Ashley McBryde Delivers Stunning Performance of ‘What If We Don’t’ on ‘The Tonight Show’
Viewers praised her performance, calling it “stunning” and “perfectly executed.”
Ashley McBryde; Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC
Ashley McBryde made her way to the Big Apple for a performance of her rising single, “What If We Don’t,” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday.
The performance featured the Arkansas native alongside her band, bringing the powerful, guitar-driven ballad to life.
Marking her fastest-rising single at country radio to date, it’s easy to understand why the track is resonating with listeners. The song captures that in-between moment when two people are deciding whether to take their relationship to the next level. It delivers a message about not being afraid to take chances, as she questions, “What if we don’t? What if we don’t? What if we stop fightin’ what we know we both want/ We might regret how far we let it go/ What if we don’t?”
Tonight Show viewers praised her performance, calling it “stunning” and “perfectly executed.”
Another declared, “”This woman could sing the cereal box and I would listen.”
Reflecting on how the song came to life, McBryde shared, “‘What If We Don’t’ came to me, Terri Jo Box, and Randall Clay sitting around a fire pit on a back porch, reminiscing on all the moments that we could’ve made a different choice and wondering if we should’ve. It’s about the leaps of faith that you do or don’t take, and having to learn to live with those consequences either way.”
“What If We Don’t” serves as the lead single from Ashley McBryde’s forthcoming fifth studio album, Wild, which is set for release on May 8.
The 11-track project includes six songs co-written by McBryde, along with five outside cuts. The Grand Ole Opry member recently shared that some of the songs span more than 15 years of her life, including a few she once believed were too honest and “unvarnished” to ever release.
“At the time I was told I needed to be more palatable than what those songs were offering,” McBryde explained. “I’ve kept them in my live show over the years, and I’m so thankful that I never cut them before this album. When I hear myself playing them now, I can finally believe the woman who’s singing.”
Among the standout moments on Wild is “Bottle Tells Me So,” a powerful and deeply personal track co-written by Ashley McBryde alongside Shelly Fairchild and Terri Jo Box. The song explores the fallout of a night fueled by alcohol, capturing the disorienting mix of regret, clarity, and consequence that comes with the morning after. Through raw honesty and introspection, McBryde brings listeners into a moment of reckoning, marking a significant turning point in her journey.
“When I was drinking, it was much easier to turn off my inner critic as I was creating,” McBryde, who has been sober since June 2022, admitted. “But over time I learned I needed to acknowledge that voice, tell her she’s no fun to work with, and then try to tap into the younger version of me—the one who couldn’t handle all the things she left behind in Arkansas, and who ended up drinking to soothe herself. I had to tell her, ‘Okay, the alcohol’s gone and you’re scared—so, do it scared. You’ve been through worse, and you made it out all right.’”
Ashley McBryde has a few tour dates planned leading up to the release, including shows this week in Southaven, MS and Vidalia, GA. For a full list of upcoming dates, click HERE.
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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