July 17, 2023 • 36 mins
Join Brooke Taylor (@Brookeradio) and Ashley Cooke (@TheAshleyCooke) as they chat about Ashley's debut album Shot in the Dark which consists of 24 songs and is available everywhere July 21, 2023. They'll touch on Ashley's story, opening up for Luke Bryan, going on her first headlining tour and more. Grab a drink! Let's go Backstage.
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All right, cool, let's let'sget into it. Queen backstage. Welcome
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to the backstage with Brook. You'reall access past to music city where nothing
is off limits. Grab a drink, let's go backstage. Ashley Cook is
in the high what's up, queen? You do I'm good? Y'all have
to play this song right here.You just released the song and literally everybody
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is singing every single word back toyou already at shows. It's bizarre.
It's absolutely bizarre. I went toa festival in Ohio this past weekend and
oh my gosh, Like I waslike, oh, yeah, this is
so cool, Like the song justcame out, maybe people will know it.
They were singing every single word tothe chorus to the whole song,
and I was like, what thehell. Yeah, well, and I
think this is cool too because it'slike a testament to I mean, this
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album that you're releasing is twenty foursongs, and I luckily and one of
the few that got the link tothe album before everyone else, and you
can't help but start singing all ofthe words to every single song. And
I just think that's that your placeis just a testament to what this album
is. Thank you so much andhow special it is. Are you pumped
it's album released week? I know, I'm like, what, it's already
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here. It's so crazy because Ifeel like when we were talking about album
released like months and months ago,I was like, oh my gosh,
like July, I feel so faraway, like that's going to take so
long. And now I'm like Iblinked and it's here. It's so crazy.
I'm so excited. It's my veryfirst debut album, so I'm like,
as soon as it comes out,I'm gonna be like what I do
in my hands? I don't knowright, Like We've been doing so much
prep for it and promo for it, and I'm really just excited for everybody
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to just like have the project.Yeah, and twenty four songs. I
was like, what did I readthat you were? This is like the
largest debut album by a female countryartist to date I think country artist period,
I think, which we did notplan on that happening at all.
It was honestly like I was.I was just writing a lot, and
again, this is debut album,and I've been writing songs since I was
eleven, so I just had alot that I wanted to say and songs
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and songwriters that I've become friends withnow that I love writing with, and
we've just created some really cool stuff. And honestly, the album was twenty
six or seven songs before we likewhittled it down, and I was like,
I don't none of these twenty foursongs I don't want to put on
the project. So my label BigLoud was like, hey, you know,
we don't want to. We don'twant to hold you back at all.
We don't want to make you waitfor another album, Like, let's
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just put them all out and seewhat happens. Like we believe in your
music. So I got to doit. And then after the fact,
they were like, hey, Ithink this is the largest debut album of
a country artist. So I'm like, what the hell, Yeah, I'm
here for that is so awesome andI love that you're a writer on twenty
of the twenty four songs. Rightwhen you're going into a writing room and
you're you know, you're trying tomake magic, obviously you're like, yeah,
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I want to write a number onesong. But when you go in
and you're like back, like ifyou're go into the future and you look
back and you're like remembering those moments, like in the writing room, like
knowing that they're going to be apart of such a special thing, like
your debut album. Is that thecoolest feeling ever? It's really cool.
I think Nashe's so unique with songwriters. I think, you know, I've
now become just best friends with mostof the people that I've written these songs
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with, and some of them arejust legendary songwriters that are on the project
that I'm honored to get to evenlike say that I wrote with right now,
And so it's really really cool,and I think it's funny looking back.
I was actually thinking about this inthe car on the way over here
because I was like, man,like your place, for example, we
wrote that song that day, andI was like, this is a really
really cool song. But I wentand got coffee and hung out with my
friends and went on with my life. And it's like, it's so weird
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that sometimes the songs that you leavethe room thinking about, you know,
they're like such great songs and you'reso excited about them, but you're not
like this is going to be theone, right, this is the one
you know? You just don't know. You just create art, and then
you put it out and you letthe people that are listening to it decide
which ones they want to cling onto. So it's it's cool and it's fun
to kind of see the whole processcome together and then now look back on
it when it's all packaged together andmarketed and all of the things, and
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be like, wow, like youknow, that day that I wrote that
song, this story was in mind. So it's it's really fun. And
then I feel like to just youknow, no big deal throw Nate Smith
on the album Jackson, Dan Colby, galat Right Young, Like what when
you have those conversations with your friendssaying like, hey, do you want
to be a part of this?Is that like you get excited about that
or you just like, uh pleasesay yes. Oh my gosh, I
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get so excited. It's always like, you know, like you said,
friends, Like that's I think thebeautiful part about country music and Nashville in
general is that we've all just becomefriends. Like when you're in this industry
together, radio, touring together,seeing each other at different festivals and shows,
like you just make friends with peopleand you just cling on to people
that understand what you're also going throughthat's like for example, like Jackson Dean,
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that was like the epitome of likethe Nashville collaboration story. Right.
We got asked to do this awardshow together called the AMP Awards, which
is like an independent music publisher awards, and so they asked us to sing
Don't Think Jesus by Morgan Mallin togetheras a cover. And so I was
in the studio with him one dayjust hanging out, like you know,
running through that song, which isthe only time we've ever been put to
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sing together, and we're just gottalking and just bonded it and hung out
for like an hour in the studio, and he asked about the album and
you know, how it's going andwho's on it and all this stuff,
and his producer is Luke Dick,and I was like, oh, actually,
there's a song that Lady Wilson andLuke Dick wrote that's I'm cutting on
this album. And he was like, oh my gosh, wait is it?
Is it? What are you onfire about? Is this this song
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that I know about? And I'mlike, yeah it is, And he's
like, can I please be onthis kind I was like, dude,
yes, So like, you know, same with Nate, same with Colby,
similar kind of stories of just makingfriends with people that get what you
do and understand you know what you'regoing through and want to share their art
with you, and it's it's anhonor to get to have them on my
project. Yeah, so exciting.I'm really excited for you. And this
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week it's gonna be amazing. Iwant to, like, I want to
like take our huge rewind though,like back to the very beginning of Ashley,
before before music was even a thoughtin your mind. What would you
say to Ashley back then, nowthat you know what you know about you
know your career and kind of likewhere you're headed and putting out your debut
album. Oh that's such a hardquestion. You know. When I was
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a kid before music, I waslike super big tomboy and like super into
sports and try to just kind offigure out my life. And I think
I would say to her, like, just follow whatever feels right. I
think, you know, it's normalas a kid to try to figure out
your social circles or who you wantto be around and if you want to
play soccer because your friends played soccerand all of that, and I think
I would say to myself and toany like kid out there, like whatever
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feels right, follow it. Imean when I was younger and I was
obsessed with like iMovie and making likevideos in my room with my sister.
Back then, my parents were like, oh, it's just a funny thing
that she's doing. But like,you know, cut to being twenty just
turned twenty six years old and makingvideos on social media. That passion happened
when I was a kid, andI didn't know it because I was like,
oh, I'm just you know,a kid in my house making videos
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having a good time just being andthen going to school and playing sports and
whatever. But now it's it's helpedme as an adult and that was something
that I found passion and as akid. So just follow your passion and
that's that'll guide you wherever you wantit to. You know, take you
one percent. You said you're anathlete. You played soccer, You said
I didn't. I played I thinkvolleyballa horseback riding, gymnastics, track.
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I think that was all of it. Cheerleading, I think I don't know
active kids same. I feel likeI did everything softball, baseball, t
ball, Like I played volleyball throughoutcollege. Position were you? I was
at Barrow? Okay, nice,that's awesome. Well, I was an
outside hitter growing up, like throughhigh school, middle school, you know,
all of the travel volleyball that wedid. But then I get to
college and they're like, oh,you're only five eight and a half.
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Okay, great, you're gonna playbackground. Okay, not old enough.
God, it's awesome. That's fun. So you are from Florida kind of?
Yes, I lived in Florida allthroughout my high school. I have
like a weird story. I movedaround a lot growing up. Yeah,
but it's easier to just say Floridabecause I'm like, well, I lived
in like a lot of places.But but yes, I was in Florida
before I was in Nashville. Gotcha. See, I'm the same way because
I'm from Virginia kind of. ButI like grew up in Florida two but
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then mostly grew up in Virginia.But then my parents, my whole family
lives in Florida now too, SoI'm like, you, I'm from Florida.
Whatever, we're in Florida, we'rein Virginia. M Florida was like
Gainesville area, Jacksonville, just northernFlorida, and then Virginia in Woodbridge,
So northern Virginia, like right nearDC. My parents were in Arlington for
a while. Way, that's soclose. Yeah, we're the same person.
I love it. Let's talk aboutbefore moving to Nashville, when that
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kind of like seed of music gotplanted in your heart and that you were
like, this is what I wantto do. Nashville's the next move.
Yeah. What did that feel likefor you as I mean a young adult
for sure? Yeah, it washonestly a crazy journey. Actually got into
entertainment really young because my sister wassuper into acting. Yeah, and I
was like, you know, thetomboy little sister that was just kind of
drug around to the different places.And so I got introduced to entertainment really
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young when we started going to LAfor her acting stuff. And I just,
you know, was surrounded by entertainmentsuper young and fell in love with
performing and writing songs and music andyou know, doing all of that kind
of world. And so me andmy sister did a duo together for a
little while, and we traveled aroundthe country performing music together. And I
kind of like grew up in entertainment. Cut to high school, I'm like,
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what do I want to do withmy life? Like do I want
to go to college? I wantto focus on music forever, Like what
do I want to do? AndI had known about Bellmont because I had
been to Nashville a couple of times, and so I went to Bellmont University
and I studied marketing and communications.I'm nothing to do with music, and
I honestly kind of like, Idon't want to say it took a break,
but I just didn't really focus onmusic as my you know, number
one thing all throughout my college years. And it wasn't until my senior year
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that I kind of decided to givemusic a full time time run at it.
