Making Waves in Country Music with Cooper Ramsey: Ep 02
Highlights from the episode:
How Cooper stays grounded while chasing big dreams
The role music plays when words aren’t enough
What surprised her most about starting over in Nashville
Why being young isn’t a limitation—it’s her superpower
Podcast show notes:
I’ve seen a lot of talent in my career. But meeting 16-year-old Cooper Ramsey at an Operation Homefront event? That moment stuck with me.
Cooper’s already performing on big stages, releasing original music, and capturing fans across the country—but what makes her story unforgettable isn’t just her rising career. It’s the courage behind the spotlight. The decision to leave her hometown. The quiet moments when the dream felt scary. The way she’s learning to trust her voice—and use it.
She opens up about ambition, anxiety, friendship, and what it’s really like to grow up chasing something big.
What You’ll Discover:
What it means to know your dream by age 10 (00:10:59)
The decision to move to Nashville and leave everything behind (00:21:04)
Behind the scenes of building a music career at 16 (00:26:23)
OCD and anxiety as part of her story, not the whole story (01:03:15)
Using songwriting to connect and create space for others (00:42:56)
The truth about friendship, loneliness, and staying grounded (00:33:00)
There’s something about Cooper’s story that reminds me how brave it is to be young and clear-eyed about who you are. Her voice, her presence, and her heart…it all shines.
If you’ve ever chased something that felt a little too big, a little too fast, and absolutely worth it anyway, this one’s for you.
To watch this conversation, check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hyhXQMRe0Do
Connect with Cooper:
Find Cooper on social media: @cooperramseymusic
Check out Cooper’s website: CooperRamsey.com
Listen to Cooper’s music on Spotify
Be sure to subscribe to Things No One Tells You—Lindsay’s podcast all about the real, unfiltered conversations we don’t always have but should. From big names to everyday voices, each episode dives into the moments that shape us. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow along with Lindsay below!
Full Transcript
[00:00:00] Cooper: I wish someone had told me that it is frightening. Like there, there are just those waves of, holy moly. I'm in a new state, new city, new house, new neighborhood, new Street. I don't know where I am. I don't know who's who. I don't know kids my age. My dad's in another state halfway across the country.
[00:00:23] That was something that was a little shocking. I was like, it's gonna be unicorns and rainbows when I move. And there were some moments where I was really scared.
[00:00:34] Lindsay: Hey everybody. I'm Lindsay Czarniak and this is Things No One Tells You. This is a podcast about the behind the scenes moments that shape who we are, those things that also are really relatable and really connect us.
[00:00:45] So each week I'm gonna talk with newsmakers, trailblazers in the worlds of sports, entertainment, all things, but also everyday folks, people who are talking about the real stuff that no one tends to share. Follow me at Lindsay Czarniak, and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review Things No One Tells You.
[00:01:03] Wherever you like to listen. Welcome to things no one tells you, or T-Naughty as those of us who put this show together. Love to call it that. Get It? Things No One Tells You. T-N-O-T-Y. We love it. T-Naughty. Anyway, this week, a lot to talk about, but really what I'm thinking on is things no one tells you about transitions. As in, in our house, some behind the scenes about what is happening here.
[00:01:28] The transition for our kids out of school, but specifically my son going from elementary to middle school next year and we're so excited. Our son is just, he's so ready, he's so pumped. But I'm just going to be honest, I am the worst when it comes to change, when it evolves with the passing of time. I have been thinking a lot about when he started kindergarten and the true story there is, I knew I was gonna be a complete mess in that moment.
[00:01:55] I'm fine leading up to the moment, but there's just something about understanding. What the moment is supposed to represent that wrecks me completely when it actually happens. Okay? So I remember he was taking the bus, going to school. We had everything together. We had to sign this first day of kindergarten. And I knew it was gonna be a thing and I just remember, our whole block decided, let's have this big going to school on the first day party in the morning, we'll bring bagels to the end of the street. Someone bring orange juice, maybe there's mimosas, whatever there is. They set up this big, amazing neighborhood gathering thing to celebrate our kids going to the first day of school.
[00:02:33] And I felt like I was gonna throw up and I knew that I could not be outside at that party 'cause we lived on the corner until it was really close to when the bus was coming. So I waited until five minutes before. My son is so excited. My husband was there with us, took the day off work to be there and I thought I was fine.
[00:02:51] We walk out, he has got his little backpack with his little trains on it and we get to the corner and then the bus turns the corner. And I honestly could cry right now talking about this because I was okay. And then one of my friends comes up to me, she's like, how are you doing? Literally just ugly snotted all over her because I was like, all it took was that one person.
[00:03:11] I needed the floodgates to open. But you guys. There was nothing cute about what happened. I was crying to the point that I knew I had to control myself because I'm like, this is every parenting 1 0 1. This is exactly what they say not to do. My son is so excited. What is wrong with me? Pull yourself together.
[00:03:30] So I did some version of trying to pull myself together. My husband's looking at me like, what do we do with you? And my son, his little old chipper self. We give the hugs, he gets on that bus and it was amazing. And we thought about following that bus to school, but we did not. You know what we did?
[00:03:45] We went and played golf and I was, I don't even know, I didn't even like golf at the time. I don't know why I went and played golf, but I was like, I'm just gonna go hit golf balls. And we did. And it was great. And he made it through and then we were so happy. And it was kindergarten happiness, la. the other thing though is I think part of why this transition to middle school has hit me harder as I was thinking about this, is this is the first group, he had COVID in kindergarten pop up, obviously, which was such a horrible thing for everybody with the pandemic and just with that pandemic.
[00:04:15] There are so many markers of that time. And I think thinking about this group of kids and how I'm not crying, you're crying, how they made it through, like with these challenges and all that they've accomplished. That's not lost on me. That it takes resilience. It takes like togetherness of community and family.
[00:04:31] And anyway, we are excited for the moving up ceremony for our children and I think we need a little levity at this point. So here's my joke of the day. If you follow me on social, you know that I like to do a joke of the day. This is one of our early favorites actually from when we were in middle school during the pandemic.
[00:04:49] Why was six afraid of seven? Because 7, 8, 9. This is for my son who loved this joke, which this joke segues to our guest today that I'm so excited to share with you guys. I tied these together because basically Cooper Ramsey, my guest, I believe, knew exactly what she thought she wanted to do for her career when she was this young, when she was 6, 7, 8 or 9..
[00:05:13] Cooper Ramsey is an amazing, super talented songwriter, storyteller recording artist in Nashville, making her rise through country music. And Cooper is a star. She is 16 years old. But here is my history. So I was hosting an event in Washington, DC. This is this amazing organization, Operation Home Front, and they take care of a lot of military family needs and just make sure that the families have what they have. Everything from supporting families while they have, loved ones serving overseas or what have you. they really take care of it all. Cooper was the musical artist who was there to perform, and I. I walked into a room where I met these kids before I was on stage with them.
[00:05:56] 'cause we had to interview every single one. And Cooper was sitting with them. And what struck me right away is a couple of these girls and these kids were just losing their minds about Cooper Ramsey because they knew exactly who she was. And part of that reason is not just because her music is amazing, but because she has created this entire platform and presence on social media.
