Ashley Cooke Gets Cozy With Adoptable Puppies While Discussing Her Most Personal Project Yet, ‘ace’

It’s the perfect fall-like day in Nashville when Ashley Cooke joins us in the studio for the latest edition of the Country Now Pupdate. As she walks through the door, her smile lights up the room. After greeting everyone, her attention quickly shifts to the family of puppies from Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Within seconds, she’s on the floor, surrounded by wagging tails, ready to soak up all the puppy cuddles she can get.

As the three pups – Kobe, Karl, and Kaleb – bounce around in playful chaos, occasionally stopping to curl up in her lap, Cooke opens up about her life over the past few years. In between laughter and puppy kisses, she reflects on how much has changed and shares insight into her upcoming project, ace, arriving Friday, November 14.

The nine-track collection finds Cooke diving deeper than ever before, revealing her most personal moments and emotions while pouring her heart into the lyrics. The project is aptly titled ace, a name that carries a special meaning for her, one that traces back to her childhood.

“My dad nicknames everything, I think most dads do,” she says with a smile. “He nicknamed me Ace when I was younger, and it’s always stuck with me. It just makes me feel like my kid self whenever I hear it from him.” 

She pauses for a moment before continuing. “And ace… it’s a really personal story about a lot that happened with my family over the last two and a half years: my dad’s cancer diagnosis, my mom’s heart attack, my own heart stuff… a lot went down.”

Cooke explains that everything she went through led her to create this project, and naming it after her dad’s nickname “felt fitting.”

With nine tracks, including five brand-new songs, ace gives fans an intimate look at what will eventually lead into her sophomore album. As Cooke describes it, the project is “bridging the gap” between her debut record and what comes next.

Every detail of ace was intentional, from the emotional lyrics to the carefully arranged track list, which unfolds in chronological order.

“[It’s] all about my life over the last two and a half years since my debut record came out,” she 

shares. “It captures the hardships and the amazing moments. It’s a story you can listen to from top to bottom and really hear my heart in it. Honestly, it’s probably the thing I’m most proud of in my career so far.”

Among the track list are fan-favorite titles like the highly anticipated “baby blues” and her current country radio single, “the hell you are.” Another standout moment comes at the very end of the project with the powerful closing track, “my worst fear.”

“I’ve become a little more bold with being vulnerable,” she admits. “The last song, ‘My Worst Fear,’ is written from the perspective of if my worst fear actually came true — what it would feel like to live through that. You’ll learn through the project that my worst fear is being alone, experiencing all of this and having no one to share it with. It’s really raw and vulnerable and talks a lot about my breakup with my ex of two years.”

Reflecting on the full body of work, Cooke declares, “It just feels like me in an EP, if that makes sense.” 

Ashley Cooke will celebrate the release of ace with a performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday, followed by an appearance on NBC’s TODAY show on Monday (Nov. 17), and a special performance of “God Bless America” at Madison Square Garden for WWE Raw.

Kobe, Karl, and Kaleb are still looking for their forever homes. Those interested in adopting should contact Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, a foster-based 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Middle Tennessee and run primarily by volunteers. Proverbs is fully dedicated to the care and well-being of every animal they rescue. To learn more or make a donation, click HERE.