Ashley Cooke Drops New Breakup Song ‘the hell you are’ With Music Video

Ashley Cooke's new single, "the hell you are," is a fire breakup anthem that takes a broken heart and turns it into self-empowerment. Ashley co-wrote "the hell you are" with Seth Ennis, Joe Fox, Chase McGill, and Emily Weisband, and it was produced by the legendary hitmaker Dan Huff. The song is a direct message to a partner who is all talk, no action.

"This song is that moment of clarity when you finally put your foot down on what you deserve. It's calling someone out for their actions not matching their words and deciding to be done believing that it'll be different this time," Cooke shared of the song's powerful narrative.

Guided by a strong melody and a tone that is both vulnerable yet defiant, Cooke sings:  "I wanna believe you/I've done that before/ Been there got the tshirt/ Slept in the one you wore/ Your kiss is like the desert/ Always playing tricks/ Love like a mirage/ Disappears closer I get."

The visualizer for the song heightens the affective immediacy, visually depicting Cooke's preparation of dinner, before a scene erupts in chaos upon Cooke finding out her partner has been unfaithful, replicating the illusion-breaking song narrative, and works towards Cooke recovering her agency.

"the hell you are" is the latest song from Cooke as she recently released "the f word" and "All I Forgot", all of which rode the success of her celebrated 2023 album Shot in the Dark, featuring the gold standard breakout single "Your Place". Cooke is cementing herself as a player in contemporary country music with her trademark emotional storytelling approach. The line, "the hell you are," summarizes Cooke's chorus with both rage and resilience, providing a satisfying, cathartic release for anyone who's felt like they couldn't take anything anymore.

Ashley Cooke is currently on tour with Parker McCollum, with tour dates scheduled until November 2025, with festival sets and headline opportunities continuing to expand her audience.