[00:06:16] And it was really cool to watch that. But then to hear Cooper's story about how she's from New York, moved her family, who supported her and decided it made sense to move and uproot everything and go to Nashville to give her a shot at this job. I just wanted to know more. And so Cooper has shared with me a bit about.
[00:06:34] The transition. And in this conversation, I love what she shares about the Things No One Tells You. I love what she opens the door to in terms of sharing what it's been like for her and the offices of music executives and the type of things now that they're asking artists to be mindful of. I think it's fascinating, but also I really think the fact that Cooper also battles severe OCD, it was so incredible to hear her perspective on that, how she deals with that, and knowing that there are so many people out there that also deal with that.
[00:07:06] I think that this is something that really just might be helpful in general for everybody. If you haven't heard her music, you need to go seek it out. Cooper Ramsey, she is just a star on the rise. She's amazing. In this episode, we're gonna talk about what it means to grow up in the spotlight. Also, what it takes to stay grounded when your life doesn't look like anyone else's anymore.
[00:07:24] This one really is about voice vulnerability and the courage to keep going even when it's scary. I'm so excited to welcome Cooper Ramsey here on Things No One Tells You. Cooper, thank you so much for joining me tonight. This is, it's, you have a lot going on in a given day because not only are you living currently, like in the middle of living, the dream of being a singer, but you are in school. You're 16.
[00:07:51] Cooper:Yes. Yes. Yes.
[00:07:53] Lindsay: So what is this, like, where are you right now and at what point of your day are you in?
[00:07:56] Cooper: So right now I'm at home in Nashville. I have been home since June and today I have had school all day and then I came home, did some content filming and some writing and some guitar. And then I did my homework and then I ate dinner and now I'm here and then rinse and repeat. Like every day. Pretty much. Ish. Pretty much, yeah. This week, especially with finals prep.
[00:08:23] Lindsay: Oh my gosh. I wanna hear more about that in a moment. Yes. But we hear, to give context, the thing that blew me away was when we were at the event in Washington, DC for Operation Home Front.
[00:08:34] I remember walking into the room where I had an opportunity to meet the finalists who were ultimately the recipients of the Award of Military Child of the Year. And I remember them. We were sitting at this table and you were there with them and. more than one of them was completely losing their mind because they were sitting there with you and I knew I was losing my mind.
[00:08:54] Cooper: I felt like, so a fish out of water at that table. They were like, I represent the Air Force, I represent the military. I was like, I represent Nashville Country Music. I was like, Hey.
[00:09:07] Lindsay: But it was, but that was so cool. And they, yes, I agree with you on that because these, each of, there was one child from each branch of the military service, and it was incredible because their stories were just amazing and they were the ultimate leaders.
[00:09:20] these kids were truly inspiring. But you absolutely, equally in that vein, but one of them I remember was. Visibly shaking because she was sitting next to you meeting you and she actually said that she had printed out Yes. Several copies of your picture to sign because she is such a fan of your music.
[00:09:38] And I was listening at that point to the conversation between the two of you. And you were talking about leaning in really to a fan base and some version of you discussing social media and just what really is trying to resonate with your peers. And I was like, oh my gosh, I'm so excited to have a conversation with you because I love music.
[00:09:57] I obviously love sports, but I love just understanding the process. And this is such a gift because you're so much on your journey, like you have so much ahead of you. And it's so cool because I wanna share with people that I sent when I was asking you to be on this podcast, and I was like,what is something that no one tells you?
[00:10:15] And you sent me back this list and I was like, I literally went down this. There's. There were like seven things and everything on the list. I was like,yes. so I think we're just gonna go down your list because it is like, this is so fascinating on so many different levels. I resonate with these things as a huge music fan, but also as a mom, as someone who just loves to perform.
[00:10:37] I think this is so cool. So you, one of the first things you said is Things No One Tells You about knowing what you wanna do with your life by the time you're 10. Yeah. And I just think this is a great place to start, because, okay. Chronological order.
[00:10:52] Lindsay: Just, yeah, let's start there. Just, take me back because I guess the other thing that I just wanna say is you, I know you're about to do your first festival. Is that right?
[00:11:01] Cooper: Yeah, I have my first, I'm playing Summer Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this summer, first big summer festival.
[00:11:08] Lindsay: That's so great.
[00:11:09] Cooper: So, I'm so excited. I've been preparing and I just can't wait. I've heard it's an insane event and the artists that are performing are some of my influences and I just can't wait.
[00:11:22] Lindsay: Who would you consider some of your influences that are performing?
[00:11:25] Cooper: This is gonna sound silly that I'm in country, but Megan Thee stallion's an icon. She's awesome. She's just a girl boss. So yes, that's gonna be pretty cool. The list is so extensive. Honestly, I need to check everyone out because probably I'm gonna meet a lot of people and be blown away by them, so I wanna make sure that I don't overlook anything. And for my weekend, I wanna know literally everyone who's going.
[00:11:53] Lindsay: Okay. This is, you're 16 years old and you're on your trajectory. Yes. And you're about to play a festival. You write your own songs, you have several out. But how did this start for you?
[00:12:06] Cooper: Yeah. Wow. I could rant about my life story, but I won't.
[00:12:11] I've been singing since I was two. My mom is musical. My dad is tone deaf, but he loves music. So a very musical household and. I got into theater when I was, I wanna say around six, and that kind of got me really confident on stage. But I've always just loved singing. I didn't wanna be an actress, I didn't wanna be on Broadway.
[00:12:36] I just wanted to sing. So I picked up the guitar around age nine and it was absolutely horrendous. So I hated it for a little while. But then over COVID my time just really freed up, I think, as it did for everyone. And I've had anxiety my whole life, the majority of my childhood, and I've always been a poet.
[00:13:01] And especially during COVID, I was writing a lot more poetry because it was how I was expressing everything that kids were going through at that time, myself included. So I. When I was sitting at home alone, every day I was picking up the guitar more, I was writing more poetry, and it just clicked.
[00:13:22] And I'd always listen to country music, but more the older stuff. George Strait, Tom Waits, Reba Dolly way, like back into the older generations, but no disc to them. But, during COVID, I really got into the more modern country and I knew it was the way that my stories were gonna end up being told and, since 2020, I've wanted to be here in Nashville.
[00:13:48] Lindsay: I love that. I have a child who's at the door and that's why he's like banging and we're fine. And I'm just gonna keep this in here because I will tell them, I tell you that, we were at the dinner table and they were listening to your music.
[00:14:00] Cooper: Oh, I love that.
[00:14:00] Lindsay: And my daughter, who's eight is , “Oh wow. That's what I want.”
[00:14:03] Cooper: That's what I love. That's what makes it all worth it.
[00:14:07] Lindsay: So I think that's something that I would love to know about how you strategically do that, about trying to connect with peers.
[00:14:16] Cooper: Yeah.
[00:14:17] Lindsay: Because I think it's, there's so much now different in music, right?
