Ashley Cooke’s hot streak just kicked into a new gear. The rising country star’s fan-favorite “Baby Blues” officially hit Country radio this week and immediately landed among the most-added singles nationwide, debuting with 70 first-week stations on Mediabase. The surge adds serious momentum heading into the Aug. 14 release of her self-titled sophomore album.
Written by Cooke alongside Johnny Clawson, Joe Fox, Kyle Sturrock, and Seth Ennis, “Baby Blues” is a slow-burn celebration of chemistry that doesn’t fade. Built on simmering guitars and a low-slung groove, the track leans on Cooke’s sweet and smoky vocals. Already a fan obsession, the song has hit No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown, climbed Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and the UK Country Airplay chart, and racked up more than 50 million global streams, contributing to her 700 million+ career total.
Onstage, “baby blues” has become a defining moment. Cooke now scans the crowd for one blue-eyed fan and serenades them on the final verse—a bit of live-show theater that’s sparked a wave of social clips and word-of-mouth. At CMA Fest, she tapped influencer Hunter Massey as her Chevy Riverfront Stage muse, then brought out comedian Matt Rife during her Billboard Country Live set, drawing praise from outlets like Holler for “creating lifelong memories for someone special each night.”
The radio win is the latest milestone in a breakout run that includes a CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year with her first Country radio No. 1 “Your Place,” ACM and iHeartRadio award nominations, and high-profile tours with Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, and Jon Pardi. She’s also expanded her reach with collaborations ranging from Brett Young to Joe Jonas and a recent cameo on CBS’ Marshals.
Behind the scenes, Cooke’s grind is powered by a wellness routine as dialed-in as her writing. After years of lifting heavy, she’s shifted to a more holistic approach: resistance training paired with Solidcore and reformer Pilates to keep her core strong and mobile, plus yoga and mindfulness to manage stress and a heart condition she’s discussed with fans. On the road she leans on clean, quick protein—like collagen bars sweetened with dates—to fuel workouts and stage time without a sugar crash.
Main Image: Patrick Tracy