Club Shay Shay - Club Shay Shay - Coco Jones Part 1 with Special Performance by Teddy Swims

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

Coco Jones Dating Donovan Mitchell, SZA's BBL, Disney, Lil Wayne, & Special Performance By Teddy SwimsIn this special episode of Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe sits down with Coco Jones and Teddy Swims for an unforgettable conversation about music, life, and perseverance.Teddy Swims, the Grammy-nominated powerhouse vocalist, reflects on his journey from a small-town Georgia kid to a global music sensation. He shares his excitement about becoming a father, how he started out as a cover artist in a band, and the importance of vulnerability in his career. Teddy also opens up about his admiration for Lil Wayne—he has Tha Carter III lyrics tattooed on his eyes—and reminisces about his first tattoo experience. He touches on his interracial relationship with singer Raiche Wright, how she helped him heal and seek therapy, and the influence of his grandfather, a minister. Before wrapping up, Teddy delivers a heartfelt performance of “Bad Dreams”from I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy.Coco Jones takes center stage as she details her rise from child star to one of R&B’s most respected artists. A Grammy and NAACP Image Award-winning singer, platinum-selling songwriter, and accomplished actress, Coco reflects on her early love for performing—balancing sports with the arts—and how her mother played a pivotal role in building her confidence and career. She shares her experience moving to L.A. alone at 17, learning to manage her finances, and navigating the pressures of the entertainment industry as a dark-skinned woman. She recalls working with Victoria Monét at 14, landing a starring role in Bel-Air as Hilary Banks, and sharing the screen with Tyler James Williams in Let It Shine. Coco Jones opens up about the struggles of being a young Black actress, from attending a predominantly white high school to losing Disney’s Next Big Thing.#volumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Mel Reed, LPG Tour winner and six-time Lady Geo-Bean Tour winner. And Kira K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please, with Mel. And Kira, we are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower. And I Heart Women's Sports Production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on I Heart Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Tickets are on sale now y'all for our 2025 iHeart Country Festival presented by

Capital One happening Saturday, May 3rd at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Don't miss your Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors, musicians, policymakers and so many other fascinating people like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd. I love writing more than anything. You're left alone. You know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon, go pick up a kid from school and write at night. And after nine hours, you come out with seven pages, and then you're moving on.

Listen to Here's the Thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello. Welcome to another very, very special edition of Club CheChe. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club CheChe. Stopping by is not one but two guests. The first guest is one of the most vocally gifted talented artists we have out today. A Grammy Award, an NAACP Image Award winning singer, a platinum selling songwriter, an accomplished actress, a top-tier dancer, a chart-topping hit maker, a natural star, a respected role model, multifaceted musician,

creative and entertainer, R&B's next superstar, Ms. Coco Jones. Remember, I told you, not one, but two. He's a powerhouse vocalist, a Grammy-nominated singer, a multi-platinum songwriter, chart-topping conquering artist, global musician sensation, genre-defying, and he's my homeboy, the Georgia boy, got the rolling dice, that's why, all my life, I've been grinding all my life. Mr. Tanisha Williams. Hey man, thank you sir. Hi, Coco.

What's up? Thank you guys for stopping by. Thanks for having us. Oh my goodness. Both of you guys started off doing covers. How do you think that helped your careers? For me, I think songwriting and learning why I like certain songs and how they make me feel and how to translate that into my own thing. And I also think honestly just being able to have something trendy that brings attention

to your name. When you're doing covers, it's kind of like you're trying to get that clickbait. Right, yes. So you're doing covers, you know, it's kind of like, you're trying to get that clickbait. Right, yes, yes. So, you know, that attention. Did you ever, did you ever have the fear of, like, when you were starting to put yourself, your own stuff out there, that there was this like, God, I already did some of these best songs in the world.

Like, how do I, how do I, how do I, anything that I do ever gonna compare to that? Yes. Is there that fear? Absolutely, I mean, even still now, now I'm comparing myself to myself. Yeah, amen.? Absolutely. I mean, even still now I'm like, now I'm comparing myself to myself. Yeah, amen. But I think that what worked for me is just being so honest and so vulnerable that you just feel it. You know, if you're talking about something real, it's you just feel that.