[00:14:20] When you have the accessibility and you can post, and I think going through what you do on social media is there's such a potential for connection with fans. Absolutely. Is that right? At what point did that sort of really become a thing for you?
[00:14:37] Cooper: Yeah. I would say the months before moving here, I started to really take social media seriously, but not even close to the extent that I do now.
[00:14:46] Once I got here, it really started getting brought up more and more as I had more meetings and, oh wow. As I just met more people in the community, social media really came to the forefront and, as a teenage girl. Social media is the last place you wanna put yourself out there.
[00:15:05] But I've started to just view it like, Hey, here's an opportunity to show people me and people are gonna like it and people might not. So over the past few months, I've really tried to produce content that is gonna connect with people and show them who I am. 'cause as much as my singing is who I am, it's not all that I am.
[00:15:30] And I wanna show people my personality, the fact that I am a teen, I am a girl. I am just a normal person who happens to be a singer songwriter. And I want people to love my music, but I also want them to love me as a person. So that's how I've been looking at it just to show who I am. And a main way I do that is with my songs, but when I'm not playing my songs for the camera. I also just wanna be confident enough to be like, Hey, this is who I am. Like welcome. And I think I've had a really great reaction with growing a fan base. Like I sang at the SEC championship, the National Anthem. I sang at the St. Jude's Marathon in downtown Nashville. And I just, I had kids coming up to me and people my age and adults and it was just really crazy to see Hey, I really liked that.
[00:16:29] Or Your rendition was beautiful. Or even, especially when I do originals and people say that, if I play a writer's round, for those of you not in Nashville, a writer's round is just songwriters on a stage going around sharing original music
[00:16:44] Lindsay: And there's nothing like it. It is my favorite thing to do.
[00:16:49] Cooper: Oh, it's like when in Nashville, that's been the best thing is the writing community. People tell you Nashville's insane as far as writing and connectivity goes, but it just blew me away. I've written…I think it's 39 songs since I moved here in June. So that's wild to me because the amount of people that I've met and the amount of great organizations I've gotten connected to has been the biggest shock out of everything here.
[00:17:22] Lindsay: Just how warm it is. Yeah. Or like open.
[00:17:25] Cooper: Yeah. That kind of actually leads me to my first thing they don't tell you is that people want you to succeed. Like everyone in Nashville is rooting for you even if they're not the right, let's say you're in a meeting, even if it's not the right person to work with you to help you build your career.
[00:17:45] People don't wanna see you fail. It's a town of dreams and everyone kinda. Wow. Has that shared goal, even if you're on the business side and the music side and the production side, everything. So everyone is really rooting for you and I think that's been a really big help too, the shock of the move is just that people are really nice and really supportive and want to see you do well.
[00:18:16] Lindsay: So you're a kid and you're playing guitar and you realize by 10 that this is what I wanna do with my life and then what happened next?
[00:18:26] Cooper: When I started realizing, so I said, the country music dream emerged a little later, but the singer songwriter did emerge when I was 10, when I was not playing guitar very well, and I was just sitting in my room making up tunes to poems.
[00:18:42] I started to express that, my, my close family always knew, but, a lot of times, kids wanna be astronauts, kids wanna be doctors. Kids wanna be, and I don't think my family ever thought that. I've been incredibly driven since I was very young.
[00:19:00] It's the only thing that I've ever been interested in, truly as far as a life career. So I thought when I was saying that I wanna be a singer. I wanna be a singer, it means, it also meant a lot that I could sing. I hate to say it, but I babysit some. You could back it up. Yeah. I babysit some kids and they're like, I wanna be a singer. And I'm like, you go. You go. But I think it helped that I showed from a very young age that I wanted it, and my family always was on my side with that, they were like, this may not be like a kid's little dream. Like this may actually be serious.
[00:19:43] And then when COVID hit and I did the research, I read the books. I was writing. I was really getting interested in the life and what I wanted and how I was gonna get there. And what was the next step?
[00:19:56] Lindsay: What was the conversation like? When it really came down to it? Yeah. And it had to be like, okay, are we doing this? Are we not? And then eventually getting to the point where you were gonna have to move.
[00:20:08] Cooper: Yeah. So I started, I met my incredible manager almost two years ago, and pretty much immediately after we started working together, we took some trips down to Nashville. And every meeting I had,I walked into some of the biggest rooms in Nashville with some of the names that I have.
[00:20:30] Scene on songs that I love and of labels that I love. And we met with some of those people and everyone was like, you gotta be here. you really have to be here to do it. That was the main note of our first and second, probably even third round of meetings. So my family and I started seriously talking about it and I was like, guys, I really have to do this for me, I really want this. And I think they saw me putting in the work for the next few months and doing everything I could to make this possible. And I got very lucky and my family jumped on board and it was a very quick decision. We decided in March and we moved in June.
[00:21:22] Wow. It was quick. I had applied to schools and stuff just in case we decided to move, but March we were like, okay, let's move. Let's look for somewhere to live 'cause we're gonna need that. But yeah, it was a very quick turnaround, but it's been the best six months of my life. Seven.
[00:21:45] Lindsay: So you must have had, obviously, the confidence and the backing. Knowing that there would be a support system down there. What was that, what was it that made you feel like, okay, I can do this because I know that I've got a shot?
[00:21:59] Cooper: A huge thing was really the community that I had already started to build with those meetings. I was building relationships.
[00:22:07] You don't wanna go into something without having some connections in the industry. And I think I felt much more confident with the fact that. I had already made ties to a lot of people that I knew I was gonna be seeing and working with, either directly, indirectly. So that made me feel a lot better.
[00:22:33] 'cause Nashville truly is just about knowing people and I knew a lot more people than many people do when they move. So that was probably the biggest competence boost was the fact that my manager and my family and I had done everything we could to build me the most solid support system possible.
[00:22:57] Lindsay: And so you're from New York?
[00:22:58] Cooper: Yes.
[00:22:59] Lindsay: And so then you take the move and what was that like?
[00:23:02] Cooper: Mildly terrifying. I didn't really process it until probably like the week of when I was sleeping on an air mattress in my room and my house was empty. It was very strange. I've lived in New York my whole life, so on the last week I was like, whoa, I'm not gonna live here anymore.
[00:23:28] And, I got on a plane and I was like, this isn't just a trip. This is a new start. This is something fresh. That was something I've never had before. I've never moved. And I was kinda hesitant the whole process of deciding to look back and be like, what am I gonna miss? What am I gonna, am I gonna regret any of this?
[00:23:51] And once I was on the plane, I was like, I will miss it. I'll miss it a ton. But I don't regret any of it. I knew it was what was needed if I really wanted to do this with my life. So the fear was matched with the feeling that I knew what I was doing and I knew this was the right thing for me.
[00:24:12] And did you move down with your parents? Yes, I moved down. We all moved down. My mom and I moved down in June. That's awesome. My dad moved down full-time in early September, so we were all together pretty much by mid-September.
[00:24:31] Lindsay: Wow. So then it's just been like a grind for you? It's been crazy.
[00:24:34] Cooper: It's been, when I look at what I've done in, let me see, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May.
