BUCKHANNON — The West Virginia Strawberry Festival has announced Ashley Cooke as its headline performer for Saturday, May 18, 2024, according to festival organizers.

Cooke, who has amassed 270 million global streams, will bring her talents to Buckhannon, W.Va., for this year’s Strawberry Festival. Her success includes the hit “Never Til Now” in collaboration with Brett Young, and she has made notable appearances on national platforms such as ABC’s “The Bachelorette” and NBC’s “Today.” Cooke’s tour history includes performances alongside Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Cole Swindell and Brett Young.

Cooke, originally from Parkland, Florida, has drawn inspiration from a mix of pop and country influences, including Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Kelly Clarkson, according to her website. Her early entry into music, writing her first song at age 11, set the stage for a career that blends the vibrancy of pop with the storytelling of country music.

“Cooke moved to Nashville at 18 and attended the prestigious Belmont University – but unlike so many others, she did not study music,” her website states. “After entering the school’s revered Country Showcase on a whim and winning, Cooke decided to pursue music for a year. When the pandemic had other plans, Cooke went to TikTok, where she built a thriving fanbase, writing and sharing country music on her own terms.”

Her achievements also extend to significant milestones like debuts at the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry.

The Strawberry Festival performance, sponsored by Citizens Bank of West Virginia, is set to be a standout event of the festival, taking place on Main Street in Buckhannon.

“This will be unlike anything we have produced before,” the festival said in a social media post announcing the selection. “You don’t want to miss Ashley’s high-energy performance.”