Ashley Anne is a different artist than she was when we last talked to her two years ago.
That chat came the day after the release of her debut single, “dear dolly,” which has since earned millions of streams and plays across platforms and catapulted her onto the radar of plenty of country music fans.
The two years that have followed have been chock full of new releases, each showing her confidence to dive deeper in her storytelling blossom, which is captured on her newest effort, “lead a horse to water.” All the while, though, she’s building her stage show with exciting up-tempo tunes like the soon-to-be released “plenty of fish.”
We caught up with Ashley at CMA Fest to chat all about her new music, her growth as a songwriter, staying busy with new releases and more!
Pro Country: The last time we talked was the day after “dear dolly” was released. In the two years since, the songs has earned millions of streams across platforms. What has it been like, especially for an artist that was releasing her debut single, to see the life the song had and continues to have? How validating is that success?
Ashley Anne: That song created everything. It started my career, has gotten me to so many different places and has allowed me to put out more music. It was a miracle; almost like a God-given gift. Writing it at 17, I wasn’t really “doing music” at the time, I was still in high school. I was pouring my heart out and writing unfiltered. I wasn’t thinking transactionally at all. I wasn’t even thinking about Nashville. All the people I’ve met that have been touched by that song are a core memory in for me. It reminds me that I’ve gone through what I’ve gone through for a reason, and that I’m meant to help people in that way. That’s why I do it.
PC: What did that success do for the confidence of your 17 year-old self seeing a solo-written song being received like that?
AA: Looking back, I wouldn’t say it was an amazingly written song [laughs]. I’ve definitely escalated my songwriting skills since then, but it affirmed to me that this is what I’m supposed to do. Being my first single, it showed me that I was in the right spot, even when it can feel like I’m behind.
PC: “she ain’t texas” is the next song that had a great, viral moment and was another top-performing song for you. What kind of whirlwind was 2023 with having debuted yourself and having two songs break through within about a seven-month span?
AA: Honestly, coming down from it has been a little difficult. When that’s all you know, you’re spoiled rotten. It’s hard to come down to a place where you’re trying to push for virality. Starting off with a bang was a blessing, but it was also difficult. You start to think, “wait, that’s not how it goes all the time?” [laughs]. I learned a lot coming down from it, though, and building back up. Those songs have gotten me where I am now, and I can build from them.
PC: Both songs were featured on your debut EP, Dear Dolly, which was released in early 2024, and the weekend of Dolly’s 78th birthday. With about a year and a half passed since its release, how do you look back on that project and songs as they served as your jumping off point?
AA: “she ain’t texas,” “dear dolly” and “American Dream” are three staples in my career. Then having another solo write, “Mary Jane’s Been Talkin’,” was important, because that speaks to me as an artist and as a songwriter. I love writing alone; that’s where the love of songwriting initially came from. Being a storyteller is who I am, first and foremost, and reflecting that on the EP was very important, and I think all of those songs packaged that perfectly.
PC: You closed 2024 with the release of the call me when you land EP, which captures love lost, but also, optimism and caution about falling again. Can you talk about those two themes interjecting on the EP?
AA: Those songs were all written the way that they are portrayed on the project. They were all written in that order, and that’s the way those things were happening in my life. And to me, that was a no-brainer. Everything is cohesive when you’re writing about your own life. It’s the story of me with another person in my life and how it progressed. Capturing every step from the “what are we?” to “oh my gosh, this is going very well, but it’s going to crash and burn, because that’s how it goes” to “just kidding, it’s not crashing and burning, I’m actually in love now” are all of the emotions I was feeling. Every doubt and every butterfly are packaged into that project, and that’s why I love it so much.
PC: Your newest single, “lead a horse to water,” is a few months old now, and is a song you wrote with Kevin Monahan and Averie Bielski. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?
AA: I had “lead a horse to water” in my phone for a while. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but I loved the concept of “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” Averie is one of my favorite co-writers, and Kevin has been producing me, so I trust them both very much. I brought the idea to them, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it: I wanted to tell the story of a family member. I was giving second chance after second chance and giving all of my love, and I felt like I was getting nothing in return. It’s tiring, painful and draining, and it’s hard not to go into future friendships and relationships without those trust issues. That song is very healing for me. And writing it with Averie and Kevin was very important. It was a deeper song, and I haven’t told a lot of those kinds of stories yet. “lead a horse to water” was a good start. It didn’t give too much away, and releasing it healed my inner child a bit.
PC: You have a new single, “plenty of fish,” releasing on June 20. What information can you give about the song and what people can expect to hear?
AA: I’m super excited about “plenty of fish”! I realized that I needed more up-tempo in my live show [laughs]. I got in a room one day, and I had the title, and I thought it’d be fun to write a song about having plenty of opportunities out there in the world. There’s plenty more people in the world. With loss comes encouragement of getting your head up off the floor. It encourages you to stop crying off your makeup, because there’s plenty more fish in the sea. I think it’s a really empowering message, and a crucial thing to remember when you’re in that darkness and feeling like there’s no way out. I’m really excited for it to come out, because I think it really captures who I am as an artist and as a person.
PC: In the two years since your debut, you’ve had a consistent, steady stream of releases. How important has it been for you to stay busy in the studio and so consistently have new music to offer?
AA: I’m writing all the time! If I’m not writing with other people, I’m writing alone, so there’s a lot of things that are happening. I’m constantly creating. I think when one feels right, I’m always the one to say, “okay, we’re putting it out.” I don’t really have much of a release plan, which might be a bad thing [laughs]. I trust what feels right over what people tell me to do. It’s always cohesive, because it’s my story, and it’s all true to me. I just think it’s important to have as much music out as possible, so I can connect with people.
PC: You’ve had the opportunity to play shows with major artists like Josh Turner and Charles Wesley Godwin. How much do you enjoy both having the opportunity to learn from artists of their stature and the opportunity to win over their fans?
AA: It’s been an absolute blessing. Those people are like mentors to me. I’ve been able to meet both Charles and Josh outside of playing with them, and they’re amazing human beings. Having people to look up to that are doing it the right way is so important, especially in the beginning of my career. They make all the right choices, have good hearts and take care of families, and that’s everything I want.
PC: In these two years since you released “dear dolly,” how do you feel you’ve grown and a songwriter and artist?
AA: I’ve grown like crazy. That comes with working with other people and growing confidence in myself. Getting affirmation from the fans and through streams makes me feel like I’m doing something right, and that confidence flows into heightening my songwriting skills. Once you’re confident in those skills, you’re more confident to say what you want. You start to lose the filter more and more, and I can see that happening.
PC: Along with “plenty of fish” releasing soon, what do you have planned for the rest of 2025?
AA: The rest of this year, we’re trying to be on the road as much as possible. I have a few runs in the fall, and I’m excited to meet people! As far as releases go, I’m pushing singles until a project feels right. I don’t want to force a debut album, because I want to have the right audience to tell those stories that can only be told once.
*Feature image by Hannah Ladd Brown*
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