Before you started wondering if you were behind, there was a little girl who would have been amazed by how far you’ve come.

Melanie Dyer wrote a song for her. And when Amanda heard “If She Only Knew” at Nashville’s Listening Room, she cried so hard she couldn’t even introduce herself to the woman who wrote it.

The Australian country artist joins That Nashville Girl for a conversation about the dreams we grow up with and what it takes to keep choosing them. Melanie started writing songs at 12 on her family’s farm. Years of flights between Australia and Nashville eventually became a move across the world, with the people she loves on one side and the life she wanted to build on the other.

Her album Daisies From Dirt puts those feelings into words: growing at your own pace, remembering who helped you get here and giving yourself credit for still going. She shares the story behind “If She Only Knew,” the hometown performance that left her mom crying, and why a room full of women with guitars should probably come with a warning.

There’s also a stadium anthem scare, a possible Cody Johnson song pitch and a desert island survival plan that prioritizes a banana chai latte. Naturally.

Send this one to the friend who needs to see herself the way you see her. Then listen to Daisies From Dirt and follow That Nashville Girl for more stories behind the music.

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David Hawkins makes a living helping other people chase their dreams. He knows what it takes because he’s rebuilt his own.

Usually, the My PR Lab owner is behind the camera, making sure someone else is ready for their moment. This time, Amanda gets him in the hot seat—and the conversation goes well beyond publicity.

David opens up about taking a chance on Nashville, starting over when his carefully made plans unraveled, and building a business that reflects what matters to him: good people, meaningful work, and showing up. He’s candid about the hard parts, but just as passionate about what came next. Including a psychic’s prediction that Amanda absolutely needs to revisit.

Then we get into the questions anyone chasing a creative career has probably asked: Who can I trust? Where should I put my money? Do I need a publicist? And how do I get people to care about something I’ve poured so much of myself into?

David shares what makes a great pitch, why the right fit matters more than a signed client, and how he’s built a roster of artists who actually cheer each other on. There’s also the reason his clients don’t walk into interviews alone—and why giving back is part of the job.

Of course, Amanda finds a way to bring up John Mayer. Melanie Dyer leaves a question that brings out David’s love for Patsy Cline. And the friend who shows up with lunch gets a little of the spotlight he’s usually helping someone else step into.

Send this one to the person whose dream you believe in. Especially if they could use a reminder.

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Connect with David Michael Hawkins on Instagram and follow @mypr_lab.

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Simon Cowell hit the golden buzzer. The confetti fell. But Jack & Tim had chosen to leave the most personal part of their story off television.

Their original song, “The Lucky Ones,” began with two devastating losses in their family. It was something a dad and his young son wrote for themselves—until 11-year-old Jack decided they were taking it to Britain’s Got Talent. Dad’s participation was apparently nonnegotiable.

More than 400 million views later, Jack & Tim sit down with That Nashville Girl to talk about the people behind that song, the strangers it brought back together, and everything that happened after the confetti settled.

And there is a LOT to catch up on. A childhood spent playing guitar in London’s West End. Parents buying tickets night after night until the dream was costing everyone a fortune. A move to Nashville, an “Einstein visa,” and a promise to one day have Chris Stapleton’s mixer, Vance Powell, work on their record. They made that last one happen.

Now there’s “Dive Bar,” “615,” the McCrary Sisters, and a contribution from The Outsiders’ C. Thomas Howell recorded on his iPhone. There are also migrating British accents, a growing appreciation for “y’all,” and a question from Southern Charm’s Whitner Slagsvol that no amount of media training could prepare them for.

They’re father and son, best friends, and very good at giving each other a hard time. You’ll understand pretty quickly why they wanted to do all of this together.

Follow That Nashville Girl wherever you listen, and share this episode with the person you’d want beside you for your own golden buzzer moment.

Follow Jack & Tim: @jackandtimofficial

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Some words stay with you. For Macy Dot, a few of those words came from Dolly Parton.

After receiving the BMI Foundation’s 2023 Dolly Parton Songwriters Award, Macy received a message of encouragement from Dolly that she still reads when she’s feeling uninspired. In this episode of That Nashville Girl, she shares what that message means—and why being encouraged to keep writing can matter just as much as being recognized for something you’ve already written.

But don’t let the sweet introduction fool you. This Texas girl also gave us “Hot Mess” and “Cowboy Wanted,” and there’s plenty of personality behind those titles.

Amanda and Macy talk about the Chris Stapleton cover that brought them together, Deana Carter sharing Macy’s version of “Strawberry Wine,” and learning from the same guitar teacher as Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves. From childhood songs written after bedtime to studying songwriting at Belmont, Macy shares how she’s finding her voice in a town where talent is everywhere.

Then Rodney Atkins sends in a question about her dad, and the tissues become necessary.

Macy opens up about her adoption, a deeply personal song for her parents, and the father-daughter journal they’ve shared since she was a little girl. Her dad’s wisdom is equal parts faith, determination, and practical advice involving a donut. It’s hard to imagine a better combination.