Yeah, but moving to Nashville.Obviously, I've always loved music and
I was in it when I wasa kid, and I love music city,
I loved filmat but it wasn't exactlylike the move to Nashville to like
pursue music. Kind of just goto college and figure out my life and
see, you know, what thisthing has to offer. And I ended
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up in music, which I guesswas my plan all along. Well,
I was gonna say then COVID happens, and then everybody literally is bound to
a room. Yep. And allwe had was our phones. Yeah,
like literally who we had our phones, We had the Internet, and that
was the way we saw people.And I feel like that's when people started
to know truly who Ashley Cook was. Because the power of social media blows
my mind. Like us, it'sso crazy the fact that somebody can see
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you on the Internet and then literallyshare it with somebody, and then next
thing, you know what, millionsof people are watching something that you put
out, whether it is a funnyvideo or it's you know, just your
family, or if it's a song. It's bizarre getting to that and in
starting like this kind of like viralmoment on social media, was that weird
for you? Of course? Ithink I think it'd be weird for anybody.
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You know. I was one ofthose weird people where my very first
video went viral, which was likesuper bizarre. I feel like nowadays,
you know, it's so oversaturated totally, which is a great problem to have,
but also you know, it's it'sharder. I think I was,
you know, I was one ofthe first couple people that were in country
music that like really stormed the platform, which I'm honored to say that I
know got to be a part ofthat kind of like first wave. So
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my first video that I posted wentviral like two points something million views,
and I remember sitting in my parentsguest rooms. We were quarantining in Florida
together, and I was sitting intheir guest room and I was like,
guys, I think I think something'shappening, and my sister was like what,
And we all just sat around,having nothing better to do because we're
in COVID, just watching the numbersgo up on this video and just like
every being like, well, anotherone hundred thousand, and we were like,
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we're not even comprehending the fact thatthese are human beings watching this video.
This is wild. So it's justit's crazy. It's it's really like
it's a huge like help to youngartists, I think, because now we
have so much access to people allaround the world that we can reach with
a video. But it's also alittle strange sometimes because you're like, whoa
people people out there? You know, I'll go to shows and people will
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come up to me at meet andgreets and say, I feel like I
already know you. I'm like,that's so cool, but also like,
what you know, it's weird.It's a weird concepts, such a weird
concept And I was just talking withanother artist about this recently, about how
social media and just the access thatit really does give you in the music
industry as a whole now and howkind of things are changing a little bit
when it comes to streaming and thingslike that, and how people will try
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to say, well, they're justa TikTok artist. Yep, does that
take you off as much as ittakes me off? Because I'm not even
an artist, and it takes meoff for people that get like hear that.
You know, I will say itused to a lot, But honestly,
I think that it motivated any morethan anything. Yeah, I think.
I don't remember how I was talkingto, but I was talking to
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somebody about that, and I wassaying, like, they just think I'm
a TikTok artist and whatever, andthey were like, well, hey,
you know, the way to makethem not think that, is to prove
them wrong, is to you know, release music that will transcend whatever platform
it is that you were first startedon. I mean, Luke Combs started
on Vine, Shawn Mendes started onvining and like now they're amazing, massive,
you know, stadium selling artists,crushing it. And so it's like
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whatever. People people will always saysomething to you when you're, you know,
finding some traction. They'll always finda reason to be like, well,
you're just this, You're just that. It's like let them, you
know, if you if you letthat kind of sink in and make yourself
feel like a TikTok artist or justa vine artist, and you're never gonna
be Shawn Mendes totally Lucom's Yeah,so you just got to kind of shake
it off. And I know Ialways talk to my girlfriends about this,
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but I'm like, it's just liesfrom the enemy. Like it's literally it's
literally Satan just being like, heygirl, I know that you are walking
towards like something greater, so letme try to pull you back a little
bit and hopefully I can just tripyou up. And it's just like you
said, you gotta just keep ongoing, prove them wrong. Yep,
make it happen. Could not agreemore. Yeah, So social media,
we got the new one threads.Oh my god, I am not with
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the times. Guys, literally Okay. So this came out and I think
my boss texted me. He's justlike, hey, are you on this?
And I'm like, dude, wejust did this whole thing with whatever
those live little chat rooms were.What were they called chat rooms? They
were like on Twitter. Do youremember what they were? I can't remember,
but they were like they were likelittle live chat rooms. And there
was like an app where people wouldlike get on there and just like talk
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to each other. And I wasjust and they were like, you have
to be on this app was aclubhouse. Yes, clubhouse, Yeah,
clubhouse. I remember that. Inever was on it, but I just
knew about it. Yeah, AndI'm like, is this another clubhouse where
it's gonna be fun for like amonth and then it's gonna go away?
Because it just feels like Twitter.It's just Twitter. It's just like the
Instagram version of Twitter. Yes,is that wrong to say? No,
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It's it's like, it's what's hisname, It's Zuckerberg versus Elon Musk.
Yeah. Yeah, So this isthe world next World War And I'm getting
literally, but I feel like whenit comes to social media, and I
mean, especially like TikTok TikTok TikTokwas brand new during COVID, Like that's
when it like popped off, havingthe guts to just be like, all
right, well I'm gonna try thisout. Not on threads, not into
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it, Nope, absolutely not.I honestly sucked at Twitter and I still
suck at Twitter. I'm that atInstagram captions. I don't know what to
say. I'm like, I'd ratherjust like talk to somebody and like go
a live. If I go liveon TikTok, it's so much easier for
me than like typing out a sentenceon Twitter. I don't know why.
It's just like also, I'm likenot a funny person. I don't think
it's I'm like, how to befunny in like a sentence? Yeah?
Well that, And it's just likea little diary I feel like. And
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sometimes I'm like, does anybody reallycare that my kids stayed out till four
in the morning last night? LikeI don't think so, I mean maybe
they do, and maybe you justgotta like try it out and see what
happens. I don't know. I'mlike I saw it launched and I was
like, what is this? Anotherone? Another one? And I feel
like that moment comes through all ofour minds of that thought, it's just
like another one, Yeah, anotherthing for us to like waste our time
on. And I'm like, listenbetween Instagram and freak and time in the
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day to do anything, same literallysame on, Like another one. Here
we go, but we'll see whathappens. Hopefully it's successful for them.
Totally. So social media I feellike kind of like consumes our lives a
lot, you know, with whateveryou're scrolling through or if you're creating content
to post things like that. Isthere ever a moment where you're just like,
I can't do this anymore, Likeit's hard, Like I don't feel
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like doing it this week, eventhough it's kind of part of your job.
Yeah. Yes, I mean Ithink that's just natural for any of
us, even if you're not likea content creator, if you're just on
social media a lot. And it'sfunny. I was I was talking to
one of my best friends, SpencerCrandell, about this because we both he's
very much on social media and pursuinga career via you know, all of
the things that I'm doing too,and we were taught. I was like,
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man, I'm just I feel likeI'm just exhausted, Like I feel
like, you know, sometimes youjust get burnt out and you feel like
you don't even know what to create, and then you get hated about creating
the same things over and over again, and you're like, oh my gosh,
what do I do with myself?And he was like, hey,
I think you got to realize,like things are happening so fast on social
media, if you took a weekbreak, nobody would even bling an eye.
And that's not saying that they don'tpay attention or miss you or want
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to hear your content or see yourcontent. It's more just like I think
you are the person that puts themost pressure on yourself, and so if
you get tired, take a break, yes, like creatively relax and get
your you know, stuff back inline. I mean it's okay to do
that, you know. Yeah.And I feel like it's kind of similar
to like an actual like job,job, right, you have vacation days
for a reason, take them exactly. And as an artist, I mean
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young artist especially, I'm sure everyyoung artist it's listening out there can relate
to this, like they kind ofyou know, put in your mind like
there is no days off, youcan't do anything. You have to like,
you know, one hundred percent,one hundred and ten percent focus on
this and stay up late and notsleep. And it's like, yes,
there's a point that's true of that. There's a season of your you know,
artist career where you have to digin. I mean there's a season
where I was sick like every weekbecause I was like, I can't sleep,
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I can't eat, I can't doanything because I'm so busy. And
that's it's honestly so much fun,even though it's exhausting, but it's okay
to be like, hey, guys, I need to take a minute.