So I try to just tell the truth and let it go because I really can't control that. What about you? Yeah, same. I think I did go through a phase for a long time where, and I still do where I'm like, you know, I feared that somebody was going to say just like shut up and sing Shana Twain, you know, or you sound way better singing Stevie Wonder, Fat Boy than you ever will sound. But I think the biggest thing for me was that I realized every song that I learned also helps me in songwriting and understanding music better and portray myself in the stuff I love.

I think the biggest thing that set me free was that I was able to say, you know, Stevie didn't grow up listening to Stevie or Michael didn't grow up listening to Michael. So when I have those, when I learned those tools from those people, it also, I guess it's like another tool in the shed that I get to use and get to pay homage and honor to those people that I look up to rather than comparing myself so much to them, you know? Yeah, that's a fact. I remember us like playing little bars and little restaurants and stuff coming up and at the time it was like three hours of like cover songs for 150 bucks split three ways

and then they wouldn't even give you the bar tab either. So usually we would leave there and it'd be like, hey, you owe us 30 bucks. And it's like. No. And I remember these same people too, it'd be these same people that would say like, hey, one day we're gonna like say,

we had Teddy come here and sing, I'm gonna be able to brag about that forever. You're gonna be such a star. And they know this, they know this of you, but then would do that. You know, it's like, when somebody knows your worth and gives you significantly less than what you're worth, then looks at you in the eyes. But also, I think that was, I was accepting that for myself too, you know, and I just wanted to be heard. And the little exposure from a hundred people in Covington was more than enough to suffice

for just wanting to be heard. Being able to sing was meant more to me than anything, you know? Is this the kind of the path, the direction that you were hoping it would lead you to? Yeah, hell yeah. Yeah. Hell yeah. To be here, to be able to sit across from somebody who, I think, has made such a path that is so specific, you know?

I think that's what every creative wants, is to be able to have that creative control, to not have to fit into a certain box and to have people appreciate their music. So yeah, I would say that it led to where we need to be. Teddy, you and Coco, you both guys, you came from football backgrounds. Your dad put you in flag football.

You heard you was juicing the guy. Yeah, really. Yeah. I mean, yes. Before I knew music was my calling, sports was, I think it was like the obvious choice. You know, my family, I'm the shortest in my family. Wow.

Yes. So literally land in the end of the aisle. That's hilarious. But yeah, I think that's like the natural thing you do with your kids. You put them in a bunch of sports and see where they progress. And I'm so freaking competitive that I just wanted to be the greatest wherever I was. But yeah. Teddy, you ball too a little bit, right?

Yeah, but I mean, you know, at five, seven, the defense alignment is not gonna happen. Right. I'm so happy I found this a little later on. You know, I think I was in high school when I got in the theater with Jesse, who was playing guitar. And I really found my love for it and was really thankful for that transition in my life. And I mean, with that, I see so many kids, too,

that you know how many Tom Brady's or yous there could have been in life, but maybe senior year shattered their ankle and now their whole life built up to this and their whole family's lives built up to this and it can be taken away just like that. So I'm grateful I found this opportunity in my life to, if I break my arm, you know, I can still get up there.

You can still sing with it in sling, huh? Yeah. Right ahead song about the rubbing arms. It'd be called Cast. You're about to become a first time father, correct? Yeah, sure am. And you know what the gender is? Yeah, but I, she-

You wanna keep it a secret? She wants to keep it a secret for the time being. If I drop... I would like to tell you. I'd really drop it back. I'd really like to tell you, but I don't know. She's actually at the doctor right now, too. I dropped it before I came. We were talking earlier, but you're thinking about relocating

because you want your child to have a Southern accent. Yeah, amen. Yeah. I want the yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. I mean, of course, I'll raise so they'll have that, you know? But, you know, having land and a yard and a trampoline and a treehouse. I feel that. I want that baby to run. I feel that for real.

OK, so I heard that you went to beauty school at Cosmetic School. Yeah, I sure did. Yeah, I sure did. What? Please explain. Well, my mama always did hair coming up. So throughout my whole life, I was always,

like, when I was a kid, pulling her hair through caps and cutting my friend's hairs and stuff. And you would cut your friend's hair? Yeah. Yeah. Does it look like this? Yeah, it's all right. You know? All right.

It's been a long time. Like, it's probably been 12, 13 years. So I wouldn't, like, go to town on any of you guys right now. Right. I don't know if I still have it. But yeah, I mean, I used to cut all the time and my mom was like on the thought process of, if you wanted to pursue music, you can do hair in the meantime.

