The C2C Sit Down with Ashley Cooke
In August last year, we had a lot of fun getting to know Ashley Cooke (read HERE) where she told us how keen she was to look to make the trip across to Europe to play shows and hang out with everyone here which is now about to happen as she joins this year’s C2C: Country to Country line-up.
The Belmont graduate and past winner of their prestigious Country Showcase Series is also a member of this CMT Next Women of Country class (which also includes fellow C2C: Country to Country 2023 performers: Alana Springsteen, Pillbox Patti and Catie Offerman) who will make her first British appearance off the back of her Brett Young duet and breakout hit: “Never Til Now”
The Belmont graduate and past winner of their prestigious Country Showcase Series is also a member of this CMT Next Women of Country class (which also includes fellow C2C: Country to Country 2023 performers: Alana Springsteen, Pillbox Patti and Catie Offerman) who will make her first British appearance off the back of her Brett Young duet and breakout hit: “Never Til Now”
Hey friend, it’s so nice to see you.
“You too. What are you drinking?”
“It’s just blackcurrant in a Starbucks cup today so nothing exciting I’m sorry. What are you sipping?”
“This is Liquid Death, and it looks like a beer, doesn’t it but do you know what this is?”
I’m guessing it’s sparling water maybe.
“Yeah, it’s my absolute favourite water brand because it looks like beer, so I can be like ha ha fooled you.”
Canned water has just become a thing and I don’t know what it is but it’s like really cool now.
“I know right and I’m so here for it!”
Well, I’m looking forward to seeing you in person next week.
“I know it’s going to be so fun, I can’t wait. Oh my gosh, that’s next week, Holy crap!”
When are you flying over?
“I think we get there on the eighth or maybe the ninth, I’m not ready for that time change.”
Well, whenever it is that you actually get on the plane it’s going to be fun, and you are going to come over here to see us. When we last spoke, I think it was maybe August last year, you had said how much that really wanted to get over and were so excited about the chance, then now it’s happening girl!
“Finally! I think I’m just pumped to see what the fanbase is like over there. We just toured in Canada a couple of weeks ago and I was mind blown about how many people up there knew my music. I was like what the heck, so I’m excited to see hopefully that people respond the same and if not that I can build some fans, so why not?”
You are playing in London and Glasgow on the second stage in the main arena, then you have your own longer set in London on the Friday afternoon then the afterparty later that night. Well, it’s definitely a busy Friday here in London but overall, a busy couple of days all in all.
“It’s going be fun and honestly like I think we have the songs down so I’m like wherever you want me, just put me on stage and I’ll play.”
What is it that you would want people to take from their first experience of seeing Ashley Cooke over here? I think your personality will really shine through as it always does and people will really like that but as an artist and performer, what is it that you hope people will take away from seeing you for the first time?
“That’s a great question. I really hope people respect me as a songwriter. In talking to my team and people that have been over there and played in the UK, they say that people love the songwriting aspect and the more acoustic storytelling of what we do. It’s funny because in the States I feel like I’m trying to pump more energy into my set and do more of this stuff but the beautiful part I hope about playing in the UK is that people really want to hear what I’ve written. I’ve heard they want to hear the words, what you are saying and the stories that you are telling so I hope that people feel my stories and relate to them where the songwriting really shines through.”
Are you just playing acoustic across all of the sets at the festival on this visit or have you got a band joining you at all?
“It’s all acoustic. I’ve got a guitar player, me and MacKenzie Porter are sharing the same guitar player because we have the same management, his name’s Lewis and he’s great so I think we’re all going to hammer it out together.”
“You too. What are you drinking?”
“It’s just blackcurrant in a Starbucks cup today so nothing exciting I’m sorry. What are you sipping?”
“This is Liquid Death, and it looks like a beer, doesn’t it but do you know what this is?”
I’m guessing it’s sparling water maybe.
“Yeah, it’s my absolute favourite water brand because it looks like beer, so I can be like ha ha fooled you.”
Canned water has just become a thing and I don’t know what it is but it’s like really cool now.
“I know right and I’m so here for it!”
Well, I’m looking forward to seeing you in person next week.
“I know it’s going to be so fun, I can’t wait. Oh my gosh, that’s next week, Holy crap!”
When are you flying over?
“I think we get there on the eighth or maybe the ninth, I’m not ready for that time change.”
Well, whenever it is that you actually get on the plane it’s going to be fun, and you are going to come over here to see us. When we last spoke, I think it was maybe August last year, you had said how much that really wanted to get over and were so excited about the chance, then now it’s happening girl!
“Finally! I think I’m just pumped to see what the fanbase is like over there. We just toured in Canada a couple of weeks ago and I was mind blown about how many people up there knew my music. I was like what the heck, so I’m excited to see hopefully that people respond the same and if not that I can build some fans, so why not?”