[00:24:45] Wow. Seven months. When I look at what I've done in seven months, it blows me away. So everything has led me here. I just couldn't be happier with the decision and. I see every day how important it was, because a new success comes, or a new learning curve. And I'm like, I wouldn't know this if I was sitting at home in New York.
[00:25:11] Like this wouldn't be happening if I didn't take charge and make it happen. So I'm really proud of myself when I learn things and things happen or I meet someone I admire or I write a great song just because it's what I use to justify, sometimes the scary parts, I'm like, yeah, it's scary, but look at all that is going right. Look at what's happening.
[00:25:38] Lindsay: Nothing good happens without scary Or totally the risk. And that's a really young age to get that lesson. I feel what are, how, what would you describe as those scary parts?
[00:25:49] Cooper: I’m leaving my friends. I'm an only child. I've always been very social. I love to talk, which is pretty evident. I feel like you don't go on a podcast unless you like to talk, but, it was very shocking to my friends when I was like, Hey, friends of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 years, I'm picking up my life, leaving everything I've ever known and moving to Nashville. Surprise. My friends were a little scared and I think them being scared got to me.
[00:26:24] I was like, they're scared and they're gonna be all together, but I'm gonna be all alone. And, when we moved here for the summer, no one's really here in the summer. Nashville is very quiet. So writes were very infrequent. Co-writes, meaning I was writing a lot on my own and I didn't really know all the nuances of social media yet, so I was just trying to figure that out.
[00:26:51] And school hadn't started. So I was really just with my mom the whole summer, who's my best friend and I love her, but I'm a teenage girl, and my mom and I alone in a house all summer didn't always go amazing. But I'm glad you're just honest about that. Yeah. 'cause I, I'm, yeah, I know I've, I love her, but sometimes I don't always like her and she feels the same.
[00:27:17] But we got through it and we came out, closer than we'd ever been happier. It was a really great summer, but there were nights where I would be like watching TV or like sitting out on the porch. I'd be like, I am in the middle of Tennessee. I have no friends. What am I doing? Like I'm, what have I gotten myself into?
[00:27:47] It just felt like everything was so far and so big, and then literally I started having rights and I started meeting people as everyone you know, came back into the city and it just changed overnight. So I got to enjoy Nashville as almost a tourist for a summer. I was really just getting to know what was around me, but the fear of the loneliness went away pretty much as soon as things picked back up in August. So the scariest part was just that period of being alone a lot. I don't like to be alone.
[00:28:27] Lindsay: It's so funny how that's like such a thing with everyone. Like our own minds do that, right? Yeah. Like it's like when you're stuck, when you're by yourself and you have anar, it's like you create this narrative and everything can be great.
[00:28:42] 'cause I think about that sometimes, going on the road for work and it can be such an exciting thing and you're so on point with what you're gonna do, you're really excited about it. There have been times where if I have three hours and I love three hours by myself, don't get me wrong, but where you're like, you can, yes. It's like this weird loneliness thing can start to creep in and it's not that you're alone. Yeah. And you're like, you just, oh, I wish I had you. You realize what's really going on.
[00:29:05] Cooper: Yes. You're, I think it was also, I'm incredibly close with my dad. Okay. So having him, my dad wasn't able to move down with us because of his job.
[00:29:17] So being without him. He visited, but being without him consistently for June, July, August was really hard on me. And I think it was also really hard on my mom. We're incredibly close. Like I said, it's just me. My parents are my best friends. Don't tell them I said that they'll get cocky. But, I think I didn't acknowledge it, but I was really not used to being without him.
[00:29:46] my dad and I are carbon copy, so we do everything together and my mom and I are like just, I always say my mom is like my best friend and my dad is like my twin, like my dad and I have all the same interests and my mom and I are just incredibly close. But I think for us to be without him was scary, even if I didn't really realize that I was scared of it.
[00:30:13] Was something that was hard on us as well. So I wish someone had told me that it is frightening. Like there, there are just those waves of, holy moly. I'm in a new state, new city, new house, new neighborhood, new Street. I don't know where I am. I don't know who's who. I don't know. Kids my age. My dad's in another state, halfway across the country.
[00:30:38] Halfway up the country I guess. Yeah. But that was something that was a little shocking. I was like, it's gonna be unicorns and rainbows when I moved. And there were some moments where I was really scared.
[00:30:50] Lindsay: I found it interesting when you wrote that some things that no one tells you are about the friends’ reactions.
[00:30:58] Cooper: Yeah. And that, yeah.
[00:30:59] Lindsay: What has that been like?
[00:31:02] Cooper: That has been one of the weirdest things about it, my friends are so supportive of me, but at the same time, I need to accept that I moved, it's not like one of them moved. They're all together. Like they have inside jokes without me.
[00:31:20] They've had experiences without me. And as hard as that is, so have I, I've had new experiences. I've made new friends, I've made new memories. But seeing them from a distance is very difficult. 'cause I know they're so supportive of me, but sometimes I feel guilty. 'cause they were like, what do you mean you're just moving? There's nothing there. There's no one.
[00:31:46] And I'm like, but there's everything there that I need. I was like, I have to go and. I think they were very sad. I think it's hard for a lot of them to understand, the friends I've been close with since I was a kid, I think understand how seriously I do take it.
[00:32:11] But some of my newer friends from middle school for reference, I'm in 10th grade, so they didn't get it, which makes me feel guilty. I'm like, I left them, I, oh my gosh. they must feel like, what did she do? Like why did she leave? Because they don't understand the extent to which I need to be here. So seeing them confused has really hurt me. I think it's been a tough pill to swallow.
[00:32:48] Lindsay: So how do you manage that?
[00:32:50] Cooper: I really try and stay in touch a lot. Like I call my friends. Probably three to four times a week in different rotations of who I call, and whether it's group or individual, my mom gets mad because I'm on the phone a lot.
[00:33:04] Also, I just make sure that I tell them, Hey, I have great friends here, but I miss you guys. I always want them to know that just because I have a new life doesn't mean that they mean any less to me. So I think just keeping that line of communication open has been huge and I'm so incredibly blessed that my friends are such good communicators and are so kind and so outgoing. I think we've just been able to really show our appreciation for each other and not go two weeks without talking. Or if we do, Hey, I've been crazy. I miss you. Let's chat this weekend.
[00:33:48] Lindsay: It's funny because I'm sitting here talking to you and I'm like, oh my God. Because I can relate. My big group of friends from high school is all close in one area except for two of us who moved there in Virginia.
[00:33:59] Yeah. And, but then I'm like, oh my God, you're in the thick of it though. You're like, in those years, yeah. I met all my girls like in, when I was your age. So it's like hearing the wisdom that you talk with is wow. Yeah. Yeah. But I think, not that you're soliciting advice, but I think looking back on it now, I'm like, wow, the biggest thing is what you're doing is reaching out, picking up the phone.
[00:34:24] Yeah. Letting them know that. 'cause I do think it's like when you have a job that you're, look like. It's like some people, have the level of drive that you have and it's, the career is super exciting and you just, it pulls you because it's magnetic and you're so excited about it.