You know, you're not going tolike not succeed because of prioritizing your mental
health and your physical health, youknow, and that is so important to
mental health right now especially, Ifeel like it's such a big topic and
something that everybody's talking about. Andthe access that we do have, whether
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it's through social media or just Imean as an artist, I feel like
people don't get to see the grindtruly that you're doing. Like people don't
know that you woke up this morning, got ready and came here, you
know what I mean, and thenyou're probably going to sixteen other places after
this, especially album release week,like you're crazy busy, and then you're
still going on stage at the endof the night, giving your all to
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these fans and then maybe getting youknow, five six hours asleep, and
then you're back at it the nextday. Are there times where you're ever
just like the Saint For me,like the Saint it, I'm not sure
if I can do this forever.Of course, I think I think it's
less so I can't do this forever, and more so, hey, I
need today, you know. Ithink that's and that's the thing that I
think I've had to learn. Ithink for a while in the beginning,
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you know, beginning saying like twoand a half year ago of really starting
this journey of music, which isso crazy, the two and a half
years all this has already happened.Right in the beginning, I think I
had more of a mentality of likea sprint and my actually, my drummer
we were talking about this on theroad one day because I was like,
I'm exhausted. I don't know ifI can do this, Like I want
so badly for this to happen,but like if this is what it takes,
(18:18):
and you know, exhausting myself notbeing able to work out, not
all this stuff, like how doI do this? And he was like,
I think you have to remember that, like if you try to sprint,
you can't sustain, Like you haveto jog. Yeah, you have
to. You have to train,you have to jog, you have to
do you know you it's just likein an analogy that's easier to kind of
comprehend. I was like, man, I think you're right, and so
(18:38):
I, you know, prioritize,like I got like a personal trainer and
I was able to like work outmore and meal prep and figuring out kind
of like when to sleep, howto sleep. And so I think the
times that I have felt that,I've had the most amazing support system around
me, with my family, myband, my team to be like,
hey, first off, are youokay? Like if you can't do this,
we're not telling you that you haveto do something like absolutely what's best
(19:00):
for you. I think it's importantto have those people in your life too
that can a kind of pull youout of like that anxious state of mind
and be like help you kind ofget your feet together under you when you're
overwhelmed. I think there's this quotethat I heard one time where somebody basically
asks, you know, what doI have to do to get to the
next level? Like how do Iget to the top? Like this is
what I want to do in mycareer, how do I get there?
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And I'm like, people always wantto take the elevator to the top because
it's easier, yep, but youhave to just like take stair by stair.
You have to take the stairs andget there. And I think too,
you know, there's a really bignecessary point in those stairs, right
Like there's I mean, even whenI'm sitting here thinking like, oh,
I want to be on that stage, I want to do this. Like
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then I play the side stage andI learned something that I didn't know,
like my ears go out, orsomething happens that I have to pivot,
or the crowd wasn't as engaged asI wanted them to be, or something
happened where I learned that I wantedto do a certain thing during a song
on stage. And I wouldn't havehad that moment if it weren't for being
on the side stage that year.So I think it's like you want to
take the better because it's easy,but I think you have to take the
(20:02):
stairs to build the endurance to stayup on the top hopeful, and you're
never going to stay on the top. Nobody stays on top of everybody does
this right, which is why it'sjust like always be kind, always work
hard, and like understand that,like the place that you're at in your
career, it's okay to like feellike you're not where you want to be
yet because you're working your way upto that. And also, like I
mean, if you if you risefast, you also could fall fast totally,
(20:25):
it's hard to sustain. You wantto learn the lessons on the way.
So that's like my favorite thing thatI've taken from all of this is
like, you know, you couldthings that happen fast or slow, but
if you don't put the work inon the way up, you won't know
how to breathe on the top ofthe mountain, you know what I mean.
You were talking about playing different stagesand I just was thinking about the
first time that I saw you performwas that the Rhyman opening up for Coleslindell.
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So it's not a fun show.Um as a country artist, obviously,
you know. I mean, likeyou said, it's happened in just
a couple of years for you.Yeah, playing mother Church got to be
the coolest thing ever, right,so cool, I mean I was.
It was so weird that I mademy grand ol opry debut and my rhyme
and debut in the same week.Yeah, I was like, what is
happening? It's really really really special. And I think, honestly, one
(21:11):
of the things that I took awayfrom all of that was I think that,
as you know, young artists,you have your goals of what you
want to do, right, likeplay the opery, play the rhyme,
and you know, play Bridgestone,which I'm also playing this year, which
is crazy, and like all thesethings that you want to do, And
and I think that you tell yourselfthat all your insecurities, all your fears,
all that stuff will just go awaywhen you get to a certain point,
When you reach a certain point,hit a certain goal, right,
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then you get up there and youjust feel like you have some fancy your
clothes, right, And I thinkthat that's like one of the biggest things
that I would take away from allthose experiences is like the people that you
idolize, like you know, DollyParton, for example, Like you're like,
well, Dolly's gotta figure it out, she got her stuff together.
Yeah, And then it's like,but then you realize that Dolly probably set
up in that circle and felt theexact same way that I did. Yeah,
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but it's like this is so specialand so cool and I'm so honored
to be here. Yep, youknow, but it is. It doesn't
erase all the bad things about yourday or about your you know, your
feelings about yourself and all the things. So it's an honor and it's it's
it's it makes you feel really connectedto everybody else that's played on those stages
too, which is a really funthing. It's like a big family,
you know. Yeah. Do youever feel pressure? I feel like,
(22:15):
for some reason, with women incountry music, there's just this like weird
pressure to like not compete with eachother, but then you're also competing with
each other, And then do youever feel that weird pressure of like being
this rising female and country music.You're about to put out your debut album,
You're going on a headlining tour foryour first time. What kind of
pressures do you feel as a femalein the industry, and does that ever
(22:37):
kind of discourage you at all?It's a great question. I mean,
yeah, naturally, I think thateverybody, I think male and female feel
that way. You know, feelpressure to be perfect, You're to be
a certain way. I think that, you know, I was talking to
my therapist about this the other dayabout just like competition, and I'm like,
am I jealous? Am I this? Am I that? And my
therapist was like, hey, Ithink that the bottom line is like,
(22:59):
remember that everybody's path is completely different. Like if somebody gets something succeeds before
you, there was somebody before youthat felt that way when you got something
else, and you the more thatyou allow competition to get into your path,
like honestly, just hinders relationships andconnections with people. And so I
think, like I've I've never beena super competitive person. I really just
haven't been. And I think that, you know, as I move more
(23:22):
in this industry, I want tostand on the rock of being proud of
like who I am and the waythat I treat people, in the way
that people feel when they leave mypresence, that's what we're saying. I
think that that, you know,if I ever feel any kind of jealousy
or competition, I immediately just I'mlike, WHOA reframe that, Like this
is not why are you feeling thatway? And if it's because you're not
(23:44):
getting xyz, that this person mayhave just work your work your butt off
and get there and like you canget there too. And so I think,
like I really try to not becompetitive because I just don't want to
be and I don't want people tocompetitive with me. And I think we'll
be all of our different journeys andthere's there's room for all of us.
You know, there's a healthy bitof like not jealousy, but like to
want that. Right, Like yousaid, I want to win a Grammy,
(24:04):
I want to win an ACM.I want to do this. I
want to do that, And it'sit's like a healthy version of like they
did that, I'm not jealous,but I want that. But also,
like you said, kind of likestaying in your lane running your race,
because like I mean, it's acliche kind of metaphor, but it's like
when you're running a race and youstart looking side to side, that's when
you start tripping and falling and doingall these things that if you just keep
(24:26):
your eyes forward and run your racelike you'll do it. Yeah. And
I think also too, you know, like I said with Country, it's
amazing that we get to be withother people so often, Like I get
to play radio shows and shows andfestivals with other you know, people around
me that are in my same kindof class and on the same you know,
up for the same awards and upfor the same radio spots and all
that stuff. Because you get tosee these people and you see the grind
(24:48):
that they're grinding too. And Ithink that that to me just reminds me,
like, you know, if Ihopefully ever get nominated for an awards
someday, I'm I get to lookat that category and say, holy shit,
you know, one hundred people aroundme like have worked their butts off,
and like if so and so winsthat award over me, I'm gonna
be like, let's go. Yes, I know that you've also put the
(25:08):
work in and this time wasn't myyear, but maybe next year. And
like that, I think is theblessing of countries that we get to like
see firsthand and become friends with peoplein our same category to know the grind
so we respect it because we allunderstand it. You know. I want
to just kind of piggyback off ofsomething you just said. You said this
was in my year, but thissong three hundred and sixty five Girls and
(25:33):
Records. I feel like this songreally just like encaptured so much of not
just like your story and like everythingthat you've been through, but fans relating
to their year and like, holycrap, it has been a year.
Especially after COVID and things like that. People are like, oh, it's
been a year. But then youcan also be like, man, it's
been a year. You know.There's so many ways that people can take
(25:53):
that song, and what a specialway to kind of just like take a
moment in time just your life andthings that you've been going through and really
just like ball it up in abow and be able to like listen back
to that and remember all of thosefeelings and the things that you're going through.
Was that such a special song foryou? Oh my gosh, it
was incredible. Honestly, I neverexpected that song to do what it did.
(26:15):
It's funny. I was I waswatching a podcast that Alanna Springsteen just
talked about, and she said,one of my good friends she was saying,
it's funny, you know, withcountry music, the more specific the
lyric, the more relatable it isto a mass audience. And I was
like, wow, I didn't eventhink about that, but that song is
the perfect example of that. Ithink if you go into a room and
you say, how do we writethe song that everybody's going to relate to,
(26:37):
but it's going to come out genericand something that people are like,
well, this is just like everyother song you over here verse that song.
I walked in you know, thatmorning, and on the way to
the right, I found out thatmy grandma had breast cancer for the second
time. Yeah, And I waslike, man, this is so hard.
And I was thinking back to thelast time i'd seen my grandma and
it was exactly a year since,like that week that I had seen my
(26:59):
grandma. And so I walk inthe right and I'm like, man,
this is crazy. And I didn'tsay anything about it. And one of
my co writers goes, hey,I have a song idea. I don't
know what it would be, maybelike a breakup song or something, but
it'd be called it's been a year. I was like, okay, God
got you. Yes, Like therewe go. We wrote that song and
I it was just honestly, like, you know, towards the end of
the year, and I was like, just as I was talking about being
(27:21):
in the thick of like grinding anexhaustion and missing my family and missing all
of this stuff, and I waslike, I just want to write this
song for me, and just likea journal entry, you put to music,
right, And then I posted onTikTok next scene and everybody else seemed
to relate to it too, Soit's really it was really special, and
I'm fortunate that I got to bein the room that day and and have
that happen. You know, Yeah, are there any other, um,
(27:41):
just moments that you can think ofwhere you are like, okay, God,
you know those little godwinks where he'sjust like you're thinking, and you're
like you're you're trying to get somethingand He's just like here you go.
