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It's officially 2025 and Ashley Cooke is kicking it off with a brand new teaser of what we can expect on her forthcoming sophomore record.
Taking to socials to share the new demo, which she explained is based on her own relationship experiences, the song could be called 'Dance Around It,' and after one listen, we're already hooked.
Bringing us in to a romantic relationship gone wrong, Cooke sings: "You smelled like California and Casamigos when you walked in the door / Same one you taped a note on saying 'goodbye' just three weeks before."
Underlining that their issues are rooted deep, she explains that this isn't their first time addressing this either, yet the pair can't quite seem to make their splits stick. "I don't wanna have that conversation we've had a hundred times / It'll just end in us saying we know it isn't right / But damn it's good to see you with that look in your eyes / I won't even try to lie."
Arriving at the chorus, she abandons her better judgement as the pair start up their toxic feedback loop one more time because it's easier than trying to fight it. "Oh, we know that we can't fix it / But we can't admit it / So let's dance around it / All our inhibitions gone / So put that record on / And let's just dance around it / Yeah, baby, your hands / They already know / The lay of the land / They know where to go / We've already fought about it / Let's not talk about it / Let's just dance around it."
The synth-laden, drum-heavy tune finds Cooke stretching what country music can sound like in a way that's similar to Kelsea Ballerini's 2023 Rolling Up The Welcome Mat project. However, this isn't the first time that Florida native has experimented sonically, as evident on her sprawling debut record, Shot In The Dark.
After scoring her first No. 1 at country radio in the US and UK last year with the album's lead single, 'your place,' Cooke hasn't shied away from teasing that album two is in the works.
Before celebrating her first-ever No. 1 single, 'your place,' the rising singer-songwriter told Holler about her upcoming music, dream collaboration and more.
In August of 2024, Cooke told Holler that what she's really chasing for her sophomore record is realness. "I think [my artistry] is growing the way that I'm growing... I feel like, more than anything, I'm trying to be as blunt and real as I possibly can because that's what makes me feel something.
"It's just different and I'm excited to see what people think and how they respond to me being more raw," she added. "I'm not writing because a song sounds like a hit, but because this is how I feel and the spot that I'm in in my life."
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