[00:34:40] And then other people, their life looks different and their happiness is in the moments and their family and all that stuff, right? Yeah. So it's yeah, I understand what you're saying about the juxtaposition of that type of thing. But I think yeah, communication is really key. Yeah. And if you're missing a ton of stuff, it's like just continuing to be open about it.
[00:35:04] Cooper: I think it has always been hard, the fact that I've known what I wanted to do for so long. I've been dreaming about it forever. But when I really started to take action on it, I think it confused a lot of people, including adults.
[00:35:18] Members of my family, my teachers, my friends' parents. I think everyone was a little surprised by the importance that I put into my career so young. I was kinda like, I love school, but that's not what I'm meant to do in life. I know I'm meant to do this and I have to do this. this is what I've been gifted with my voice and this is how I wanna make an impact and do something with my life. And I think people were a little, “Okay, you're 12, like stay in school, focus on that.” I'm like, no, you don't understand. This is the only thing I want in this life. I will work until I have this.
[00:36:09] Lindsay: And so in those meetings, what was it that they were saying that you were like, okay.
[00:36:16] Cooper: Meaning?
[00:36:17] Lindsay: Like jumping off like you felt okay. Like you knew you could do it. You knew you had to be there.
[00:36:22] Cooper: Yeah.
[00:36:22] Lindsay: But it was okay? Were they saying get here?
[00:36:28] Cooper: People were immediately very supportive. But I think really my age is such a huge thing that motivated people. They were like, get down here now, because you're gonna have a jumpstart. You're gonna hit the ground running. You've built this community. You're young, you're something new. Nashville's an incredibly crowded place with incredibly talented people. But when you get into my age group, that narrows down just the sheer number of artists there are in this town.
[00:36:58] So I really wanted to start my career. I didn't wanna wait. I said, I don't care if it happens too soon. Nothing's too soon. This is what I want. I could see myself doing this full time now, and there are nights I've just imagined, what do I want my day to look like? And it's just, it's music in every part.
[00:37:24] Lindsay: Tell me more. What do you mean?
[00:37:26] Cooper: When I see my ideal day, I am waking up, going to a co-write, going to a meeting, talking with a team about, what's next, planning a concert, planning merchandise, planning a tour, writing songs, going home, spending time with my cats, writing more, performing that night I night, I just, there's so much I see myself doing that I can really picture and that I really know that I could do and manage.
[00:37:54] And I think having other people in the industry say that and saying that I should do it now. It was the biggest motivator because your mom is saying something is very different from a record executive. So just hearing those seasoned opinions and having them be so positive and so supportive, and some of them critical, some of them, it's gonna be hard.
[00:38:23] It's gonna be, I don't like yes people, I like when people tell me what I can do better, where I can learn, where I can grow. I never wanna be the best writer in a room. I really just wanna learn in this town every single day. and I already have. But having people say that it was gonna be hard made me wanna do it even more, I was like, okay, I can still do it.
[00:38:48] Lindsay: What happens in a co-write? Like what’s that?
[00:38:51] Cooper: So it is very funny because in a co-write you step into a room and as someone who's been in therapy, consistently since I was about eight for my OCD and my anxiety, a co-write is very much like that mixed with a coffee date with a friend.
[00:39:08] Lindsay: So you mean it's like therapy?
[00:39:10] Cooper: Yeah.
[00:39:11] Lindsay: Oh wow.
[00:39:11] Cooper: Coffee co-write is like a coffee date mixed with therapy. It is truly just getting thrown into a room with someone and saying, okay, pour your heart out on the table and we're gonna write a song. What are you feeling? What is your life? Who are you, what do you wanna say?
[00:39:30] How do you wanna say it? It's incredibly deep and you walk out of it and you're like, that was the first interaction I've had with that person. and I told them, you're like, ah, everything about me. Things that I would never tell, like a teenager that I meet at Starbucks on the first time I meet them, and the person that you're, you just bore your heart out on the table and you work together to create something that says what you want it to say. So I think getting used to that was weird, but I really loved it. 'cause it's such a safe space to just be who you are and say what you truly mean.
[00:40:07] Lindsay: So the person that's with you, who is acting like a therapist? Yeah. Co-writer. A co- is a writer, correct?
[00:40:15] Cooper: Absolutely, yes. So a co-write can be anywhere from two writers to 20 writers. There are artists who have 12 co-writers on a song. One person can write one line and they're a co-writer. But mainly, I write with. One to four other people. I wanna say that's typically my range. I like a smaller group just 'cause I can really get to know other people and bounce off of them.
[00:40:43] But I love telling other people about myself and hearing how they interpret it, because then it changes how I interpret it. So it truly is just such an insane collaboration. it, you walk out and you're like, we just made something from nothing. There was nothing before we walked in this room.
[00:41:06] Lindsay: Okay. Can you take me inside one of those, like what with a song that you did and explain how that happened. I don't, I am such a fan of hometown shows, but I want you to choose the one.
[00:41:20] Cooper: Hometown Shows was one of my earlier “writes” in Nashville and I was really excited. It was at a publishing company. With a writer that I had really wanted to write with. And another incredible writer in town that I admire. And Andrew Beason and Joanna Yeager are those co-writers. if anyone is curious. But they were incredibly talented and I could just tell from when I walked in the room.
[00:41:47] Lindsay: And why, real quick, did you wanna, what did you know of them? Why did they, why were they so important?
[00:41:49] Cooper: I had heard what they had written and, okay. I had seen their credentials and I stalked everyone. I read everyone's LinkedIn and their bios, and my friends make fun of me. They're like, why do you have LinkedIn? We're 16. Who are you reading about? I'm like, no, you have to know people before you go into a co-write.
[00:42:09] You gotta know their vibe. Yeah. What they write, what's their style, where are they from? That kind of cuts out a lot of the awkwardness. Sometimes it makes it more awkward though. I'll be like, Hey, so you're from South Carolina, right? And they'll be like, how do you know that? And I'll be like,no, I'm not creepy.
[00:42:24] I just read your LinkedIn. But, so I wrote hometown shows with them and I went in and I said, Hey, I moved from New York, like I probably had moved two months ago at this point, one month ago. And I was like, I love my home and I'm proud of it and I wanna just show everyone how much it is a part of me.
[00:42:49] Like even though I'm not in New York, that's where I grew up. It wasn't what I wanted for my life. I knew I wanted to be here, but it felt important to say all that my hometown has shown me and how it shows through me. And they just really helped me bring that to life. And that was something really vulnerable to write about.
[00:43:15] I had just moved. So trying to put that into words so quickly was pretty intimidating. And Andrew and Joanna just grabbed it by the neck. And I don't think that's the expression. Andrew, what is, I get the point though. That's Andrew and Joanna and I really just attacked it and made something that said exactly what I wanted it to.
[00:43:48] Lindsay: That's so cool. And what was the response? And also, in this day and age of Spotify and wherever people get their music, how do you measure success?
[00:43:58] Cooper: Yeah. Reactions were pretty great. I had just moved here, so obviously I had my first single that I released when I moved, so I had released some stuff back in New York, and then I released Kaylee, which is my debut Nashville Single, and that played on SiriusXM, The Highway.