I'm trying to think about the offthe top of my head. That always
happens, I think, you know, I try to I just have a
moment with myself and God before everyshow and to pray about it and just
(28:02):
be like, hey, you know, let me impact somebody in this room.
However you want me to write,And I guess there has been a
couple of times like, um,I'm trying to think about this specific story.
I was playing around and I havea song called Jealous of the Sky,
which is about my friend passing awaywhen I was eighteen, and I
never played that song live like everbecause it's like it's really sad, it's
(28:23):
hard to play. And I wasat around and I only had four songs
to play, and I was likethe third song in and usually I play
like my typical you know, foursongs that I would go to, and
I just had this weird like pollthat's like to play this song Jells at
the Sky. And I was like, I don't know why this is a
book. I'm gonna play the song. Yeah. So I play the song
and after, you know, thecrowd claps and it's awesome, and I'm
(28:44):
like cool, I don't know whythat was needed, but I feel like
I just needed to play that right, Like God, something was telling me,
you know that I need to playthat. Yep. I get off
stage and I go down to likekind of meet people, and a woman
walked up to me and was like, I lost my I think it was
her son like a month, Wow, and that song like wrecked me and
like it was everything I needed tohear. And I was like, wow,
(29:06):
Like if I didn't listen to thatbecause I was like in my exact
schedule of what I needed to doand how I needed to do it and
all this stuff and not listening tolike polls from God saying what you need
to do, that would have neverhappened and that that woman needed that.
So yeah, I mean I thinkthat those kind of moments happened. I
think I just constantly I'm trying tolike keep an open mind and be like,
hey, this is not my journey, this is yours, so like
whatever you want from me, andit's so awesome. I feel like I'm
(29:27):
like, man, God is socool when he does stuff like that,
because then you you really are likeokay, You're like is that you are
you telling me something? And thenafter it's like this affirmation like this woman
walking up to you, You're like, got a God exactly whatever you need
from me, I got it.And those moments too, Like I remember
when those polls happen and then nothingcomes from it, I'm like, well,
(29:47):
there's hundreds of people thousands of peoplein that crowds and somebody had to
have felt something I don't know,and I just leave it. But that
like, that's not my decision toI love that. All right, we
got to talk about this huge storyyou're about to go on, well too
of them, Luke Brian Like whatI know, I'm always excited as I
am for you because I'm over here, Like Luke Bryant's my guy. Like
I remember growing up listening to LukeBryant go into his shows and just I
(30:11):
mean, he's one of my favoritesme too. Getting to open up for
a legend, I mean, comeon, huge, it's so funny when
I when I got the tour.Actually, so I opened up for him
last year. Yeah, I'm inBirmingham, Alabama. That was last year,
right, I don't even know.Time is like totally not maybe,
but I was opening up for himlast year for like a one off show
in Birmingham, and we became friendsand I sang with him and it was
(30:32):
really fun. And before that show, my mom was like, man,
I will never forget the first timeyou came back from my hometown Amphitheater in
South Florida. I was upset.I've like fell in love with country music
at that Amphitheater and one of thefirst shows, I think the first show
that I went to at that Amphitheaterwas Luke Bryan and Jason al Dean Let's
Go, and it was downpouring rain. He put on the best show I've
(30:55):
ever seen in my entire life.He's just such a natural born performer.
And I came home and I wouldn'tshut up about it for like a month.
I was like, Mom, LukeBryan, like, he's the guy,
He's the guy I want. Iwant to do what he does performing
entertaining. He does it, heunderstands it. And she was like,
fgl and Luke Bryan are your twopeople that you're like you would kill to
like work with, open up forlike whatever. And for years that was
the case, and she was likemanifestations real, dude, Like it's She
(31:18):
was like, I mean the factthat that's like the person that wants to
bring you on tour, that you'vebecome friends with, that all of these
things have kind of let up toit's huge and he's like just the best.
I'm so excited to get to justgo watch his show. Overnight.
You know, it's literally learn fromthe best, learn from I mean,
you get to relive that moment youhad at that amphitheater in Florida, like
yeah, all the time. Yeah, and even just from that one show.
You know, he he passed onsuch great you know advice, And
(31:41):
the one thing he said to methat I've taken now since every show is
be spontaneous and if you mess up, make a joke about it. Like
they don't care, and they wantrealness. They don't want a perfectly executed
show like a robot. They wantlike a human they can just really do
and have fun with. And heis the epitome of that on stage,
and so it's like, you know, he was like, I think that
a lot of artists get caught upin setlist being exactly the way that they
need to be and very rigid aboutstuff. But that's not what entertains people.
(32:05):
They want something fun that they canjust let loose. You have a
good time with. So and we'rehumans, right, Like even podcasts,
people are like, how long doesit take you to edit? And I'm
like, unless there's like a reallylong, like six minute pause, are
in there? Okay? Like they'regonna say we're we're human beings. And
I feel like that's such a sucha good point that you made because so
many people with artificial intelligence and allthese things that are just perfect social media,
(32:30):
everybody's life is so picture perfect andthen their house is clean all the
time, and I'm like, girl, you're lying. I feel like,
true, no, not. Yourdishes are not out of the sink every
single night. Okay, there's somethingthat's got something stuck on there, you
know. I just I'm like,you're lying, and they are you have
too much time on your hands?Or you have a maide okay, which
is goals Londay, maybe maybe we'llhave one. But I also want to
(32:52):
talk about your Shot in the Darktour because I feel like this is such
a big, I mean, debutalbum. I'm so excited headlining tour.
What is happening happening? It feelslike yesterday I was opening up for some
of my friends in the same venuesthat I'm playing and being like, oh,
I want to headline some day,Like I'll get there, I'll get
there, And it feels like ithappens so fast. But also we put
(33:13):
in the work, we've done,you know, A lot of the the
late nights and the you know,all of it. But I mean it's
insane. I think we've already soldout of like most of the VIPs,
a lot of the dates, likegeneral, it's just nuts. Like I
feel like everybody's buying these tickets sofast, and I'm like, what is
happening. People are demming me likewait, I can't get tickets anymore,
and I'm like, I don't know, it happens. Yeah, You're like
maybe one day we'll maybe we'll domore. Yeah, it's I mean,
(33:36):
what a good problem to have.The amazing problem happened. I'm honestly just
so happy people want to come seeus live. You know, it's huge,
It's so huge. Headline shows aremy favorite. They're so fun.
I was just gonna say, Ifeel like a headlining show is so special
because literally everybody is there to seeyou, right, like, yes,
yes, but you also have amazingopeners, thank you so much. Yeah.
Yeah. But also, like oneof my favorite things that happened when
(33:57):
I headlined my first couple shows.I've only done like three or four headlen
shows, which is really cool,and I went I did some in Florida
and I walked in. This isalso a god thing kind of like I
walked in being like, oh,yeah, all these people are here to
see me. This is so cool, like you know, not like cocky
about it, but just like hell, yeah, this is right. Yes.
I get up on stage. ThenI'm playing, and I'm like,
so, I was like, Idon't know if y'all came to see me
(34:17):
or if you know, your friendsdragged you here, and a couple of
people were like yep, And I'mlike, oh wow, nice, so
fun that people have no idea whoI am. And I thought that these
people were all here to see me, and that's so cool that I get
to prove to this person. Ihave to earn them. I have to
earn their respect, you know whatI mean. Not that I don't durn
everybodylse's respect, but totally you knowwhat I mean. Yeah, it's cool.
What a cool feeling though, toknow that like this is your hard
work and literally the grind, allof the moments that you felt like giving
(34:42):
up or maybe the moments where itjust felt too hard, like your hard
work is paying off. And industryperson to another like I'm very excited for
you, so so happy to seeyour success and just your authenticity and just
who you are and just putting thaton stage and into your music and just
into rooms that you walk in to. Just congratulations. I'm so excited for
you. Thank you. That reallymeans a lot. Thank You're welcome.
(35:04):
Okay, we gotta end the showwith the little gumball machine next to you.
Okay, Okay, there's a littleum t. Yeah, there's a
little question. We end the podcastwith these. It's just like random questions
from the gumball machine. You neverknow what you're gonna get, so good
luck, and they're really hard toopen. My dumb Okay. I was
like, is this just me problem? No? Literally every single person is
like I can't get it off.Okay, green my favorite color. I
(35:27):
love that. Perfect. Here wego. What's your favorite cuss word?
Oh god, you can believe itis the sweating right now? Um,
honestly, I say shit too often. Yeah, so opry, the grandel
Opry. I was making my debutright and my mom is like, you
have the mouth of a sailor.My whole family does that. They always
(35:49):
we do too, Yes, Likeit's just not stop love Jesus cuss a
little bit, always and I wason stage at the Grand Ole Opry and
the first thing I said on themicrophone was like, Holy, My mom
was like and I was like wow. She was like thank God, Like
she was like, I would havebeen so bad at you. But yeah,
definitely, shit shows my word.I say shit a lot. Okay,
(36:10):
that's a good one. It's betterthan it's better than the one that
my husband says all the time thatnow my two year old is starting to
try and repeat. Yeah. Itstarts with an Evan the UK. Yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah, Sopray for me and that. Okay,
I love that. All Right,We're gonna go out with your place.
Such a good song. Congrat's Girl, Thank you so much.
