Today, Country hitmaker Ashley Cooke calls out petty behavior with her self-possessed new song “high school sweetheart.” The latest release from her sophomore album ashley cooke (due out via Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music on August 14), “high school sweetheart” offers a breezy critique of the type of people who use gossip to soothe their own insecurities. Go here to listen to “high school sweetheart,” and pre-order/pre-save ashley cooke.
Written by Cooke, Boy Matthews, Cleo Tighe, Lauren Hungate, and AFTERHRS, “high school sweetheart” is a perfect distillation of the free-and-easy self-assurance that defines all of ashley cooke — the highly anticipated follow-up to her acclaimed debut album shot in the dark, a 2023 LP featuring the GOLD-certified Country radio No. 1 hit “your place.” With a potent dose of sharp-tongued humor, Cooke shines a light on the persistence of high school dynamics in adult relationships and reveals the utter absurdity of growing older without growing wiser.
Produced by the legendary Dann Huff (Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift), “high school sweetheart” glides in on sunlit grooves and glossy guitar tones as Cooke turns her attention to a trash-talking adversary who can’t stop fixating on her (“hey ain’t you tired? / just a little worn out / a hundred miles / of running your mouth”). Despite her deep frustration, Cooke rises above the drama and stands at a cool remove, loading up the track’s soaring chorus with a string of wickedly funny one-liners (e.g. “you catch more flies with honey / girl i’ll even give you a jar”). Anchored by a supremely laid-back vocal performance from Cooke, “high school sweetheart” ultimately captures the quiet triumph of outgrowing someone who’s perpetually stuck in the same old toxic patterns.
In a gorgeous contrast to its sardonic mood, “high school sweetheart” channels a euphoric energy by way of its lush and luminous coastal Country sound — the defining sonic aesthetic for Cooke’s forthcoming album. Arriving on the heels of ace (a 2025 project built on her most personal work to date), ashley cooke doubles down on its predecessor’s unfiltered honesty and delivers what Cooke refers to as a “coming-of-age record disguised as a relationship album.” Co-written with luminaries like Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Ashley Gorley, ashley cooke will feature “high school sweetheart” alongside standouts like the longtime fan favorite “baby blues” (a recent No. 1 hit on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown), “the hell you are” (currently climbing the Country radio charts), and “xs" (a March release that inspired Country Swag to hail Cooke as “one of the most exciting rising artists in the genre today”).
Next weekend, Cooke will co-host and perform at “ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash” — an Academy of Country Music Awards Week event slated for May 16 at Mandalay Bay Beach in Las Vegas, also featuring Flatland Cavalry, Tucker Wetmore, Braxton Keith, and more. (Go here for ticketing details.) As summer heats up, Cooke will also take the stage at can’t-miss festivals like Hoofbeat (June 27 in Cadott, WI). For more info on all upcoming live dates, visit ashleycooke.com.