And so when I went to cosmetology school, she would actually go get her cosmetology teaching license so we could go together. And so me and my mom went to school together. Your mom's sound like your role dog. She is. Are you a mom as well? Yeah, it's written on my forehead. You know what I mean? That's my girl, man. teaching license so we could go together and some of me my mom went to school together. Your mom sounds like your old dog. She is. Are you a mama's boy?

Yeah, it's written on my forehead. You know what I mean? That's my girl, man. That's my first love, man. You're kidding me. That's my baby. You know, speaking of tattoos, you have the ones on your eyes too. Yeah, I sure did. It says tough love. Now, how much did that hurt? It doesn't hurt that much. It's like, it's just the needle's got to be really thin because it could puncture. So you do feel your eyeball bounce. You kind of cry underneath it.

It is a weird sensation, but I was like, The Carter Three was like my favorite album. Like my ninth grade year, you know, I was like, some of my first parties I went to. So The Carter Three was like my whole life at that time. And you know, he had the fear of God and I just wanted to be like Lil Wayne. So all I ever wanted to do is get my eyelids tattooed you know I was like he's

fucking cool. So wait did you ever think about rapping? Yeah I did you know actually Teddy Swim started out as that my first tour I did in March of 2019 before I started doing covers was was me and my pal Addy who plays guitar in my band we we started doing like some you know know, stuff. We went on our first tour, like just rapping, and he's great at it. I'm like, you know, I'm not hot at it by any means. I can get it done, but you know, it just.

That was fire. That wasn't for me. I'm a singer though, you know, that wasn't for me. Yeah, that voice is from God. Ken, let me ask you this. Obviously you mentioned your girl, and you're about to welcome your first child. In this crazy industry that you're in,

how did you know she was the one? Well, you know, she does the same thing. And my dear friend, Arsenio Archer, came to my studio a couple years ago, and he's like, you gotta hear this girl I'm working with, Raish. So I ticked her out and messaged her like, yo, I love you, you're awesome.

And then we met a couple years later, we ended a tour in Atlanta, and she's living there and you know, she came to see the show and, and you know, we just hit it off and I shot my shot all strong. You know what I was saying? You were Steph Curry. I was like, girl, I'm trying to shoot my shot. You know, you're gonna come in hot, man. I didn't want to waste any time. It's like, I think, I think it's navigating relationships is already hard enough for people. I'm just always

like, look, okay, do you find me attractive? Do I find you attractive? All right, how do we do it? Are we going to be friends? Let's go ahead and throw this out there before everybody's thinking all weird. Let's just figure out what we are. I love that. I feel like you have to be direct. At this time in the world, I feel like women are very strong. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes I'm a little too strong. Little too, little too, little too strong. I think it can be more balanced depending on what you're

going through in life. You might have to put your armor on. Okay. But yeah, I do think directness always has been something that worked for me in the world, in this industry. I don't want to feel like you're cutting corners and talking in parables. Because what are we saying? What are you talking about? Yeah, just say it. Yeah, just say it. Say it I don't want to feel like you're cutting corners and talking in parables. Because what are we saying?

What are you talking about? Yeah, just say it Okay, that one man I'm looking at you Teddy you tatted from head to toe I've never seen someone with tests in there in the palm like you have in there How old were you when you first got started? Tadding your body and then you like the hell with I'm going for it Well, I always wondered one of the first things that when I was a kid, you know, my mom used to always give us $10 on Friday after doing our chores and stuff. We get allowance.

And after Sunday after church, my great dad was a pastor. So after church, we go to this Mexican restaurant. And I just get it all in the quarters and like put it in the little machines and just get the fake tattoos. Stick on one? Yeah. Walking around with the picture.

So when they used to ask me like, what do you want to be when you grow up? And that was the first thing, tattooed, you know, and I know that's, I guess tattooing is a job, but not tattooing. I wanted to be tattooed. I just always, I don't know, I grew up on, musicians was tattooed. Cool people were tattooed. So I just wanted to be tattooed. Mostly rock stars though, Teddy. We don't normally see crooners like yourself being tattooed like that. Yeah, well, you know, Georgia. I'm from Georgia, I don't know. Best of both worlds, I guess, man. What was it like with your granddad as a pastor? He always told me, you know, son, the calling of God is without repentance. He just told me, promised me not to get my face tattooed. And when he passed away, it's a beautiful story. When he passed

away, my grandma's first thing she said, you know, it was a beautiful thing. It was the first time I saw death like firsthand. And my grandma was sitting there and she said, you know, he's home at last. He's home at last. And then she looks up and she said, but you left me behind. And they were together for 52 years And and I held her and hugged her and so I got home at last tattooed It's my first face tattooed just stick I guess like to like commemorate him, but to like kind of piss him off one more time Like I hope he's rolling over to the grave I love I don respect rolling over in your grave. I guess if that makes sense You know, that's like the type of relationship you guys. Yeah. Yeah, you know I remember one of the last things he said to me when he was like, you know