All right, cool, let's let'sget into it. Queen backstage. Welcome
(00:06):
to the backstage with Brook. You'reall access past to music city where nothing
is off limits. Grab a drink, let's go backstage. Ashley Cook is
in the high what's up, queen? You do I'm good? Y'all have
to play this song right here.You just released the song and literally everybody
(00:28):
is singing every single word back toyou already at shows. It's bizarre.
It's absolutely bizarre. I went toa festival in Ohio this past weekend and
oh my gosh, Like I waslike, oh, yeah, this is
so cool, Like the song justcame out, maybe people will know it.
They were singing every single word tothe chorus to the whole song,
and I was like, what thehell. Yeah, well, and I
think this is cool too because it'slike a testament to I mean, this
(00:48):
album that you're releasing is twenty foursongs, and I luckily and one of
the few that got the link tothe album before everyone else, and you
can't help but start singing all ofthe words to every single song. And
I just think that's that your placeis just a testament to what this album
is. Thank you so much andhow special it is. Are you pumped
it's album released week? I know, I'm like, what, it's already
(01:10):
here. It's so crazy because Ifeel like when we were talking about album
released like months and months ago,I was like, oh my gosh,
like July, I feel so faraway, like that's going to take so
long. And now I'm like Iblinked and it's here. It's so crazy.
I'm so excited. It's my veryfirst debut album, so I'm like,
as soon as it comes out,I'm gonna be like what I do
in my hands? I don't knowright, Like We've been doing so much
prep for it and promo for it, and I'm really just excited for everybody
(01:30):
to just like have the project.Yeah, and twenty four songs. I
was like, what did I readthat you were? This is like the
largest debut album by a female countryartist to date I think country artist period,
I think, which we did notplan on that happening at all.
It was honestly like I was.I was just writing a lot, and
again, this is debut album,and I've been writing songs since I was
eleven, so I just had alot that I wanted to say and songs
(01:52):
and songwriters that I've become friends withnow that I love writing with, and
we've just created some really cool stuff. And honestly, the album was twenty
six or seven songs before we likewhittled it down, and I was like,
I don't none of these twenty foursongs I don't want to put on
the project. So my label BigLoud was like, hey, you know,
we don't want to. We don'twant to hold you back at all.
We don't want to make you waitfor another album, Like, let's
(02:13):
just put them all out and seewhat happens. Like we believe in your
music. So I got to doit. And then after the fact,
they were like, hey, Ithink this is the largest debut album of
a country artist. So I'm like, what the hell, Yeah, I'm
here for that is so awesome andI love that you're a writer on twenty
of the twenty four songs. Rightwhen you're going into a writing room and
you're you know, you're trying tomake magic, obviously you're like, yeah,
(02:35):
I want to write a number onesong. But when you go in
and you're like back, like ifyou're go into the future and you look
back and you're like remembering those moments, like in the writing room, like
knowing that they're going to be apart of such a special thing, like
your debut album. Is that thecoolest feeling ever? It's really cool.
I think Nashe's so unique with songwriters. I think, you know, I've
now become just best friends with mostof the people that I've written these songs
(02:58):
with, and some of them arejust legendary songwriters that are on the project
that I'm honored to get to evenlike say that I wrote with right now,
And so it's really really cool,and I think it's funny looking back.
I was actually thinking about this inthe car on the way over here
because I was like, man,like your place, for example, we
wrote that song that day, andI was like, this is a really
really cool song. But I wentand got coffee and hung out with my
friends and went on with my life. And it's like, it's so weird
(03:20):
that sometimes the songs that you leavethe room thinking about, you know,
they're like such great songs and you'reso excited about them, but you're not
like this is going to be theone, right, this is the one
you know? You just don't know. You just create art, and then
you put it out and you letthe people that are listening to it decide
which ones they want to cling onto. So it's it's cool and it's fun
to kind of see the whole processcome together and then now look back on
it when it's all packaged together andmarketed and all of the things, and
(03:42):
be like, wow, like youknow, that day that I wrote that
song, this story was in mind. So it's it's really fun. And
then I feel like to just youknow, no big deal throw Nate Smith
on the album Jackson, Dan Colby, galat Right Young, Like what when
you have those conversations with your friendssaying like, hey, do you want
to be a part of this?Is that like you get excited about that
or you just like, uh pleasesay yes. Oh my gosh, I
(04:02):
get so excited. It's always like, you know, like you said,
friends, Like that's I think thebeautiful part about country music and Nashville in
general is that we've all just becomefriends. Like when you're in this industry
together, radio, touring together,seeing each other at different festivals and shows,
like you just make friends with peopleand you just cling on to people
that understand what you're also going throughthat's like for example, like Jackson Dean,
(04:23):
that was like the epitome of likethe Nashville collaboration story. Right.
We got asked to do this awardshow together called the AMP Awards, which
is like an independent music publisher awards, and so they asked us to sing
Don't Think Jesus by Morgan Mallin togetheras a cover. And so I was
in the studio with him one dayjust hanging out, like you know,
running through that song, which isthe only time we've ever been put to
(04:43):
sing together, and we're just gottalking and just bonded it and hung out
for like an hour in the studio, and he asked about the album and
you know, how it's going andwho's on it and all this stuff,
and his producer is Luke Dick,and I was like, oh, actually,
there's a song that Lady Wilson andLuke Dick wrote that's I'm cutting on
this album. And he was like, oh my gosh, wait is it?
Is it? What are you onfire about? Is this this song
(05:04):
that I know about? And I'mlike, yeah it is, And he's
like, can I please be onthis kind I was like, dude,
yes, So like, you know, same with Nate, same with Colby,
similar kind of stories of just makingfriends with people that get what you
do and understand you know what you'regoing through and want to share their art
with you, and it's it's anhonor to get to have them on my
project. Yeah, so exciting.I'm really excited for you. And this
(05:26):
week it's gonna be amazing. Iwant to, like, I want to
like take our huge rewind though,like back to the very beginning of Ashley,
before before music was even a thoughtin your mind. What would you
say to Ashley back then, nowthat you know what you know about you
know your career and kind of likewhere you're headed and putting out your debut
album. Oh that's such a hardquestion. You know. When I was
(05:49):
a kid before music, I waslike super big tomboy and like super into
sports and try to just kind offigure out my life. And I think
I would say to her, like, just follow whatever feels right. I
think, you know, it's normalas a kid to try to figure out
your social circles or who you wantto be around and if you want to
play soccer because your friends played soccerand all of that, and I think
I would say to myself and toany like kid out there, like whatever
(06:12):
feels right, follow it. Imean when I was younger and I was
obsessed with like iMovie and making likevideos in my room with my sister.
Back then, my parents were like, oh, it's just a funny thing
that she's doing. But like,you know, cut to being twenty just
turned twenty six years old and makingvideos on social media. That passion happened
when I was a kid, andI didn't know it because I was like,
oh, I'm just you know,a kid in my house making videos
(06:33):
having a good time just being andthen going to school and playing sports and
whatever. But now it's it's helpedme as an adult and that was something
that I found passion and as akid. So just follow your passion and
that's that'll guide you wherever you wantit to. You know, take you
one percent. You said you're anathlete. You played soccer, You said
I didn't. I played I thinkvolleyballa horseback riding, gymnastics, track.
(06:54):
I think that was all of it. Cheerleading, I think I don't know
active kids same. I feel likeI did everything softball, baseball, t
ball, Like I played volleyball throughoutcollege. Position were you? I was
at Barrow? Okay, nice,that's awesome. Well, I was an
outside hitter growing up, like throughhigh school, middle school, you know,
all of the travel volleyball that wedid. But then I get to
college and they're like, oh,you're only five eight and a half.
(07:15):
Okay, great, you're gonna playbackground. Okay, not old enough.
God, it's awesome. That's fun. So you are from Florida kind of?
Yes, I lived in Florida allthroughout my high school. I have
like a weird story. I movedaround a lot growing up. Yeah,
but it's easier to just say Floridabecause I'm like, well, I lived
in like a lot of places.But but yes, I was in Florida
before I was in Nashville. Gotcha. See, I'm the same way because
I'm from Virginia kind of. ButI like grew up in Florida two but
(07:39):
then mostly grew up in Virginia.But then my parents, my whole family
lives in Florida now too, SoI'm like, you, I'm from Florida.
Whatever, we're in Florida, we'rein Virginia. M Florida was like
Gainesville area, Jacksonville, just northernFlorida, and then Virginia in Woodbridge,
So northern Virginia, like right nearDC. My parents were in Arlington for
a while. Way, that's soclose. Yeah, we're the same person.
I love it. Let's talk aboutbefore moving to Nashville, when that
(08:03):
kind of like seed of music gotplanted in your heart and that you were
like, this is what I wantto do. Nashville's the next move.
Yeah. What did that feel likefor you as I mean a young adult
for sure? Yeah, it washonestly a crazy journey. Actually got into
entertainment really young because my sister wassuper into acting. Yeah, and I
was like, you know, thetomboy little sister that was just kind of
drug around to the different places.And so I got introduced to entertainment really
(08:26):
young when we started going to LAfor her acting stuff. And I just,
you know, was surrounded by entertainmentsuper young and fell in love with
performing and writing songs and music andyou know, doing all of that kind
of world. And so me andmy sister did a duo together for a
little while, and we traveled aroundthe country performing music together. And I
kind of like grew up in entertainment. Cut to high school, I'm like,
(08:46):
what do I want to do withmy life? Like do I want
to go to college? I wantto focus on music forever, Like what
do I want to do? AndI had known about Bellmont because I had
been to Nashville a couple of times, and so I went to Bellmont University
and I studied marketing and communications.I'm nothing to do with music, and
I honestly kind of like, Idon't want to say it took a break,
but I just didn't really focus onmusic as my you know, number
one thing all throughout my college years. And it wasn't until my senior year
(09:11):
that I kind of decided to givemusic a full time time run at it.