[00:44:20] Yes, love. I love it. Which was huge. Hometown shows didn't, but it got a ton of support just from so many people around me, and I had people saying they knew it, and like co-writers saying, Hey, I love that song. I listened to it, I played it at meetings, and the reactions were really great. I was really proud.
[00:44:44] Lindsay: Your second question was, how do you measure success?
[00:44:49] Cooper: I think success is very mixed for everyone. I view writing a great line. As a success. I never wanna just look at the numbers. I think that's so harmful to an artist because it's not who you are. It doesn't show that what you're saying isn't valuable.
[00:45:09] it is truly just a measurement of how something has resonated. Although I'm always aiming to reach the most people with my music, I really just see numbers as a growing point. I'm like, Hey, okay, 10,000, it'll be 15,000 next time. Like it, it is just a metric of growth and effort. The same thing with social media followers is a metric of how much work you're putting in and how much you're learning. So I try not to view streams as a success, but I view them as something that comes once you have had success in other areas.
[00:45:54] Lindsay: What were, what were they saying when you mentioned that you early on had meetings and that it became clear that everyone was mentioning social media. What was the takeaway that you left with from those meetings as a best practice that they were suggesting?
[00:46:08] Cooper: I think the main thing that I walked away with was just that social media is completely in your hands and that I have a unique perspective because of my age. and that will be an incredibly effective way to reach people from around the country, around the world. That is just another way to get your voice out there.
[00:46:31] Lindsay: So how do you, how have you been doing it? What is it that you, because I do think that you really have a unique way of connecting. What is it that you have found that is the secret sauce?
[00:46:46] Cooper: I haven't found it. Really, I'm not even close. I have found things that work and things that don't. It is a huge trial and error process. I'm working with an incredible social media coach and Oh wow. Really? Yes. And that has changed. What is that like? That is amazing. My coach is so knowledgeable, and has changed the way I view social media. I've only been working with him for a few weeks, but to say that I've mastered anything about social media is a complete lie. I just like learning and seeing what happens and what resonates with people. 'cause then I can do that more and give people what they wanna see and hear.
[00:47:29] Lindsay: What's it like though, like being 16 and doing all that and still having all of, like the life stuff play, play in, how do you balance all that and also just the day-to-day like school stuff?
[00:47:42] Cooper: Yeah. I'm in school as long as it's manageable, so I don't know how much longer that will be. It's very stressful. It's difficult to get home after a four hour co-write, which is the standard here in Nashville. So often my rights will be from four to nine, so four to eight, four to nine if it goes over and coming home and then reading three chapters and taking notes and solving quadratic equations is not my ideal schedule, but.
[00:48:17] It also makes me really proud of myself when I do it. 'cause I do love to learn in every aspect, both music and in school. So juggling it has certainly been difficult, but I've gotten better and better. So having the support of my teachers and my school as a whole and my friends and my family, everyone has really stepped up and made my life so much easier for me. My friends will take notes for me if I miss school for a meeting. My teachers send me work ahead of time. My parents help me get things done and stay organized. It has made all the difference.
[00:48:54] Lindsay: Wow.
[00:48:55] Cooper: That other people are just so willing to help me out.
[00:49:00] Lindsay: What do you get to do that is just typical sophomore, 16-year-old stuff?
[00:49:06] Cooper: Not much. I get to go to school every day and spend my day with people that I care about and find funny, and I laugh 90% of the day. I truly love school, which is something that I know a lot of teens don't, so I'm very grateful for that. I've always loved school and I get to hang out with my friends on weekends, time permitting, but it's always fun sometimes to have a day where I'm like, you know what?
[00:49:37] I'm not scheduling anything today. If I'm inspired to write a song tonight, that's okay, but for this morning I'm going to get a coffee with my friends, or I am hanging out with my school acapella group. Like it's just, there are some days where I'm just like, I need a kid day. And those are infrequent, but really nice when I do get them.
[00:50:03] Lindsay: How about, it's funny, it's like you go from performing, I'm sure, like at your school in whatever kind of normal situation to the championship game. Yeah. What was that experience like for you?
[00:50:19] Cooper: Unbelievable. To sing at the SEC championship was such an honor and I was mortified because the national anthem is the one song in the world that you absolutely cannot mess up truly.
[00:50:33] So I had been preparing for probably over a month. And playing my anthem every day, running through my guitar, finding my guitar arrangement. I arranged my version. Chris Stapleton was a huge inspiration to me. I said, how do I do something that people either love or they hate? And thank goodness, I think everyone loved it.
[00:50:59] And they pulled me off the court and I was just like, wow. I did it. I knew from the first note I was like, this is going great. This is it. It is less scary to sing in Bridgestone Arena and on TV than it is to sing in your school auditorium. Truly singing in front of your peers and your family are two of the hardest things.
[00:51:25] I have no trouble with record executives. I have no trouble in a co-write. I have no trouble on a massive stage, but it really, when you're singing a song that you've written. Especially, with my background being in poetry, the words are so important and so raw and people always guess, who's this about? Who's that about? Was that about me? Was that about a boy? Was that about who?
[00:51:48] Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Or, oh, I didn't know she felt like that, or, oh, I didn't know she thought about that. So I think just the speculation that comes with it, especially from other teenagers, is really weird. And your family, I think just because none of the validation ever feels real. 'cause they're family. So I think that's the scariest part about performing for your family is that reaction. So it's more just like, why am I performing? I know you're gonna clap, you're my family. And they always tell me, no, you're, we really believe you're talented and love what you're doing. And I think that's a compliment that's very hard to accept and very flattering. Oh,
[00:52:40] Lindsay: That's interesting that you say it's hard to accept.
[00:52:44] Cooper: Yeah.
[00:52:45] Lindsay: Like a confidence thing.
[00:52:47] Cooper: Yeah. I'm very confident in myself. I just, sometimes when you get in front of family, you're like, I can't tell if you really like this. And it just feels like they're like, “Sing!” and like at Thanksgiving it'll be like “Sing!” and I'll be like, I'm eating my Turkey. But I always love when I'm singing, so even if there's some awkward family claps after I love that.
[00:53:12] Lindsay: So you do, so you perform at like holidays and just in that?
[00:53:16] Cooper: Yeah. Yeah. I just love to show my family what I'm doing and I don't travel with my guitar for nothing.
[00:53:20] Lindsay: Wait, so what is it like, the moment before you. started singing the national anthem. Yeah. Terrified. What is, what are those moments like for you? Terrifying. Yeah. How do you, how do you prep yourself and are you like an athlete? Do you have a routine or something that you do?
[00:53:37] Cooper: Oh yeah. I have all my vocal warmups obviously, but, those are for every singer, every performance for me, my anxiety and OCD don't really kick in when I'm on stage. But, the moment before the SEC, I had my in-ears in which are like noise canceling headphones that allow you to hear yourself and your guitar and none of the echo from the stadium or cheers or whatever would happen.