He's so like by the book and like so old school. He's like All these kids out here hit poppin and breakdancing for the Lord and all this carrying on and I was like Pop like nobody's broke dance since my mama was a kid If they want to break dance for the Lord, let them break dance for the Lord, baby. Why is that so jarring to you? Like, just let these kids break dance and rap. At least listen to the Lord. I mean, dang.

I had your buddy on last week, Donnie O'Rogge. Yeah, my dog. Bad, he was up here singing and saying, bro, no, bro, that Teddy Swims, you Teddy drowning. But anyway, he talks O'Rourke. Yeah, my dog. Bad, he was up here saying, he'd say, bro, no, bro. That Teddy swims, you Teddy drowning. But anyway, he talks about mixed relationships a lot, and you're in a situation, you were in a mixed relationship. How are you going to convey to your kid, your child, that you know what, I'm white, your mom's black,

and it's OK to have that conversation? Yeah, I mean, I think there's so much more to, you know, especially, because we get looks all the time going places, and especially her. She's got a black dad and a white mom, and she's shared with me so many times about how it feels to,

she's like, I'm never black enough, or I'm never white enough, and she's gone through a lot more, and I think she's a way better person to tell that story, especially to my child. I would never want to tell that story for her because she's so elegantly living through that and knowing what that's like.

And I mean, all I know is what it's like when we're getting looks in public. And it doesn't affect me so much as I see it affecting her and her life, it's through her whole life, you know? So I just wanna tell my child to navigate, you know, being, I don't know, just being safe and being open. And I hope I can create that safe space. And I know that that kid will go through struggles

that I never went through. And yeah, man, I guess you gotta play it as it goes. You know, I've never been through, like, being mixed. So I don't know how to tell that kid how to deal with that. But I'll only be as supportive as I can and tell him, son, or daughter, you know, baby, like, just whatever it is. Just like... Be you.

Be you, baby. Be you. I mean, be you. Be whatever you want to be. Be whatever feels authentic to you. And don't let nobody tell you you're different. And don't let nobody tell you you're not allowed to be this or that. And that's all I can really do. But until we get there, I don't really know how to give that kid good advice on being

a mixed baby. And I'm just their white daddy, you know what I mean? I'm just like, I don't know. You're white with seasoning. Jade, I'm going to get you out here on this. And when I hear you talk about your partner, I see the passion in which you speak. I see how you light up. And I read where you said, she's helped you more than you can put into words because she helped you get into therapy. And she

helped you become the Teddy that we see sitting on this couch today. Speak to that. Yeah, I think, I think one of the biggest things with her too is that she's like, she kind of like, I guess I want to say like in the nicest way, like finessed me into a therapy place, you know, because it was like, as we were getting ready to have a kid, and I know she knows that I have things that I've got to heal from, and we both do, we all got some baggage we're carrying. She was like, look, I think what we should do is as we get into, you know, having a child, that we should both go to couples therapy and get into like, the best the best like versions of ourselves, the most healed safe environment for that child. And I was like, Okay, okay, a little reluctant at the

first time. And we started it, it was amazing. And the next thing you know, I get my own idea of like, maybe I should be doing this by myself as well, you know, and then it was like, I think that's the most beautiful thing about her is that it was a way of like letting me see what it was for what it was and doing it with me and for us and each other and for me to find it and see it for myself rather than being like, you need therapy. Yeah. And that's how you treat mental health. That's how you treat it. That's how a woman does. That's a strong-ass woman right there.

Thank you, I appreciate that. Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and In Your Ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.

Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six-time Lady GeoBean Tour winner. And Kira Kay Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. You forgot to say All My Miss America, by the way. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please, with Mel. And Kira, we are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture,

some golf haves, and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower. Or just people we like. Plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, brads and chads. Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code. And we're not going to be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends

like Michelle Wee, Heather McMahon, Amanda Baleotis. So if you want to keep up with us and here's YAP, tune into our new podcast. Listen to Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. It was a moment that should have broken me, but just because of how I was raised

and my bullishness and arrogance to want to be great hardened me. It gave me a platform to be so singularly focused on greatness. We all have moments like this. Something happens that's supposed to break us, but it's in these moments that we discover what we're really made of.

I promise you, if anyone knows this, it's me. I'm Ashlyn Harris. Now coming to the stage to perform his hit song, Bad Dreams from your album, I've Tried Everything But Therapy, part two, Mr. Teddy Swims. The sun is going down, time is running out No one else around but me Steady losing light, steady losing my, moving shadows and grinding teeth Without you, there ain't no place for me to hide

Without you, there's no way I can sleep tonight What I do for a little bit of peace and quiet Without you I'll keep slipping into bad dreams What they assume you and I Know some when I cry I love you and I need you To set me free from all of these bad dreams Waiting on the other side Know some when I cry

I love you and I need you To set me free from all of these Bad dreams All of these, baby, please come around Help me settle down, yeah, these habits can cloud my head What you waiting for, something physical Something physical, I can't do this by myself Without you, there ain't no place for me to hide Without you, there's no way I can sleep tonight What I do for a little bit of peace and quiet Without you I keep slipping into bad dreams When there's no you and I

No sound when I cry I love you and I need you To set me free from all of these bad dreams Waiting on the other side No sound when I cry I love you and I need you Set me free from all of these, all of these Bad dreams, baby please

Bad dreams, baby please All of these bad dreams I was just doing my thing. Thank you, you did. That's essentially what you do. You're like right here. I'm trying to make eye contact. I'm like, don't make too much eye contact, because then it's weird, you know? Pretend we're executives. Thank you, Teddy Swims. Thank you so much for singing your hit song, Bad Dream, from the album title, I Tried Everything But Therapy,

Part Two. Yes, sir. Yes. But you did your thing. I got my sweet friend Coco over here. I know. Yes. He sounds amazing. Y'all. Yes. But you did your thing. I got my sweet friend Coco over here. I know, right? Yes. You sound amazing.

Y'all sound amazing. Thank you. You know what? We got to tell Teddy, you know, you say you want to. We'll get you one too, Bam. Of course. Coco. Oh my god.

Everybody success and continue success in 25 and beyond. Amen. Thank you so much. Amen. Yum. That's good. I would like to personally thank Teddy Swims again 25 and beyond. Amen. Amen. I would like to personally thank Teddy Swims again for singing his hit song Bad Dreams off of his album. I've tried everything but therapy part two who's

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Issued as one bonus bet based on the amount of initial losing bet. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. See dkng.com slash promos for deposit, wagering, and eligibility restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources. Coco, I'm gonna share something with you. You probably didn't know. And I know you're not old enough to know this,

but your dad and I, we used to work out together in South Carolina. Wow. He's originally from South Carolina. He played at NC State. And 91 and 92, I would go back and work out with my brother who went to the University of South Carolina but lives in Columbia and I would work out and so all the guys that played at South Carolina or lived in South Carolina would

come and we would all work out together. I didn't know until I looked at, I was looking at the cards and I'm like, hold on, Mike Jones, why did that name sound familiar? So I got on the phone and called my brother, hold on, Mike Jones, why does that name sound familiar? So I got on the phone and called my brother. I said, Spank, you remember Mike Jones? He's like, Mike Jones, the D-taker from NC State? I said, yeah. I'm sitting down talking to his daughter.

He's like, he got a daughter? I was like, yeah, Coco Jones. So another buddy of ours that used to work out with us, he's like, yeah, and she's famous. So your dad was a famous football player. Yeah. And you played sports, you played flag football, you played basketball. Was sports kind of, did you want to do sports or that was just something to like to pass the time? Well, to me, it was kind of like, you know, you do what your parents say you

should do. And I liked it. I liked winning. right? I did not like losing and I didn't mind practice, but I ain't prefer it, but I wanted to be the best So I think at that time it was kind of like, you know, you're taught what you should do in life You do this you go to church right you play a sport. Okay, that's fine And then I would also like in school I would do like talent shows or things like that and like the little plays right and I just really liked that I really liked that feeling of being on stage So I kind of shifted naturally from sports being you like being popular cuz you play sports you in the talent show You can sing you could dance you could act you could play sports. You're like really cool

You know what? I don't like being popular I wouldn't say that now in school when I was in real school I did home school like in high school. But, like for work and everything. But I did like being popular with the basketball girls because it was giving like a cute little click. But other than that, like when it comes to this world, no, I definitely don't like being popular.