Yeah, but moving to Nashville.Obviously, I've always loved music and
I was in it when I wasa kid, and I love music city,
I loved filmat but it wasn't exactlylike the move to Nashville to like
pursue music. Kind of just goto college and figure out my life and
see, you know, what thisthing has to offer. And I ended
(09:31):
up in music, which I guesswas my plan all along. Well,
I was gonna say then COVID happens, and then everybody literally is bound to
a room. Yep. And allwe had was our phones. Yeah,
like literally who we had our phones, We had the Internet, and that
was the way we saw people.And I feel like that's when people started
to know truly who Ashley Cook was. Because the power of social media blows
my mind. Like us, it'sso crazy the fact that somebody can see
(09:54):
you on the Internet and then literallyshare it with somebody, and then next
thing, you know what, millionsof people are watching something that you put
out, whether it is a funnyvideo or it's you know, just your
family, or if it's a song. It's bizarre getting to that and in
starting like this kind of like viralmoment on social media, was that weird
for you? Of course? Ithink I think it'd be weird for anybody.
(10:16):
You know. I was one ofthose weird people where my very first
video went viral, which was likesuper bizarre. I feel like nowadays,
you know, it's so oversaturated totally, which is a great problem to have,
but also you know, it's it'sharder. I think I was,
you know, I was one ofthe first couple people that were in country
music that like really stormed the platform, which I'm honored to say that I
know got to be a part ofthat kind of like first wave. So
(10:39):
my first video that I posted wentviral like two points something million views,
and I remember sitting in my parentsguest rooms. We were quarantining in Florida
together, and I was sitting intheir guest room and I was like,
guys, I think I think something'shappening, and my sister was like what,
And we all just sat around,having nothing better to do because we're
in COVID, just watching the numbersgo up on this video and just like
every being like, well, anotherone hundred thousand, and we were like,
(11:03):
we're not even comprehending the fact thatthese are human beings watching this video.
This is wild. So it's justit's crazy. It's it's really like
it's a huge like help to youngartists, I think, because now we
have so much access to people allaround the world that we can reach with
a video. But it's also alittle strange sometimes because you're like, whoa
people people out there? You know, I'll go to shows and people will
(11:24):
come up to me at meet andgreets and say, I feel like I
already know you. I'm like,that's so cool, but also like,
what you know, it's weird.It's a weird concepts, such a weird
concept And I was just talking withanother artist about this recently, about how
social media and just the access thatit really does give you in the music
industry as a whole now and howkind of things are changing a little bit
when it comes to streaming and thingslike that, and how people will try
(11:46):
to say, well, they're justa TikTok artist. Yep, does that
take you off as much as ittakes me off? Because I'm not even
an artist, and it takes meoff for people that get like hear that.
You know, I will say itused to a lot, But honestly,
I think that it motivated any morethan anything. Yeah, I think.
I don't remember how I was talkingto, but I was talking to
(12:07):
somebody about that, and I wassaying, like, they just think I'm
a TikTok artist and whatever, andthey were like, well, hey,
you know, the way to makethem not think that, is to prove
them wrong, is to you know, release music that will transcend whatever platform
it is that you were first startedon. I mean, Luke Combs started
on Vine, Shawn Mendes started onvining and like now they're amazing, massive,
you know, stadium selling artists,crushing it. And so it's like
(12:28):
whatever. People people will always saysomething to you when you're, you know,
finding some traction. They'll always finda reason to be like, well,
you're just this, You're just that. It's like let them, you
know, if you if you letthat kind of sink in and make yourself
feel like a TikTok artist or justa vine artist, and you're never gonna
be Shawn Mendes totally Lucom's Yeah,so you just got to kind of shake
it off. And I know Ialways talk to my girlfriends about this,
(12:48):
but I'm like, it's just liesfrom the enemy. Like it's literally it's
literally Satan just being like, heygirl, I know that you are walking
towards like something greater, so letme try to pull you back a little
bit and hopefully I can just tripyou up. And it's just like you
said, you gotta just keep ongoing, prove them wrong. Yep,
make it happen. Could not agreemore. Yeah, So social media,
we got the new one threads.Oh my god, I am not with
(13:11):
the times. Guys, literally Okay. So this came out and I think
my boss texted me. He's justlike, hey, are you on this?
And I'm like, dude, wejust did this whole thing with whatever
those live little chat rooms were.What were they called chat rooms? They
were like on Twitter. Do youremember what they were? I can't remember,
but they were like they were likelittle live chat rooms. And there
was like an app where people wouldlike get on there and just like talk
(13:31):
to each other. And I wasjust and they were like, you have
to be on this app was aclubhouse. Yes, clubhouse, Yeah,
clubhouse. I remember that. Inever was on it, but I just
knew about it. Yeah, AndI'm like, is this another clubhouse where
it's gonna be fun for like amonth and then it's gonna go away?
Because it just feels like Twitter.It's just Twitter. It's just like the
Instagram version of Twitter. Yes,is that wrong to say? No,
(13:52):
It's it's like, it's what's hisname, It's Zuckerberg versus Elon Musk.
Yeah. Yeah, So this isthe world next World War And I'm getting
literally, but I feel like whenit comes to social media, and I
mean, especially like TikTok TikTok TikTokwas brand new during COVID, Like that's
when it like popped off, havingthe guts to just be like, all
right, well I'm gonna try thisout. Not on threads, not into
(14:15):
it, Nope, absolutely not.I honestly sucked at Twitter and I still
suck at Twitter. I'm that atInstagram captions. I don't know what to
say. I'm like, I'd ratherjust like talk to somebody and like go
a live. If I go liveon TikTok, it's so much easier for
me than like typing out a sentenceon Twitter. I don't know why.
It's just like also, I'm likenot a funny person. I don't think
it's I'm like, how to befunny in like a sentence? Yeah?
Well that, And it's just likea little diary I feel like. And
(14:37):
sometimes I'm like, does anybody reallycare that my kids stayed out till four
in the morning last night? LikeI don't think so, I mean maybe
they do, and maybe you justgotta like try it out and see what
happens. I don't know. I'mlike I saw it launched and I was
like, what is this? Anotherone? Another one? And I feel
like that moment comes through all ofour minds of that thought, it's just
like another one, Yeah, anotherthing for us to like waste our time
on. And I'm like, listenbetween Instagram and freak and time in the
(15:01):
day to do anything, same literallysame on, Like another one. Here
we go, but we'll see whathappens. Hopefully it's successful for them.
Totally. So social media I feellike kind of like consumes our lives a
lot, you know, with whateveryou're scrolling through or if you're creating content
to post things like that. Isthere ever a moment where you're just like,
I can't do this anymore, Likeit's hard, Like I don't feel
(15:22):
like doing it this week, eventhough it's kind of part of your job.
Yeah. Yes, I mean Ithink that's just natural for any of
us, even if you're not likea content creator, if you're just on
social media a lot. And it'sfunny. I was I was talking to
one of my best friends, SpencerCrandell, about this because we both he's
very much on social media and pursuinga career via you know, all of
the things that I'm doing too,and we were taught. I was like,
(15:43):
man, I'm just I feel likeI'm just exhausted, Like I feel
like, you know, sometimes youjust get burnt out and you feel like
you don't even know what to create, and then you get hated about creating
the same things over and over again, and you're like, oh my gosh,
what do I do with myself?And he was like, hey,
I think you got to realize,like things are happening so fast on social
media, if you took a weekbreak, nobody would even bling an eye.
And that's not saying that they don'tpay attention or miss you or want
(16:06):
to hear your content or see yourcontent. It's more just like I think
you are the person that puts themost pressure on yourself, and so if
you get tired, take a break, yes, like creatively relax and get
your you know, stuff back inline. I mean it's okay to do
that, you know. Yeah.And I feel like it's kind of similar
to like an actual like job,job, right, you have vacation days
for a reason, take them exactly. And as an artist, I mean
(16:29):
young artist especially, I'm sure everyyoung artist it's listening out there can relate
to this, like they kind ofyou know, put in your mind like
there is no days off, youcan't do anything. You have to like,
you know, one hundred percent,one hundred and ten percent focus on
this and stay up late and notsleep. And it's like, yes,
there's a point that's true of that. There's a season of your you know,
artist career where you have to digin. I mean there's a season
where I was sick like every weekbecause I was like, I can't sleep,
(16:49):
I can't eat, I can't doanything because I'm so busy. And
that's it's honestly so much fun,even though it's exhausting, but it's okay
to be like, hey, guys, I need to take a minute.
