Ashley McBryde and Her Songs That Tackle Real-Life Struggles

Ashley McBryde, country rebel, is known for her truthful lyrics and fearless storytelling. She doesn’t shy away from the messy stuff; other artists might be too uncomfortable to sing about it. McBryde’s songs have tackled her own addiction, loss, and personal challenges head-on. Hearing her sing these songs will make you feel what she felt experiencing her truths. She has that uncanny ability to turn her heartbreak and hard times into powerful anthems that help those who’ve been through the wringer and let them know they’re not alone.  

McBryde has always been open about her struggles with alcohol. Unlike others who tried to hide their addiction under a rug, she used this experience to influence her songwriting. Her song “Blackout Betty,” the 10th track from her album The Devil I Know, talks about her alter-ego, party persona nickname when she’s drunk.   

The lyrics are fairly relatable to those who woke up more times than they can care to count, with a throbbing headache, and who promised themselves they will not drink again. “Wake up smellin' like you smoked three packs/Your teeth are all fuzzy and your mouth tastes bad/What time did you throw up?/You lost your keys and you lost your phone/Last night's make up still half on/And you don't even know how you got home.”  

McBryde quit drinking in June 2022. In an interview, she reflected on her sobriety: “A version of me had to die off so I could become myself. I have love for her and every other version of me that had to exist so I could stand by this waterfall today. Thank you for the ability to stand here.”  

A song about grief is also in her catalog. Following her brother’s death, Clay McBryde, an Iraq war veteran who died in June 2018, McBryde had an emotional writing session with Nicolette Hayford. In an interview, McBryde recalled the cathartic experience: “During one session, I said, 'We have something in common that I hate.' Nicolette and I are both members of the Dead Brother Club." She added, "And both of our brothers are veterans. They died very, very different ways, but both were army veterans nonetheless. And so she said, 'Yeah, what do you want to say about it?' And I was like, ‘Well, I'm pissed off about it.' So she's like, ‘Okay, let's grab our cigarettes.’”  

While writing the song “Stone,” McBryde realized how much she and her brother were alike, making these lines make sense: “I'm just now findin' out now that you're gone/We were cut from the same stone/I sway like you when I get nervous/I’m shy like you, but most folks couldn’t tell/I get the same shade of red as you did when I'm angry/I’m red right now 'cause I'm mad as hell.”  

Released in September 2019, “One Night Standards” became McBryde’s first Number One hit on the Canada Country chart. Co-written with Hayford and Shane McAnally, the song is about a woman setting ground rules for a one-night stand. The track highlights the topic from a woman’s perspective. Aside from writing and releasing a song about one-night stands, she also teamed up with Carly Pearce on a track that captures the perspectives of two women who were both cheated on and deceived by the same man. This just goes to show that McBryde isn’t afraid to rock the boat, putting her own spin on tough topics to produce unforgettable and relatable songs.  

“One Night Standards” achieved RIAA Gold certification and was nominated at the 55th CMA Awards for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year.  

McBryde is unapologetically herself, and it shows in her songs (not that we’d want it any other way). She’s a breath of fresh air in the country music scene, and for fans always on the lookout for something new, her discography is well worth a listen.