Ashley McBryde ended 2019 on a high note, bringing home the trophy for New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards in November. Before the ceremony, McBryde admitted that the experience of winning was one she had been "practicing" for ever since she was a little girl.

"I used to stand with different items of different sizes in my mirror and practice speeches. I have literally been practicing for the CMA Awards since I was a kid," she recalled in a video spot leading up to the ceremony. After her win, as she held her real-life trophy in her hands, McBryde reflected on all of the little girls out there who might be doing the same thing, practicing acceptance speeches in their mirrors.

"Girls, this thing's heavy, and you'll feel really good carrying it around," McBryde chuckled, hoisting her trophy like a barbell. She also offered up a message of inspiration to the would-be country stars out there, and to anyone else who might need a little boost of encouragement to follow their dreams.

"It's never too early to start doing what you wanna do. It's never too late to start doing what you wanna do, either," the singer added. "Just don't forget that the only person that can stop you is you."

McBryde's message of encouragement resonated with the lyrics of her breakout hit, "Girl Going Nowhere," a song that addresses the people who told McBryde she'd never make it in country music.

"Don't tell yourself 'no,'" she continued. "Everybody else is gonna do that for you."

McBryde remains committed to that message of encouragement and strength in her newest song, "Hang in There Girl," which offers some hope to a teenager stuck in a small town. The song comes from McBryde's forthcoming sophomore album, Never Will, which is due out on April 3.

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