You know, you're not going tolike not succeed because of prioritizing your mental
health and your physical health, youknow, and that is so important to
mental health right now especially, Ifeel like it's such a big topic and
something that everybody's talking about. Andthe access that we do have, whether
(17:12):
it's through social media or just Imean as an artist, I feel like
people don't get to see the grindtruly that you're doing. Like people don't
know that you woke up this morning, got ready and came here, you
know what I mean, and thenyou're probably going to sixteen other places after
this, especially album release week,like you're crazy busy, and then you're
still going on stage at the endof the night, giving your all to
(17:33):
these fans and then maybe getting youknow, five six hours asleep, and
then you're back at it the nextday. Are there times where you're ever
just like the Saint For me,like the Saint it, I'm not sure
if I can do this forever.Of course, I think I think it's
less so I can't do this forever, and more so, hey, I
need today, you know. Ithink that's and that's the thing that I
think I've had to learn. Ithink for a while in the beginning,
(17:57):
you know, beginning saying like twoand a half year ago of really starting
this journey of music, which isso crazy, the two and a half
years all this has already happened.Right in the beginning, I think I
had more of a mentality of likea sprint and my actually, my drummer
we were talking about this on theroad one day because I was like,
I'm exhausted. I don't know ifI can do this, Like I want
so badly for this to happen,but like if this is what it takes,
(18:18):
and you know, exhausting myself notbeing able to work out, not
all this stuff, like how doI do this? And he was like,
I think you have to remember that, like if you try to sprint,
you can't sustain, Like you haveto jog. Yeah, you have
to. You have to train,you have to jog, you have to
do you know you it's just likein an analogy that's easier to kind of
comprehend. I was like, man, I think you're right, and so
(18:38):
I, you know, prioritize,like I got like a personal trainer and
I was able to like work outmore and meal prep and figuring out kind
of like when to sleep, howto sleep. And so I think the
times that I have felt that,I've had the most amazing support system around
me, with my family, myband, my team to be like,
hey, first off, are youokay? Like if you can't do this,
we're not telling you that you haveto do something like absolutely what's best
(19:00):
for you. I think it's importantto have those people in your life too
that can a kind of pull youout of like that anxious state of mind
and be like help you kind ofget your feet together under you when you're
overwhelmed. I think there's this quotethat I heard one time where somebody basically
asks, you know, what doI have to do to get to the
next level? Like how do Iget to the top? Like this is
what I want to do in mycareer, how do I get there?
(19:21):
And I'm like, people always wantto take the elevator to the top because
it's easier, yep, but youhave to just like take stair by stair.
You have to take the stairs andget there. And I think too,
you know, there's a really bignecessary point in those stairs, right
Like there's I mean, even whenI'm sitting here thinking like, oh,
I want to be on that stage, I want to do this. Like
(19:41):
then I play the side stage andI learned something that I didn't know,
like my ears go out, orsomething happens that I have to pivot,
or the crowd wasn't as engaged asI wanted them to be, or something
happened where I learned that I wantedto do a certain thing during a song
on stage. And I wouldn't havehad that moment if it weren't for being
on the side stage that year.So I think it's like you want to
take the better because it's easy,but I think you have to take the
(20:02):
stairs to build the endurance to stayup on the top hopeful, and you're
never going to stay on the top. Nobody stays on top of everybody does
this right, which is why it'sjust like always be kind, always work
hard, and like understand that,like the place that you're at in your
career, it's okay to like feellike you're not where you want to be
yet because you're working your way upto that. And also, like I
mean, if you if you risefast, you also could fall fast totally,
(20:25):
it's hard to sustain. You wantto learn the lessons on the way.
So that's like my favorite thing thatI've taken from all of this is
like, you know, you couldthings that happen fast or slow, but
if you don't put the work inon the way up, you won't know
how to breathe on the top ofthe mountain, you know what I mean.
You were talking about playing different stagesand I just was thinking about the
first time that I saw you performwas that the Rhyman opening up for Coleslindell.
(20:47):
So it's not a fun show.Um as a country artist, obviously,
you know. I mean, likeyou said, it's happened in just
a couple of years for you.Yeah, playing mother Church got to be
the coolest thing ever, right,so cool, I mean I was.
It was so weird that I mademy grand ol opry debut and my rhyme
and debut in the same week.Yeah, I was like, what is
happening? It's really really really special. And I think, honestly, one
(21:11):
of the things that I took awayfrom all of that was I think that,
as you know, young artists,you have your goals of what you
want to do, right, likeplay the opery, play the rhyme,
and you know, play Bridgestone,which I'm also playing this year, which
is crazy, and like all thesethings that you want to do, And
and I think that you tell yourselfthat all your insecurities, all your fears,
all that stuff will just go awaywhen you get to a certain point,
When you reach a certain point,hit a certain goal, right,
(21:32):
then you get up there and youjust feel like you have some fancy your
clothes, right, And I thinkthat that's like one of the biggest things
that I would take away from allthose experiences is like the people that you
idolize, like you know, DollyParton, for example, Like you're like,
well, Dolly's gotta figure it out, she got her stuff together.
Yeah, And then it's like,but then you realize that Dolly probably set
up in that circle and felt theexact same way that I did. Yeah,
(21:53):
but it's like this is so specialand so cool and I'm so honored
to be here. Yep, youknow, but it is. It doesn't
erase all the bad things about yourday or about your you know, your
feelings about yourself and all the things. So it's an honor and it's it's
it's it makes you feel really connectedto everybody else that's played on those stages
too, which is a really funthing. It's like a big family,
you know. Yeah. Do youever feel pressure? I feel like,
(22:15):
for some reason, with women incountry music, there's just this like weird
pressure to like not compete with eachother, but then you're also competing with
each other, And then do youever feel that weird pressure of like being
this rising female and country music.You're about to put out your debut album,
You're going on a headlining tour foryour first time. What kind of
pressures do you feel as a femalein the industry, and does that ever
(22:37):
kind of discourage you at all?It's a great question. I mean,
yeah, naturally, I think thateverybody, I think male and female feel
that way. You know, feelpressure to be perfect, You're to be
a certain way. I think that, you know, I was talking to
my therapist about this the other dayabout just like competition, and I'm like,
am I jealous? Am I this? Am I that? And my
therapist was like, hey, Ithink that the bottom line is like,
(22:59):
remember that everybody's path is completely different. Like if somebody gets something succeeds before
you, there was somebody before youthat felt that way when you got something
else, and you the more thatyou allow competition to get into your path,
like honestly, just hinders relationships andconnections with people. And so I
think, like I've I've never beena super competitive person. I really just
haven't been. And I think that, you know, as I move more
(23:22):
in this industry, I want tostand on the rock of being proud of
like who I am and the waythat I treat people, in the way
that people feel when they leave mypresence, that's what we're saying. I
think that that, you know,if I ever feel any kind of jealousy
or competition, I immediately just I'mlike, WHOA reframe that, Like this
is not why are you feeling thatway? And if it's because you're not
(23:44):
getting xyz, that this person mayhave just work your work your butt off
and get there and like you canget there too. And so I think,
like I really try to not becompetitive because I just don't want to
be and I don't want people tocompetitive with me. And I think we'll
be all of our different journeys andthere's there's room for all of us.
You know, there's a healthy bitof like not jealousy, but like to
want that. Right, Like yousaid, I want to win a Grammy,
(24:04):
I want to win an ACM.I want to do this. I
want to do that, And it'sit's like a healthy version of like they
did that, I'm not jealous,but I want that. But also,
like you said, kind of likestaying in your lane running your race,
because like I mean, it's acliche kind of metaphor, but it's like
when you're running a race and youstart looking side to side, that's when
you start tripping and falling and doingall these things that if you just keep
(24:26):
your eyes forward and run your racelike you'll do it. Yeah. And
I think also too, you know, like I said with Country, it's
amazing that we get to be withother people so often, Like I get
to play radio shows and shows andfestivals with other you know, people around
me that are in my same kindof class and on the same you know,
up for the same awards and upfor the same radio spots and all
that stuff. Because you get tosee these people and you see the grind
(24:48):
that they're grinding too. And Ithink that that to me just reminds me,
like, you know, if Ihopefully ever get nominated for an awards
someday, I'm I get to lookat that category and say, holy shit,
you know, one hundred people aroundme like have worked their butts off,
and like if so and so winsthat award over me, I'm gonna
be like, let's go. Yes, I know that you've also put the
(25:08):
work in and this time wasn't myyear, but maybe next year. And
like that, I think is theblessing of countries that we get to like
see firsthand and become friends with peoplein our same category to know the grind
so we respect it because we allunderstand it. You know. I want
to just kind of piggyback off ofsomething you just said. You said this
was in my year, but thissong three hundred and sixty five Girls and
(25:33):
Records. I feel like this songreally just like encaptured so much of not
just like your story and like everythingthat you've been through, but fans relating
to their year and like, holycrap, it has been a year.
Especially after COVID and things like that. People are like, oh, it's
been a year. But then youcan also be like, man, it's
been a year. You know.There's so many ways that people can take
(25:53):
that song, and what a specialway to kind of just like take a
moment in time just your life andthings that you've been going through and really
just like ball it up in abow and be able to like listen back
to that and remember all of thosefeelings and the things that you're going through.
Was that such a special song foryou? Oh my gosh, it
was incredible. Honestly, I neverexpected that song to do what it did.
(26:15):
It's funny. I was I waswatching a podcast that Alanna Springsteen just
talked about, and she said,one of my good friends she was saying,
it's funny, you know, withcountry music, the more specific the
lyric, the more relatable it isto a mass audience. And I was
like, wow, I didn't eventhink about that, but that song is
the perfect example of that. Ithink if you go into a room and
you say, how do we writethe song that everybody's going to relate to,
(26:37):
but it's going to come out genericand something that people are like,
well, this is just like everyother song you over here verse that song.
I walked in you know, thatmorning, and on the way to
the right, I found out thatmy grandma had breast cancer for the second
time. Yeah, And I waslike, man, this is so hard.
And I was thinking back to thelast time i'd seen my grandma and
it was exactly a year since,like that week that I had seen my
(26:59):
grandma. And so I walk inthe right and I'm like, man,
this is crazy. And I didn'tsay anything about it. And one of
my co writers goes, hey,I have a song idea. I don't
know what it would be, maybelike a breakup song or something, but
it'd be called it's been a year. I was like, okay, God
got you. Yes, Like therewe go. We wrote that song and
I it was just honestly, like, you know, towards the end of
the year, and I was like, just as I was talking about being
(27:21):
in the thick of like grinding anexhaustion and missing my family and missing all
of this stuff, and I waslike, I just want to write this
song for me, and just likea journal entry, you put to music,
right, And then I posted onTikTok next scene and everybody else seemed
to relate to it too, Soit's really it was really special, and
I'm fortunate that I got to bein the room that day and and have
that happen. You know, Yeah, are there any other, um,
(27:41):
just moments that you can think ofwhere you are like, okay, God,
you know those little godwinks where he'sjust like you're thinking, and you're
like you're you're trying to get somethingand He's just like here you go.