[00:54:05] So I'm sitting there and in my ears, welcome to the SEC final, and I was like, it's go time. It's happening. And I have these nine foot basketball players looking down at me, like the look, and I'm like, oh. And I just, I said, you have to tune it out. I just took some deep breaths. I tried to just ground myself and it worked, thank goodness.
[00:54:34] But before I go on stage, I just, I remember why I'm there and that it's what I love to do, and I just, I remind myself to enjoy it. And then, once I start and it goes well, I'm like, okay, I got it. Like it really is. Oh, see, if you get that and you're good. The first two notes.
[00:54:52] Lindsay: Yeah.
[00:54:55] Cooper: Once it starts. You are in the zone and it just clicks. You forget you're singing, at least for me. But then, they pulled me off when it was over and they were like, Hey, we didn't wanna freak you out, but like Morgan Wall's court side front row. And I was like, if you had told me that before, I may have given up, so thank you.
[00:55:16] But I would've been looking for him. Did you talk to him? But that was, I did not get to see him, but I was like, holy moly, Morgan Wallen just heard me sing the national anthem. That was pretty cool. I hope he hears me sing my songs one day.
[00:55:31] Lindsay: I'm sure he will. You know what’s funny is when you performed at the Operation Home Front Event. I loved how you sang a slew of your own songs and then you sang Shaboozey’s A Bar Song.
[00:55:46] Cooper: Yes. Very inappropriate, but it's a crowd pleaser.
[00:55:50] Lindsay: But what was funny is I thought of you because after at the Kentucky Derby, Shaboozey performed at the FanDuel event, and he did something that I have never seen an artist do, and I was so floored. It was epic. The last song he did was A Bar Song, and it's the song everybody was waiting for. Of course. He got up there and he had been playing around with the front row of fans that were there to see him. We were in a smaller venue, it wasn't massive. Yeah. But, Ashley, who's listening in. My producer Ashley was there with me and he all of a sudden, sang the song, was rapping the song, everyone was going crazy, wrapping up the song.
[00:56:30] And he's reaching out in the front row and he finishes and he's like adjusting his ears and someone in the crowd says something to him and he goes, what? You wanna hear it again? And everyone's yeah. And so he is okay. And they fire it up again. And I'm like, no way. He's about to do the whole song again.
[00:56:46] And I felt like Shaboozey sees me. He knows. Yeah. That I'm that person in my car who plays it over and over. And it's so funny because my son is 11. And my son does the same thing with a song when he loves it. you know how it's like you are either in that box or you're not. Yeah. You're either the person that plays it over and over, or you can just wait through the cycle.You’re a passive listener.
[00:57:06] Lindsay: Yeah.
[00:57:06] Cooper: Yeah. So anyway, he starts playing it again and he gets off the stage and goes right into the crowd saying the entire song from within the crowd. And he was, and I'm not talking like on the edge of the stage, I'm talking like he was six rows deep in the crowd.
[00:57:24] People had their phones in his face. He must have had 20 cell phones because people are taking that opportunity for a selfie with him. And I'm watching this and I was just like, this is so amazing because this song is just so great. But it was like also he gets it and he's won with them. And I've just, I've never seen anyone do it to that level.
[00:57:47] And I was like, yeah, he is giving people what they want in a way that. Other people are not doing it. Yeah. And so I would Yeah, I just bring that up because I feel like you have an edge with the ability to maybe touch more people, and I'm wondering how you're doing that.
[00:58:05] Truly. I just say what I feel, and I think the young perspective we've seen consistently in music over the course of history, how important that is. We look at most successful rock bands, early twenties, mid twenties, Avril Levine, hugely influential, Britney, hugely influential. Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Taylor, the young voice is one that yearns to be heard. It is. Phoebe Bridgers wrote one of her most successful songs at 17 years old.
[00:58:43] It is just a time where you have feelings. That no one else feels, that no other age group feels. So I just, I say those and I know they'll reach people because I've had people tell me that they feel that, I have a song that I performed, which is called, I Believe I performed, wait, no I didn't.Sorry. I have a song. I have a song that I perform about, going through a best friend breakup, losing a friend you were close with, and I think every person who has been through high school has experienced that middle school, high school. It is something that is so universal. So when I wrote about it from my perspective, it just came out in a way that was generic for a larger audience, and it was really cool.
[00:59:42] It's always very sad when people relate to something like that. Yeah. But I truly just say what I need to say, and oftentimes I get very lucky and it resonates with people. I want people to feel something from my songs.
[01:00:00] Lindsay: You've talked about the OCD and the anxiety.
[01:00:02] Cooper: Yeah.
[01:00:02] Lindsay: What has that journey been for you?
[01:00:05] When did that start and what has it been like?
[01:00:07] Cooper: It's been a rocky one. Yeah. I've struggled with my mental health since I was about seven or eight. I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD, as many of us know it, and severe anxiety. My OCD is hereditary, my family, and I share that, but I have experienced it probably on the biggest scale.
[01:00:34] It was incredibly difficult being in middle school especially. That was one of the hardest parts of my OCD because for the first time, my compulsions were hindering my social life. and I've never struggled with my social life before and I don't anymore because I'm very open about it. even on this video I may blink a little like this, or I may do this with my lips.
[01:01:05] it's just how I work sometimes, even subconsciously. And, in middle school when I was going around asking people, Hey, are you mad? Hey, are you mad? That was my OCD telling me that. And that really hurt when people were like, you are really annoying. Stop. It's getting on my nerves.
[01:01:26] I'm like, I can't help it. Believe me, I'm trying. It's just as annoying for me. So I think. Once I started going to therapy and learning about my OCD, I knew I had to talk about it because there's such a stigma around it. Still, people say the stigma's fading. I will stand by the fact that there is still such a stigma around mental health, especially in teenagers and OCD particularly.
[01:01:57] I firsthand have struggled with very severe OCD and I think it is often overlooked. it's not just switching light switches or organizing. It's an incredibly difficult disorder to manage, and as a kid it's very scary. So writing and music was always my outlet until I learned how to really cope with my symptoms and manage my anxiety.
[01:02:26] And it's a huge part of who I am, but it does not define who I am. But that is something that has been an incredible gift to me because it has made me stronger and it has taught me how to speak up for other people. But it also has been incredibly difficult and taken away a lot of great times for me.
[01:02:52] Lindsay: How, what were the first symptoms that you experienced? Yeah. As a kid?
[01:02:58] Cooper: When I was an infant, I would do a motion with my arms and we thought it was some sort of seizure condition. It was not, thank goodness. But then when I was around eight, I had this weird, I can't even remember what it was, but I started blinking, which is very common for people with mild OCD, but it was paired with asking a specific question over and over again. It was something along the lines of, are you mad? Did I do something wrong? And my family and I just noticed something was off. And then I would be up at 12 o'clock, which, I'm in, I wanna say third, fourth grade, fifth grade at the time, organizing.
[01:03:47] And I'm crying and I'm like, I can't stop. I can't stop. Nothing's right. I'm so uncomfortable. It is truly like a pain. It is very strange. You can't stop until things are perfect. And I was like, something's wrong. I feel like I'm dying. I was eight years old. I was saying, mom, I feel like I'm dying.