If I could have it my way, I would be like a singer in a mask or something. Honestly, truly. And not have to do no interviews, no press. They would just buy my songs. I would be like a singer in a mask or something. Honestly, truly. And not have to do no interviews, no press. They would just buy my song. I would just go on tour, maybe like a hologram. And then I'd go home and be normal and go to the grocery store. So if you're a basketball player, were you like, let's say, Candice Parker, Maya Moore,

Caitlin Clark? I mean... It was giving me more WWYD than WVN. I don't... I definitely wasn't eating like that. Like, when I remember it, I was eating, but I also had, like, this perception of myself that, like, I was just that girl. So, I don't know, my siblings, like to say, they like to humble me.

But, yeah, I think actually my cousin was, like, the girl in our family who was that sports girl. So, she probably was more in the realm of all of the basketball girlies, Yeah, I think actually my cousin was like the girl in our family who was that sports girl. So she probably was more in the realm of all of the basketball girlies, but I just wanted to be with the cool girls and win. But you had brothers that played college ball, played NFL. So were they like rivals? Did you rough house with them?

My older brother is adopted, and so he was much, much older than all of us. And my younger brother, nah, we didn't really rival. It was kind of like we all had our own separate things. And I think my parents did a good job of making it feel like all of our world were, you know, really important. Because honestly, around the time where I can like really remember what sports was like, it was on the back burner because I was like singing is my thing. That's my thing, you know?

But no, I don't feel like there was any rivalry. I definitely feel like everybody's got to get used to things like this, but not in a rivalry way, more in just like, you know, your own inner perception of what you think fame is like and what you think about people who are your friends because of your sister and what you think about me being on that screen. You know, everybody's got to get their own mind

wrapped around it, because we had no idea how big it could be. It was just what I loved and what you think about me being on that screen. Everybody's gotta get their own mind wrapped around it because we had no idea how big it could be. It was just what I loved and what I was willing to work hard at so my family was with it. So once you started to like, okay, you transition from sports and you start singing, were your parents like Joe Jackson? Were he like Richard Williams?

Was he like Earl Woods? Or was it like, okay babe, whatever you wanna do? Or did they drive you? Because I mentioned those because they drove their kids. And it benefited them. I'm saying anything's wrong with it. I just wanted to know what type of parents and how were they with you?

No, my parents did not force anything. I think to me, singing was like this treat you could dangle over me. Like if I didn't do good in school, we're not taking you to no audition. Like if I didn't do good in school, we're not taking you to no audition. Like if I didn't do what I needed to do, like no, we're not gonna put our effort and time into that. If I didn't rehearse, if I didn't practice,

if I did an audition, I ain't know my lines, no, why would we take you there? You're not serious. So to me, it was me that had to prove that I wanted it. But yeah, honestly, it was my mom who was like my main, she focused and she locked in with me, she drove me to all the auditions, she was my team before the team.

And my dad did the sports world with my brother and sister, so I had to beg her, like, please take me to Nashville again. Because I read she's your first vocal coach, first stylist, hair and makeup, glam manager, tour manager, co-writer, co-producer. How did she help you? Because I guess she could sing. So how did she help you hone in what you needed to do to craft what we see today? I mean, my mom is such a blessing and I don't even think she knew in her own life how much she

was prepared for me before I even got into this world. My mom did the singing route and that was of course her dream, but she didn't have that supportive system. It was more like, oh that's really cute, but what are you doing for your work, what are you doing for your job, like for income. And so it was always on the back burner for her. And so to me, I think she got to live out

some of her childhood dream. Bicariously through you. Of course, and also my mom comes from a family of women business owners. We have a funeral home that's been in our family for generations. And so she knows a lot about just being a good business woman.

And she changed my name from Courtney to Coco so that there could be that separate legally. And some of the moves we made, some of the contracts I didn't sign, and some of the performances and the songs I chose, they were her looking up what's hot and figuring out how to burn it onto a CD and then sending that to executives. My mom, like, she put her back into it, and I think it was half because nobody did that for her, you know?