You are playing in London and Glasgow on the second stage in the main arena, then you have your own longer set in London on the Friday afternoon then the afterparty later that night. Well, it’s definitely a busy Friday here in London but overall, a busy couple of days all in all.
“It’s going be fun and honestly like I think we have the songs down so I’m like wherever you want me, just put me on stage and I’ll play.”
What is it that you would want people to take from their first experience of seeing Ashley Cooke over here? I think your personality will really shine through as it always does and people will really like that but as an artist and performer, what is it that you hope people will take away from seeing you for the first time?
“That’s a great question. I really hope people respect me as a songwriter. In talking to my team and people that have been over there and played in the UK, they say that people love the songwriting aspect and the more acoustic storytelling of what we do. It’s funny because in the States I feel like I’m trying to pump more energy into my set and do more of this stuff but the beautiful part I hope about playing in the UK is that people really want to hear what I’ve written. I’ve heard they want to hear the words, what you are saying and the stories that you are telling so I hope that people feel my stories and relate to them where the songwriting really shines through.”
Are you just playing acoustic across all of the sets at the festival on this visit or have you got a band joining you at all?
“It’s all acoustic. I’ve got a guitar player, me and MacKenzie Porter are sharing the same guitar player because we have the same management, his name’s Lewis and he’s great so I think we’re all going to hammer it out together.”
Do you know if you have much time to be a tourist whilst you’re here?
“I hope I get to. I’m not sure with timing but I’ve always wanted to go explore over there.”
So, are you pretty much in and out then? Is it like business, business, business on this first visit?
“I think so, honestly, I have no idea. Did we decide I’m getting there on the eighth? Well, let’s go with the eighth so, I think on the ninth I have a few things to do like more press stuff, but I don’t really know what is going on or what the plan is, but I hope I get to see some cool things. If not I’m sure, we’ll look to be back there at some point.”
To move away from C2C for a minute and check in on where we are with new music. Since we spoke you have shared a few new tracks after “getting into” which you said was the first introduction to the next chapter for you, so where are we with this? Are we close to maybe having something extended on the way soon?
“It absolutely is, it is actually a gigantic album. We have a lot of songs, I don’t really know exactly how many quite yet, we have most of them done but we don’t know what we’re going to tick off, keep on, add or whatever just yet but it is a lot of songs. It’s exciting because I feel that I have written my butt off for the last year or so and I really get to do a project that is me start to finish, that feels like me and is a whole story together. “getting into”, “back in the saddle”, “dirt on em’”, “it’s been a year” and all these songs that I have put out recently are all going to be on the project plus a tonne more so it will be fun to get it out there.”
“I hope I get to. I’m not sure with timing but I’ve always wanted to go explore over there.”
So, are you pretty much in and out then? Is it like business, business, business on this first visit?
“I think so, honestly, I have no idea. Did we decide I’m getting there on the eighth? Well, let’s go with the eighth so, I think on the ninth I have a few things to do like more press stuff, but I don’t really know what is going on or what the plan is, but I hope I get to see some cool things. If not I’m sure, we’ll look to be back there at some point.”
To move away from C2C for a minute and check in on where we are with new music. Since we spoke you have shared a few new tracks after “getting into” which you said was the first introduction to the next chapter for you, so where are we with this? Are we close to maybe having something extended on the way soon?
“It absolutely is, it is actually a gigantic album. We have a lot of songs, I don’t really know exactly how many quite yet, we have most of them done but we don’t know what we’re going to tick off, keep on, add or whatever just yet but it is a lot of songs. It’s exciting because I feel that I have written my butt off for the last year or so and I really get to do a project that is me start to finish, that feels like me and is a whole story together. “getting into”, “back in the saddle”, “dirt on em’”, “it’s been a year” and all these songs that I have put out recently are all going to be on the project plus a tonne more so it will be fun to get it out there.”
I really like this shift towards longer records from where traditionally an album length had to fit into a mould because that was what the entire industry did. People write songs in a phase or an era that go together, so why hold things to the side from it if the songs are good enough? You saw Eric Church with his triple album and Morgan (Wallen) does an even bigger collection, so I think it’s great that people are sharing more of their art.
“Exactly, which is a beautiful thing isn’t it? Honestly my label, Big Loud are super big components of that. Obviously, Morgan’s album is thirty-six songs and it’s crazy how many songs they’re putting on these projects and it’s exciting. To me, I’m just sweating it out on the second album because it’s like holy crap, I spent my whole life writing this album it feels like so now it’s going to be interesting to follow it up. It’s funny how I’m already thinking about that before the album has even come out but that’s me in a nutshell. It’s exciting and I’m pumped to kind of give people something they can listen to whilst I don’t know, like cleaning their house or something and shuffle to just listen to a full project of mine rather than just a couple of songs here and there so that will be cool.”