[01:04:09] Like I can't sit still and not go fix that stuffed animal. So my parents immediately. set me up with doctors and got testing done and we got the diagnosis and I met my incredible, I've had a plethora of therapists, but really my main two therapists changed my life and my family.
[01:04:37] We learned together. It was very hard on us for a long time. It was very hard on me, but it was a journey that I don't regret because I wouldn't wanna have to live like that without taking the hard steps to deal with it. It's very strange when you're told you have a mental disorder. Truly it's a very scary thing to hear, like your brain isn't normal.
[01:05:08] That's frightening. And I think. My blessing was that I was never self-conscious about it. I was scared, but I was like, okay, we gotta fix it though. I was never like, I don't wanna deal with it. I'm fine. I'm fine. I was like, something's not right. I need help feeling better. And there were so many different periods of my OCD, there were different triggers, there were different compulsions, there were different physical ticks.
[01:05:43] And just learning overall how to function and how to say anxiety. This is not me. This is you. These are feelings. These are not facts. And I am here. I am okay. I know how to control this. That was a major success. You're never cured, but learning how to deal with that. So young has had the biggest impact on my life. Just being strong enough to handle it.
[01:06:20] Lindsay: So how do you manage it? Especially when you Yeah. Embarking on a career in the spotlight, right? Yeah.
[01:06:27] Cooper: I've always, thank goodness I have no stage fright, nothing like that. but now that I have all these tools, it's different for everyone. But I know one of my favorites is feelings, not facts.I just, I can tell myself that I know that what I'm feeling is just that it is just what I'm feeling and I know what to tell myself. That calms me personally. I play my guitar. That's a very tactile thing that can just get my mind off stuff. I love to nap. That's a newer development with being 16. 'cause I used to hate napping, but. Really just telling myself that I'm strong enough to get through it and that I know how I can do that because I've been brave enough to learn.
[01:07:20] Lindsay: Wow. All right. Cooper, three things that no one knows about you. I love to talk to guests about this.
[01:07:28] Cooper: Okay. Three things that, three things no one knows about me. Yes. I love the outdoors. I love the woods. I love to go camping. I hate tomatoes and I tell people I'm allergic to them so I don't have to eat them. I love that. And number three, what's another weird thing about me? I'm a very weird person. I feel like I have a lot of these. My dream is to have an elaborate aquarium when I'm older.
[01:08:04] Lindsay: Oh, that's fantastic. Is that salt water or fresh water?
[01:08:05] Cooper: I think it's salt water, but it's a little high maintenance, so we might go for fresh water. But no, that's also my OCD. I love organizing. I like when things are clean and I want the tank to be all nice and I love the ocean. So I would say, yeah, I would say my tomato allergy, my weird obsession with camping. I love it. And then. My Aquascaping goal. So those are just some random little hobbies that I have.
[01:08:39] Lindsay: I love it. Where, okay. So share with people that are listening and watching this. Yes. Where can they listen to your music, find your music, and also see you live?
[01:08:53] Cooper: On social media I am Cooper Ramsey Music. Ramsey is R-A-M-S-E-Y. No relation to Gordon the chef. I'm sorry guys. But, that is where you can find links to my upcoming Summer Fest Show in June. That's June 21st. And then on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon. Pandora everywhere You stream music. I am just Cooper Ramsey. One of my songs that might pop up is Kayleigh, K-A-Y-L-E-I-G-H.
[01:09:25] So if you see Kayleigh, you know it's the right Cooper Ramsey. I don't know if there are many others. And Kayleigh you said is about the other girl. Yes. That is a message to the next girl for a boy that was not a very nice boy. So I don't know if Kayleigh is real, but if she is that song's for her.
[01:09:48] Lindsay: Is there anyone, Cooper, in Nashville that's become someone, an artist that you have had time to talk to or that's been more helpful?
[01:10:00] Cooper: Yeah, the Castellos are a country sister trio. I have started to form a relationship with them and I just admire them. They were the first people to stop and say hi to me, and they said, we've seen you on Instagram. I was like, oh my God, you guys hi. I'm a huge fan. I'm moving here. They're like, we saw you sing our song on Instagram. And I was like,wow.
[01:10:23] Lindsay: Wow.
[01:10:24] Cooper: Like they took five minutes to make someone feel special, and I wanna do that. So now, we get our hair done at the same place. So I feel very celebrity. But now becoming friends with them is a full circle moment just because of how much I admire them and how much I've learned from watching them. Shout out to the Castillos. Y'all are amazing.
[01:10:51] Lindsay: Cooper, it's awesome. Anything else that you wanna share?
[01:10:54] Cooper: I just wanna thank you. I really, the Operation Home Front event was so amazing and I just really enjoyed watching you speak and Oh, thank you. You truly shunned the spotlight on all the kids and I was just so grateful to be a part of the entertainment for everyone there. So thank you so much for having me. And I, like I said, I love to talk, so this has been super fun.
[01:11:17] Lindsay: No, I appreciate it. It was very clear that when you went to perform that it was like, okay, this is someone that we're gonna see a lot more of, but I really, yes. Yeah. I just felt like it was, that was such a special night, like I said, when you get a glimpse into what those kids have been through and are asked to do.
[01:11:36] Yeah. Moving and all the things, but also, It's relatable to the, what you're adapting to and really going for your dream. So I think that's awesome too. So thank you. We can't wait to follow you and see all your success and thank you so much, Lindsay. Thank you. We'll be chatting soon and good luck.
[01:11:54] Yes. We'll, good luck in school also. wish me luck on those finals. Yes. Crush it. Crush it. We'll see you soon. Thanks Cooper. Of course. One of my takeaways out of the gate is I wish I had been as dialed in as Cooper is at 16. She is just her confidence, her presence, and her kindness really. it's just something that impressed me from the start, but I love the details she went into and I am appreciative of that with her journey battling OCD, but also I think that, what Cooper shared about friendships.
[01:12:26] I love that she's putting a spotlight on that at such an early age. Just the importance of how friendships can evolve, how they can change, but also thinking through the importance of friendships and how to nurture them right and make them grow. But obviously she is such a shining star. I can't wait to watch her just continue to soar.
[01:12:43] And, if you're interested in checking out more of Cooper Ramsey, you can go to our show notes where we will help you stay connected with all her things. My personal favorite hometown shows, ah, listen to it on Spotify or wherever you get your music. Anyway, thank you so much for joining us today. I hope that you enjoyed getting a peek into the life of a superstar on the rise in music.
[01:13:04] Be sure to tune in every Thursday to hear new episodes. And if you're loving the show, please take a minute to subscribe, rate, and review Things No One Tells You. I also would love to hear what you would like to hear tackled as something that no one tells you. Until next time, I'm not crying. You're crying, and I'll see you soon.
[01:13:22] Thanks so much for joining me. I can't wait to see you back here next week. Please don't forget, follow and subscribe to Things No One Tells You. And of course, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, don't forget to leave a five star review because that's really what helps people get more. Listeners, we would love to grow this community.
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