Ashley Cooke Opens Up About ‘my worst fear’ and the Quiet Pressures Women in Music Face [Exclusive]
She says honest conversations with Carly Pearce and Kelsea Ballerini have helped her sort through the same complicated emotions all three are now putting into their latest music.
Ashley Cooke; Photo Provided
Over the past few weeks, Ashley Cooke has released her brand-new project, ace, performed at both the Grand Ole Opry and the TODAY Show, delivered a powerful rendition of “God Bless America” at WWE Monday Night Raw inside Madison Square Garden, and walked the red carpet at the CMA Awards. All of this momentum leads back to ace, a nine-track collection that pulls straight from the most personal corners of her life over the past two and a half years.
The project features songs like the fiery new single “the hell you are,” now at country radio, the reflective “gettin’ old,” and the raw, vulnerable “my worst fear,” which confronts the harsh realities of chasing big dreams and the sacrifices that come with them.
Since its release, fans have been quick to notice the parallels between Cooke’s “my worst fear,” Carly Pearce’s “Dream Come True,” and Kelsea Ballerini’s “I Sit in Parks,” noting how all three songs share an honest look into the choices women make in pursuit of their dreams.
While backstage at the 59th Annual CMA Awards, Cooke opened up about her friendship with Pearce and Ballerini and their shared experiences in the industry.
“I think we all have talked about it quite a bit, me, Carly, and Kelsea. And that’s the beauty of having friends in the industry because we all want each other to win. And not just for the sake of saying it on an interview, we just genuinely want each other to succeed,” she shared.
She added that beneath all the success and whirlwind moments, there’s a shared feeling of longing and reflection that makes these songs hit a little deeper.
“But I think all of us in music are just trying to say, we’re so thankful for what we’ve worked for and the successes that we’ve had so far. But there’s also things that we feel like we’re missing. And I think Kelsea’s song, for example, that lyric of, ‘I wonder if she wants my freedom like I want to be a mother.’ I think that encompasses it so perfectly because it’s not that we don’t love our freedom and we don’t love the lives that we have and the crazy experiences that we get to have,” she continued. “It’s more we all kind of want it all. We can’t have everything. And so it’s like this emotion of ‘what am I missing? What am I giving up to have what I have currently?’ And I think that moms feel that way, and successful artists feel that way. And all across the board, we all think about what we’re missing when we have what we have.”
This sentiment is expressed throughout “my worst fear,” which was written by Cooke alongside Emily Weisband, Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock, Seth Ennis, and Joe Fox. Click below to listen.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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