Ashley McBryde Talks ‘One Night Standards': ‘It’s Okay to Be Uncomfortable’

With her new single, "One Night Standards," Ashley McBryde tells the story of a one-off hookup: something not many people want to talk about, but plenty have experienced.

The singer knows that not everyone will approve of a country artist -- especially a female country artist -- singing about sex. Still, like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and lots more icons of the genre before her, McBryde is proud to be part of the tradition of songwriters taking on tough topics.

"It was taboo then, and they did it. It's taboo now, and we do it," she reflected of the song backstage in the press room at the 2019 CMA Awards. "That's why we do it, because it's taboo.

"It's like having too many tattoos," the (heavily tattooed) singer jokes. "I don't know, I think the touchy subjects are okay to handle. I think it's alright to do 'em."

After all, one-night stands are an extremely common occurrence. Though some people may hear the song and disapprove of its message, just as many -- if not more -- hear the song and relate to it ... and those who don't can survive a little bit of awkwardness, McBryde adds.

"If it's uncomfortable, it's okay. The song is only three and a half minutes long," she points out with a smile. "It's okay to be uncomfortable for three and a half minutes."

McBryde co-wrote "One Night Standards" with Nicolette Hayford and Shane McAnally, and as soon as they finished it, they knew it would challenge some audiences. "In fact, when we finished writing "One Night Standards," I looked at Shane McAnally and said, 'I hope I can cut it. I would love to, and I don't know if they'll let me,'" McBryde recalls.

"And he said, 'You have to. You're the only woman with the balls to do it,'" she adds. "And I was like, 'Well, that's a compliment -- I think?'"

In late January, McBryde will kick off her headlining One Night Standards Tour, which is set to run through April. Later in the year, she's joining Luke Combs for his 2020 What You See Is What You Get Tour.

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