That was what I wanted to ask, because you mentioned all the things that she was doing, so clearly she taught you a lot about the business of music. Yeah, I would say that. The business of music, no. We didn't know that. We didn't know how that worked. The industry, she taught you how this thing.

Did she teach you how this thing worked? Because you mentioned that she's your first manager, your tour manager, all these things. So obviously, was there a lot of trial and error? Because she didn't have what you had because you had someone helping you along the way. Yeah, I think my mom taught me a lot about protecting yourself.

Okay. We didn't know how this industry works, we didn't know and we tried to go about things the nice route, but sometimes it was like, okay, maybe they went in over there doing that shady stuff, like I don't know. And so we were kind of figuring it out as we go and just protecting ourselves and trying to stay true to who we came to LA and who we came into that world as.

And my mom didn't know, we probably knew the same amount when it came to how these things work, and we didn't know how to get there. But she taught me a lot about believing in myself. And when I show up and go into a room full of 12 executives who don't care about me and just ready to go, they want to go home, to still be able to portray self-love and belief and confidence and to hold my head up high through rejection, to hold my head up high. When you pass this line of auditions and there's several girls who look like you and then there's several girls who look like them and those girls get it all the time.

So now you guys are looking at them like, fuck, you know, to still walk out and be like, it's mine next, they don't know what they're doing, you know, to figure out how to portray this world in a way that made me still feel valuable, which that is something I still hold so tightly to this day, because this industry can make you feel like, you know. It make you doubt yourself? Did you ever doubt yourself?

I think as I got older and I got out of that bubble, because I will say that I was sheltered in a way. A lot of the things that I would hear, the negative critiques, even the things on social media, my mom ran my account. And so it wouldn't come to me because it wouldn't get past her. She took a lot of that. I think as I got older and I was by myself because my mom had to stay and raise my other

siblings. She had given me everything she had and I had to go. I left. I moved when I was 17 to LA and I had to figure it out. And I think that's when it was harder to push back on all of that noise and it did start to affect my self-worth for a little bit. Were you scared being out on your own? Was I scared?

Yeah. At first, no, because honestly I was sheltered so I did get to party and turn up. I was having a good ass time, I won't even lie. I didn't go to college, but I met these girls through this one guy that I liked. And they were like in college and we were all young and we had no idea what was going on with our lives But we was here and we was up. So I had so much fun

I didn't go hold you for like those first two or three years living in LA, but then um, I was like, okay Wait, the partying is all cool and everything, but I haven't Right, you know I'm saying and then people are starting to get internships and they're starting to like really lock into whatever path and I'm like, when am I gonna get another job? What am I gonna do? And then around the pandemic time, I was like, okay, what is happening with my life? Wait a minute, now everybody has like their plan.

I don't have a plan. What should I do? And I was living off savings and so obviously as time goes, and so we're in LA. If there's no money coming in, and there's money going out pretty soon, that pile dwindles. Exactly, my mom is a businesswoman,

and she's talking like, she's like, your finances are getting light. You might need a pivot. And so that became a part of the back of my head, like, do I have to give this up? What would I do if I had to give this up? What else could I do, you know? John Stewart is back at The Daily Show

and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors. And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups,

this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six-time Lady Geo-Bean Tour winner. And Kira Kay-Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. You forgot to say All My Miss America, by the way. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please, with Mel. And Kira, we are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some golf apps,

and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower. All just people we like. Plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, brads, and chads. Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code, and we're not gonna be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends like Michelle Wee,

Heather McMahon, Amanda Baleotis. So, if you wanna keep up with us and here's the app, tune into our new podcast. Listen to Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. It was a moment that should have broken me, but just because of how I was raised and my bullishness and arrogance to want to be great hardened me. It gave me a platform to be so singularly focused on greatness. We all have moments like this. Something happens that's supposed to break us. But it's in these moments that we discover what we're really made of.

I promise you, if anyone knows this, it's me. I'm Ashlyn Harris. Your parents separated at some point, correct? Yeah. Did that play a role? Did that impact you in any way, negatively, positively? I mean, how would you, how would, if you were like explaining it to a child

that's potentially going through parents or separating, because everybody handles it differently. But is there any advice that you'd like to offer? Any advice, I mean. Are you close with your dad? Me and my dad, it's funny, I've always appreciated my dad for what he instilled in me. But I think me and my mom spoke the same language and me and my dad, once I stopped playing sports, we didn't really have that common thread. And I mean, he does love music.