Hopefully that is something else you could try over here where if you have got something that you haven’t played live before and want to see how it rolls, this could be the perfect place to try it out as like you said you are expecting an attentive audience to someone that is still a new artist. Quite a few I have spoken to say how the UK is a great place to road test new songs live for that reason.
“Yeah, absolutely. Again, when we toured in Canada, I played a brand-new song from the album that nobody had ever heard before. Exactly you don’t know if people know you and even in the States, I’m still a brand-new artist so it’s like try new things and give people something different to listen to. I think I’m going to try one of the new songs in the C2C set, it’s called “The State I’m In” and I really love the song, so I think we’re going to try and play it because it sounds really cool acoustically.”
We’re really excited that you are coming over and I truly mean that. When we chatted last year, there was something about you and your energy that I know people here will really like. Then when people listen to your music, if they haven’t done already, they will see you as a songwriter and how real you are along with the fun side of you shining through.
“Thank you, Jamie, that’s so sweet and I hope so because I would really love to be over there as much as I can.”
That’s cool to hear and assuming you get to the airport on the right day, that you have a safe flight over and the jetlag doesn’t take too much out of you. Cannot wait to see you and enjoy the way you do different things here when you play, that afterparty on the Friday will be wild. I spoke to Nate (Smith) for the first-time last week, and he is such a cool guy so we can’t wait for that where you will see that this respectful British crowd knows how to party when they need to which they will be on that Friday night.
“Oh yeah! I’ll bring the heat and do some songs that will be fun so I can’t wait to see you all too!”
The latest tracks “running back” and “dirt on ‘em” from Ashley Cooke is out now through Big Loud Records which you can find HERE.
For full details of all upcoming tour dates, head to her WEBSITE and you can follow along with her socially on TIKTOK FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Ashley will appearing at C2C: Country to Country in London and Glasgow across the weekend of March 10th to 12th where she will be performing on the Spotlight stage at both venues in addition to the BBC Radio 2 Stage in the Indigo in London where she will also be playing the official Aftershow Party with Nate Smith on Friday 10th March. Full festival details and ticket information are available on the WEBSITE or socials (INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / FACEBOOK)
“Exactly, which is a beautiful thing isn’t it? Honestly my label, Big Loud are super big components of that. Obviously, Morgan’s album is thirty-six songs and it’s crazy how many songs they’re putting on these projects and it’s exciting. To me, I’m just sweating it out on the second album because it’s like holy crap, I spent my whole life writing this album it feels like so now it’s going to be interesting to follow it up. It’s funny how I’m already thinking about that before the album has even come out but that’s me in a nutshell. It’s exciting and I’m pumped to kind of give people something they can listen to whilst I don’t know, like cleaning their house or something and shuffle to just listen to a full project of mine rather than just a couple of songs here and there so that will be cool.”
Hopefully that is something else you could try over here where if you have got something that you haven’t played live before and want to see how it rolls, this could be the perfect place to try it out as like you said you are expecting an attentive audience to someone that is still a new artist. Quite a few I have spoken to say how the UK is a great place to road test new songs live for that reason.
“Yeah, absolutely. Again, when we toured in Canada, I played a brand-new song from the album that nobody had ever heard before. Exactly you don’t know if people know you and even in the States, I’m still a brand-new artist so it’s like try new things and give people something different to listen to. I think I’m going to try one of the new songs in the C2C set, it’s called “The State I’m In” and I really love the song, so I think we’re going to try and play it because it sounds really cool acoustically.”
We’re really excited that you are coming over and I truly mean that. When we chatted last year, there was something about you and your energy that I know people here will really like. Then when people listen to your music, if they haven’t done already, they will see you as a songwriter and how real you are along with the fun side of you shining through.
“Thank you, Jamie, that’s so sweet and I hope so because I would really love to be over there as much as I can.”
That’s cool to hear and assuming you get to the airport on the right day, that you have a safe flight over and the jetlag doesn’t take too much out of you. Cannot wait to see you and enjoy the way you do different things here when you play, that afterparty on the Friday will be wild. I spoke to Nate (Smith) for the first-time last week, and he is such a cool guy so we can’t wait for that where you will see that this respectful British crowd knows how to party when they need to which they will be on that Friday night.
“Oh yeah! I’ll bring the heat and do some songs that will be fun so I can’t wait to see you all too!”
The latest tracks “running back” and “dirt on ‘em” from Ashley Cooke is out now through Big Loud Records which you can find HERE.
For full details of all upcoming tour dates, head to her WEBSITE and you can follow along with her socially on TIKTOK FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Ashley will appearing at C2C: Country to Country in London and Glasgow across the weekend of March 10th to 12th where she will be performing on the Spotlight stage at both venues in addition to the BBC Radio 2 Stage in the Indigo in London where she will also be playing the official Aftershow Party with Nate Smith on Friday 10th March. Full festival details and ticket information are available on the WEBSITE or socials (INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / FACEBOOK)
