Being open about parts of yourself is a core part of being a creative person. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t terrifying.
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Country singer Ashley McBryde recently opened up about how “scary” it is to reveal parts of herself on her most recent album during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
McBryde released Wild on May 8 and shared that unlike previous projects, every song on the album drew on her actual life experiences.
“The more songs we chose, the more they revealed themselves. It was stuff from my life…We all have the need to be seen, but it’s also really scary to tell the story. There’s nothing to hide behind,” she explained.
Her song selection process started with work tapes on her iPhone in her garage. As she and her collaborators would review the songs, the strongest ones would make themselves known.
“It’s celebrity death match,” she said. “The songs have to duke it out.”
Clarkson noted that the songs on the album signify a major shift in McBryde’s life — her sobriety journey, which began in June 2022.
“This is kind of the moment all of this leads up to, ‘and then she went to rehab.’ And it’s not a sobriety record,” McBryde shared. “It’s not full of sober songs and it’s not like a big soapbox thing, but it is part of the story.”
McByde isn’t trying to preach about the benefits of being sober. Rather, she’s sharing her experiences in case they can help someone else.
“It’s not a big shiny badge I carry. It’s more like kind of a wet wool blanket that’s on me all the time. And if you’d like to know why I’m carrying it, I will tell you, but I don’t have to tell you. It’s just part of the story.”
On June 14, Ashley McBryde celebrated four years of sobriety with an emotional Instagram video of her boxing.
“Congratulations, me! 1,461 days of fighting for myself, showing up, doing the work and doing it scared most of the time,” she wrote. “For me, staying sober includes boxing, lifting and other ways of celebrating this body that carries me across the stage I live for. It includes being picky and intentional about who I spend energy on and with. And so much more.”
“For you it may be totally different. Your path is yours. No one else needs to understand it. Whatever keeps you, YOU. You need you. Struggle forward. Do it scared.”