Ashley Cooke Wins Breakthrough Female Video of the Year at CMT Music Awards: Big Loud’s Country songstress Ashley Cooke secured her first-ever CMT Music Award win for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year with her Top 15 and climbing radio hit “your place.” Airing last night live from Austin, Texas on CBS, the achievement serves as both her first award nomination and first major award win, marking a significant milestone in the “promising Nashville up-and-comer’s” (Los Angeles Times) burgeoning career.
As she took center stage at the University of Texas’ Moody Center, Cooke stunned in a turquoise ensemble by The Sei and shoes by Charles & Keith before expressing her gratitude to her fans, team, and supporters.
“I’m just taking a minute to soak this in because I have dreamed of winning an award like a CMT Award for so long,” shares Cooke from the stage. “This is my very first CMT Award, and award in general, so thank you so much. Thank you, Lord. Thank you so much to the fans. This was a fully fan and friend-voted award, and I would not be on this stage or any stage without you guys, and I know that damn well, so thank you so much.”
The music video for “your place,” released earlier this year, takes home the fan-voted award thanks to Cooke’s rapidly-growing fanbase of over 1M+ strong. Directed by ACM and CMA award-winner Justin Clough, the video captures the essence of the song’s raw emotions, showcasing Cooke’s autobiographical journey of moving forward and reclaiming her independence after a toxic breakup. As her intrusive ex persistently crosses boundaries that no longer concern him, Cooke draws a firm line – “her current situation is none of his damn bizness” (MusicRow).
“your place” continues its upward trajectory at Country radio now, already finding its place in the Top 15 in just 15 weeks. Joining the company of Lainey Wilson and Carly Pearce as the only females to grace Mediabase’s Top 15, the rise of “your place” marks a significant milestone for the breakout talent. Billboard notes its “real potential at becoming her first radio hit,” further re-affirming her status as an iHeartCountry On The Verge artist. Since it first appeared on her July 2023 debut album, “your place” has already reached No.1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway Hot 30 Countdown and notched over 39M global on-demand streams to date. Cooke averages over 1M+ on-demand streams per week, placing her in the Top 10 for female Country currents in streaming.
Amidst the song’s mounting success, the 2023 CMT Next Women of Country released an all-new performance video for “your place” and continues to unveil more videos, dubbed ‘Diner Sessions,’ in the weeks to come as she breathes new life into some of her debut album’s biggest hits and favorite covers. Watch: “Complicated” – Diner Sessions.
With her first run overseas as part of Jordan Davis’ DAMN GOOD TIME Tour under her belt, which stopped in fourteen cities across the U.K. and Europe, Cooke will continue sharing her critically acclaimed debut album shot in the dark on the U.S. leg of the DAMN GOOD TIME Tour. She also just closed the chapter of her headlining shot in the dark Tour, which saw Cooke performing over 33 shows nationwide.
As she grows with unstoppable momentum, the MusicRow Discovery Artist of the Year and Next Big Thing will appear at some of the Country’s hottest festivals including Stagecoach, Windy City Smokeout, Faster Horses and more.