Ashley Cooke delved into her most career-defining moments — even those that were seemingly impossible — in a recent interview at the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

The “your place” hitmaker sat backstage with Morgan from The Bobby Bones Show. Together, the pair caught up on Cooke’s “impossible” bucket list, how she used TikTok to springboard her career as a country star, how she’s taken care of herself in the midst of a “crazy year,” balancing work and family life and more.

Cooke, 28, launched her career as an artist when she began posting on TikTok in 2020 (without strategy involved, she noted in her conversation with Morgan, calling her beginnings the “beauty of social media”). Millions of views later, the Florida-born songstress ended up touring with well-respected artists in the genre and releasing a 24-track debut studio album. Cooke’s shot in the dark arrived in July 2023 with “it’s been a year,” “see you around” with Nate Smith, “moving on with grace,” “mean girl” with Colbie Caillat, “what are you on fire about” with Jackson Dean, “never til now” with Brett Young, “your place” and more.

In the midst of her successes in her rapidly-rising career, Cooke said taking care of her mental health has often been a priority. She and Morgan shared a heartfelt, vulnerable conversation about the challenges she’s experienced — personally and professionally — and how she navigates her way through it. Cooke has previously opened up about losing both of her grandmothers, her parents’ and sister’s health issues, a breakup, a diagnosis with a heart condition and more, all while she was touring and marking many professional milestones. Cooke admitted to Morgan that she “went through a really dark place,” after losing her second grandmother while she was on the road. the singer-songwriter said she cherishes the time she has with her family, and hopes to enjoy more time with them someday (including, eventually, children of her own). Cooke said she would tell a version of herself 10 years ago to be honest about her hardships, and gain confidence in her honesty.

Moving forward in her career, the 2024 CMT Music Award Breakthrough Female Video of the Year winner (“your place”) is manifesting her goals to headline Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, score dozens of No. 1 singles, star in a movie adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, and win the coveted Entertainer of the Year honor. Cooke, whose latest anthem to release is “the hell you are,” is looking ahead to the next chapter in her career after her massive debut project, finding more footing in who she is and what she wants to say to the world. Cooke said this era “feels a little different.”

“In life, the hardest things are what end up being the most rewarding,” Cook said in her conversation with Morgan. “[All the glamorous, meaningful milestones], it makes every single day that you’re like, ‘I can’t do this,’ mean so much more. I think people that don’t struggle through it don’t get the payoff as much.”

Watch the full interview presented by Impossible Foods on the Bobby Bones Show YouTube channel here: