.”

You may be familiar with Ashe from “Moral of the Story,” featured in 2020 Netflix film “To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.” Or, perhaps you found singer-songwriter Ashlyn Rae Willson when Finneas O’Connell was producing her early EPs. Rae, her sophomore album, is full of experimentation in sound and genre, and exhibits developing lyrical skills. While there are some growing pains, it’s still a strong showing from a young artist finding her footing.

Flitting between electro-pop and indie folk, Ashe hasn’t tied herself down to a singular sound yet, which works to her benefit on Rae. After a short jazzy interlude that puts you in the center of a nightclub, the album opens in earnest with “Another Man’s Jeans,” which is upbeat with bells and whistles, literally and metaphorically. It seems to pay homage to Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do”—with both songs about having a “little fun.”

She flips that sound 180 degrees later in the album with heartfelt ballad “Love You Need,” which is piano-forward but driven largely by her vocals. Elsewhere, she tilts heavily toward classic rock with commanding drumming and electric guitars. Her previous work on 2021’s Ashlyn (I’m already looking forward to 2023’s Willson) seemed to fit more neatly in an indie pop box, but the different sounds are well-executed and show that she’s comfortable exploring while she has the freedom to do so.

Ashe has already established her ability to display vulnerability and authenticity in her songs. Part of what made “Moral of the Story,” such a success was the honesty imbued in the song, the acknowledgment that sometimes people make mistakes and get hurt, and that’s just the way it is, like it or not.

That candor hasn’t gone anywhere on Rae, and “Hope You’re Not Happy,” is a perfect example. Through a glut of breakup songs in every which direction, this one feels direct and satisfying nonetheless, dedicated to the notion of closure.

“I hope that it’s hard to get out of bed/ I hope you get angry about me/ I hope you’re not happy ever again,” she sings. It’s not the sound of someone taking the high road after a breakup, but it’s an authentic sentiment to which many can relate.

“Angry Woman” finds Ashe responding to the notion that women shouldn’t express anger outwardly. It addresses societal expectations of women, but her ability to plainly articulate that “I’ll do whatever I like” is audacious and bold. The song’s rock feel adds to the angry vibe and makes it one of the stronger ones on the album.

Another example of her lyricism shines through in “Shower With My Clothes On,” which discusses the post-breakup limbo that feels as uncomfortable as being fully clothed in the shower. She also truly impresses with “Love Is Letting Go,” a melancholy tribute to her brother whom she lost to addiction.

It hits on all the most painful parts of losing someone too soon while acknowledging that the beautiful memories will always be cherished. The track features vocals from actress Diane Keaton. Ashe has said that Keaton was a longtime inspiration, and that she invited her to sing on the track after learning that she’d lost a brother as well.

There are a few tracks on Rae that miss the mark. They’re not bad songs, but sink on an album that features some big moments.

Given that Ashe is originally from San Jose, I’d expect the song named for her hometown to leave more of an impression than it does. The opening sounds jazzy and exciting, but it quickly fades to a more generic lo-fi pop sound. Another track that’s promising at the start but don’t keep up the pace is “onw.” Sounding like something Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff might have cooked up, it ends up with repetitive lyrics, to its detriment.

In all, Rae is a strong step for Ashe. Willson can still go in a lot of different directions from this point, and it will be interesting to see where this album propels her.

Follow writer Piper Westrom at Twitter.com/plwestrom.