I'm trying to think about the offthe top of my head. That always
happens, I think, you know, I try to I just have a
moment with myself and God before everyshow and to pray about it and just
(28:02):
be like, hey, you know, let me impact somebody in this room.
However you want me to write,And I guess there has been a
couple of times like, um,I'm trying to think about this specific story.
I was playing around and I havea song called Jealous of the Sky,
which is about my friend passing awaywhen I was eighteen, and I
never played that song live like everbecause it's like it's really sad, it's
(28:23):
hard to play. And I wasat around and I only had four songs
to play, and I was likethe third song in and usually I play
like my typical you know, foursongs that I would go to, and
I just had this weird like pollthat's like to play this song Jells at
the Sky. And I was like, I don't know why this is a
book. I'm gonna play the song. Yeah. So I play the song
and after, you know, thecrowd claps and it's awesome, and I'm
(28:44):
like cool, I don't know whythat was needed, but I feel like
I just needed to play that right, Like God, something was telling me,
you know that I need to playthat. Yep. I get off
stage and I go down to likekind of meet people, and a woman
walked up to me and was like, I lost my I think it was
her son like a month, Wow, and that song like wrecked me and
like it was everything I needed tohear. And I was like, wow,
(29:06):
Like if I didn't listen to thatbecause I was like in my exact
schedule of what I needed to doand how I needed to do it and
all this stuff and not listening tolike polls from God saying what you need
to do, that would have neverhappened and that that woman needed that.
So yeah, I mean I thinkthat those kind of moments happened. I
think I just constantly I'm trying tolike keep an open mind and be like,
hey, this is not my journey, this is yours, so like
whatever you want from me, andit's so awesome. I feel like I'm
(29:27):
like, man, God is socool when he does stuff like that,
because then you you really are likeokay, You're like is that you are
you telling me something? And thenafter it's like this affirmation like this woman
walking up to you, You're like, got a God exactly whatever you need
from me, I got it.And those moments too, Like I remember
when those polls happen and then nothingcomes from it, I'm like, well,
(29:47):
there's hundreds of people thousands of peoplein that crowds and somebody had to
have felt something I don't know,and I just leave it. But that
like, that's not my decision toI love that. All right, we
got to talk about this huge storyyou're about to go on, well too
of them, Luke Brian Like whatI know, I'm always excited as I
am for you because I'm over here, Like Luke Bryant's my guy. Like
I remember growing up listening to LukeBryant go into his shows and just I
(30:11):
mean, he's one of my favoritesme too. Getting to open up for
a legend, I mean, comeon, huge, it's so funny when
I when I got the tour.Actually, so I opened up for him
last year. Yeah, I'm inBirmingham, Alabama. That was last year,
right, I don't even know.Time is like totally not maybe,
but I was opening up for himlast year for like a one off show
in Birmingham, and we became friendsand I sang with him and it was
(30:32):
really fun. And before that show, my mom was like, man,
I will never forget the first timeyou came back from my hometown Amphitheater in
South Florida. I was upset.I've like fell in love with country music
at that Amphitheater and one of thefirst shows, I think the first show
that I went to at that Amphitheaterwas Luke Bryan and Jason al Dean Let's
Go, and it was downpouring rain. He put on the best show I've
(30:55):
ever seen in my entire life.He's just such a natural born performer.
And I came home and I wouldn'tshut up about it for like a month.
I was like, Mom, LukeBryan, like, he's the guy,
He's the guy I want. Iwant to do what he does performing
entertaining. He does it, heunderstands it. And she was like,
fgl and Luke Bryan are your twopeople that you're like you would kill to
like work with, open up forlike whatever. And for years that was
the case, and she was likemanifestations real, dude, Like it's She
(31:18):
was like, I mean the factthat that's like the person that wants to
bring you on tour, that you'vebecome friends with, that all of these
things have kind of let up toit's huge and he's like just the best.
I'm so excited to get to justgo watch his show. Overnight.
You know, it's literally learn fromthe best, learn from I mean,
you get to relive that moment youhad at that amphitheater in Florida, like
yeah, all the time. Yeah, and even just from that one show.
You know, he he passed onsuch great you know advice, And
(31:41):
the one thing he said to methat I've taken now since every show is
be spontaneous and if you mess up, make a joke about it. Like
they don't care, and they wantrealness. They don't want a perfectly executed
show like a robot. They wantlike a human they can just really do
and have fun with. And heis the epitome of that on stage,
and so it's like, you know, he was like, I think that
a lot of artists get caught upin setlist being exactly the way that they
need to be and very rigid aboutstuff. But that's not what entertains people.
(32:05):
They want something fun that they canjust let loose. You have a
good time with. So and we'rehumans, right, Like even podcasts,
people are like, how long doesit take you to edit? And I'm
like, unless there's like a reallylong, like six minute pause, are
in there? Okay? Like they'regonna say we're we're human beings. And
I feel like that's such a sucha good point that you made because so
many people with artificial intelligence and allthese things that are just perfect social media,
(32:30):
everybody's life is so picture perfect andthen their house is clean all the
time, and I'm like, girl, you're lying. I feel like,
true, no, not. Yourdishes are not out of the sink every
single night. Okay, there's somethingthat's got something stuck on there, you
know. I just I'm like,you're lying, and they are you have
too much time on your hands?Or you have a maide okay, which
is goals Londay, maybe maybe we'llhave one. But I also want to
(32:52):
talk about your Shot in the Darktour because I feel like this is such
a big, I mean, debutalbum. I'm so excited headlining tour.
What is happening happening? It feelslike yesterday I was opening up for some
of my friends in the same venuesthat I'm playing and being like, oh,
I want to headline some day,Like I'll get there, I'll get
there, And it feels like ithappens so fast. But also we put
(33:13):
in the work, we've done,you know, A lot of the the
late nights and the you know,all of it. But I mean it's
insane. I think we've already soldout of like most of the VIPs,
a lot of the dates, likegeneral, it's just nuts. Like I
feel like everybody's buying these tickets sofast, and I'm like, what is
happening. People are demming me likewait, I can't get tickets anymore,
and I'm like, I don't know, it happens. Yeah, You're like
maybe one day we'll maybe we'll domore. Yeah, it's I mean,
(33:36):
what a good problem to have.The amazing problem happened. I'm honestly just
so happy people want to come seeus live. You know, it's huge,
It's so huge. Headline shows aremy favorite. They're so fun.
I was just gonna say, Ifeel like a headlining show is so special
because literally everybody is there to seeyou, right, like, yes,
yes, but you also have amazingopeners, thank you so much. Yeah.
Yeah. But also, like oneof my favorite things that happened when
(33:57):
I headlined my first couple shows.I've only done like three or four headlen
shows, which is really cool,and I went I did some in Florida
and I walked in. This isalso a god thing kind of like I
walked in being like, oh,yeah, all these people are here to
see me. This is so cool, like you know, not like cocky
about it, but just like hell, yeah, this is right. Yes.
I get up on stage. ThenI'm playing, and I'm like,
so, I was like, Idon't know if y'all came to see me
(34:17):
or if you know, your friendsdragged you here, and a couple of
people were like yep, And I'mlike, oh wow, nice, so
fun that people have no idea whoI am. And I thought that these
people were all here to see me, and that's so cool that I get
to prove to this person. Ihave to earn them. I have to
earn their respect, you know whatI mean. Not that I don't durn
everybodylse's respect, but totally you knowwhat I mean. Yeah, it's cool.
What a cool feeling though, toknow that like this is your hard
work and literally the grind, allof the moments that you felt like giving
(34:42):
up or maybe the moments where itjust felt too hard, like your hard
work is paying off. And industryperson to another like I'm very excited for
you, so so happy to seeyour success and just your authenticity and just
who you are and just putting thaton stage and into your music and just
into rooms that you walk in to. Just congratulations. I'm so excited for
you. Thank you. That reallymeans a lot. Thank You're welcome.
(35:04):
Okay, we gotta end the showwith the little gumball machine next to you.
Okay, Okay, there's a littleum t. Yeah, there's a
little question. We end the podcastwith these. It's just like random questions
from the gumball machine. You neverknow what you're gonna get, so good
luck, and they're really hard toopen. My dumb Okay. I was
like, is this just me problem? No? Literally every single person is
like I can't get it off.Okay, green my favorite color. I
(35:27):
love that. Perfect. Here wego. What's your favorite cuss word?
Oh god, you can believe itis the sweating right now? Um,
honestly, I say shit too often. Yeah, so opry, the grandel
Opry. I was making my debutright and my mom is like, you
have the mouth of a sailor.My whole family does that. They always
(35:49):
we do too, Yes, Likeit's just not stop love Jesus cuss a
little bit, always and I wason stage at the Grand Ole Opry and
the first thing I said on themicrophone was like, Holy, My mom
was like and I was like wow. She was like thank God, Like
she was like, I would havebeen so bad at you. But yeah,
definitely, shit shows my word.I say shit a lot. Okay,
(36:10):
that's a good one. It's betterthan it's better than the one that
my husband says all the time thatnow my two year old is starting to
try and repeat. Yeah. Itstarts with an Evan the UK. Yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah, Sopray for me and that. Okay,
I love that. All Right,We're gonna go out with your place.
Such a good song. Congrat's Girl, Thank you so much.
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