Dolly’s encouragement brought you here. Macy’s heart, humor, and a little Texas sass will make you glad you stayed.

Listen to Macy Dot’s “Hot Mess,” “Texas Tennessee,” and “Cowboy Wanted.”

Follow @thatnashvillegirlshow @thatnashvillegirl & @askamandaadams on social media for more!

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Connect with the show on That Nashville Girl Instagram, Amanda's Instagram, and YouTube.

Most artists arrive in Nashville with a guitar and a dream. AJ Kross also arrived with a cougar story—and a very good reason to keep an eye on the gas gauge.

Now, 15 years later, the country singer-songwriter is heading into a new chapter with “God Made a Small Town,” an upcoming album, and a tour bus that deserves its own introduction.

AJ joins That Nashville Girl with the stories, humor, and heart that make you want to see someone win. He takes us from growing up on the road with his parents’ gospel duo to Bluebird Cafe open mics and years of Friday and Saturday nights at Ole Red. Those four-hour Broadway sets? They taught him a few things about holding a crowd—and earning the moment he’s stepping into now.

But the conversation’s biggest moment comes when AJ explains what changed after he finally told God, “I’m done.” After years of putting pressure on himself to do more and be better, he handed over the weight of trying to make it all happen. The dream was still there. He just stopped insisting he had to figure out every piece of it himself.

Between a cowboy tattoo his dad did not get nearly excited enough about, a teenage metal-band phase, and the Nevada roadside encounter that almost made this a very different story, AJ brings plenty of reasons to laugh. He also shares a piece of advice about asking God to fill your cup that might make you realize you’ve been holding out a very small one.

And with “God Made a Small Town,” he gives you something to listen to long after this conversation ends. Amanda’s already calling it a future No. 1. Get to know the guy she’s cheering for.

Listen to AJ Kross’s “God Made a Small Town,” and subscribe to the That Nashville Girl newsletter for the link to his performance.

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What do you do when Dolly Parton picks you for 9 to 5, but Wicked calls too? Rachel Potter shares why she chose the chance to understudy Glinda—and how that decision became part of her path to Broadway.

From performing at Disney to playing Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, Rachel opens up about auditions, rejection, reality television, and the tough feedback that helped her grow. She also shares the personal side of her story: losing her brother, becoming a mother of three, building a real estate career, and realizing at 40 that she wasn’t finished with the stage.

We talk about her Broadway album Stages, returning to musical theater as Elsa in Frozen, and what it means to pursue a dream that fits the life you have now.

New episodes drop daily, Monday through Friday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with the show on That Nashville Girl Instagram, Amanda's Instagram, and YouTube.

Bella Rose is bringing pop star energy to Nashville—and her album “Hot Girl Therapy” is the soundtrack.

Bella joins me on That Nashville Girl to talk country sass, rock influences, and making music that helps you feel like that girl. We talk about releasing a full 14-song album, her favorite track “Ride the High,” and why writing with Julia Michaels would be a dream.

She also shares the story of moving to Nashville at 17 with her band in February 2020. With shows canceled and nowhere to play, they turned their shared apartment into a place to write, record, and keep creating.

And because this is our kind of girl talk, we get into Desperate Housewives, questionable hair decisions, and the hairstylist who helped connect us. Plus, Bella answers a previous guest’s question about what goes into warming up her voice before a show.

Listen to “Hot Girl Therapy” wherever you stream music and follow Bella on Instagram at @bellarosebeyer.

Heads-up: This episode includes Desperate Housewives spoilers.

New episodes drop daily, Monday through Friday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with the show on That Nashville Girl Instagram, Amanda's Instagram, and YouTube.

Everybody wants to believe they’d speak up. It gets harder when it means making the room uncomfortable.

Brotherhood stars Mauricio Martínez and Casey Elliott and writer-director Ross Boothe join Amanda on That Nashville Girl Show for a conversation that gets emotional quickly—and gives everyone something to sit with. Their new movie, Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical, tells the story of two neighbors and their families finding friendship across cultural differences. But the question at the heart of this episode reaches far beyond the screen: what does it mean to love your neighbor when it actually requires something of you?

Ross shares how the Mexican immigrant families who welcomed him as a young man helped inspire a film he felt compelled to make. Mauricio opens up about the role that came into his life after profound loss and his fifth experience with cancer, and the responsibility of bringing his culture to the screen with dignity. Casey reflects on a scene about a child’s silence that challenges the adults watching just as much as the characters living it.

Together, they talk about immigration, the fear of saying the wrong thing, raising kids who stand up for others, and the small gestures that help someone feel seen. There are tears, plenty of warmth, and even a casting offer that sounded a little too good to be true.

For anyone who’s ever thought, “I want to help, but I don’t know what to say,” this conversation is a place to start.

Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical opens in theaters October 9, 2026. Find theaters and showtimes at https://www.brotherhoodmovie.com/.

Follow @thatnashvillegirlshow & @askamandaadams on social media for more!

New episodes drop daily, Monday through Friday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with the show on That Nashville Girl Instagram, Amanda's Instagram, and YouTube.