I'm not even going to lie to you. So, but it'd be more on like some educational stuff. I'll give him that credit for sure. Like he would put me onto like old music, old things that I ain't ever heard before. But my mom, she saw the rejection. She saw the tenacity that it takes. She understood the business of sometimes singing songs you didn't like, you know, and doing things you don't want. She saw the lack of control that I had. And so I felt like she understood me more. And as I got older, and as my parents separated and everything, my relationship with my dad got really straight.

Really, really straight. And I had to figure out for myself, what do I want to do about that? Because I'm grateful to have a dad who stayed. I'm grateful to have a dad who did everything he could for us, provided for us. But now I'm hearing these other things, because now they're not just mom and dad. That's my mom, her, that's Vonda, that's Mike, and they're saying all these things, you know? So I had to figure out for myself what type of relationship I want with my dad. And it took me like a year to figure it out.

And now we're kind of on this, how do we start from ground zero? Because I don't remember flag football practice. I don't remember that. All I have is from 16, 17 when I left to now, so what now? I think the thing is, for me, my little two cents from a distance is that

you don't try to go back and get that. You pick up from now and move forward. Because the one thing that you can't recapture is time. Once it's gone, it's gone. Once it's gone, it's gone. And so I think building from this point on and moving forward, you can start a beautiful relationship with your dad.

I definitely would love to. I definitely would love to. I've seen so many, all the women I know and all of their relationships with their dad, they just range from high to low, but rarely is it a good story. Rarely. And so I hope that I can build that good story for my future daughter. And for myself too, for my younger self. Yes.

It does take two. And my dad is definitely willing, but nobody taught him how. Right. Nobody taught me how. Right. We don't know. We're just figuring it out. Figuring it out as we go.

Yeah. You mentioned you got started early. Nine years old, I think you sung at the Rams game. Yeah. National anthem. Yeah. Were you nervous? I do not remember being nervous. I remember loving my outfit so bad. Yeah. National anthem. Yeah. Were you nervous? I do not remember being nervous. I remember loving my outfits so bad.

Because my mom took that jersey and bedazzled it herself hot googling. Okay, literally 2 a.m. at the house. But I just felt like I was so cute and I was ready for them to see. I was ready to do my thing. I had been performing and practicing it over and over again. So yeah, I wasn't nervous. Right. So, I mean, people, some will say, I'm sure they did say it, well, she just got the same, because her dad's on the team. Yeah, of course. I wish it was that easy. But like I said, it's such a different field.

I mean, my dad, I'm sure he has some sort of connections, but what can somebody in sports do for something for me? I'm trying to be over here, getting signed to a label. You know, it didn't correlate like that at all. I do think the leg up that I had was starting so young because it takes so many years of failure to get to one opportunity that shifts something a little bit and you know that pattern repeats, so.

Yeah, but no, I didn't have any leg up. But you had a nice life. I mean, obviously Mike, you're living in NFL. Like I said, I knew your dad. I think I'm a year older than he is and got started a year in the league before he did. And so I read what you say you went to a predominantly white high school. And so how was that? Middle school? Yeah. Honestly, it was all I knew at the time. And the black people was like related to me in some in some way. Yeah, to me, it's kind of all I knew. I think it didn't really affect me at the time

because we were all kind of kids and I was so focused on whatever I was doing that it didn't affect me. And then as I got older, then I was like, oh, I don't really know what y'all talking about over there. So let me get tapped in. And then you find friends from different worlds and they kind of put you on game. went on the more povid show at 12

Yes, how was that? What was that experience like I don't remember you know what I do remember actually Okay, so oh Dang I I hate losing in any capacity So I do remember that performance because my mom told me I used to feel like my mom had some sort of magical powers because when she would tell me to do something and I wouldn't do it, something bad would happen. Uh-oh. And I'd be like, bro, I swear you got something going on.

I don't know. You jinxed it. Man! She was like, you need to wake up early and rehearse for that performance before you do that. That's live television. And I was like, girl, please. I know what it is and I know what it ain't.

And I sang Listen by Beyonce. Bruh. I didn't practice beforehand. I didn't know he was waking up that early to sing that. I didn't know they filmed that early. So I sang Listen and I remember I hit that high note and I cracked bad. I cracked bad.

But I think my mom went and talked to them or something like that because I was beside myself with embarrassment. I mean, you wouldn't know it because I finished the whole thing, but my mom knows because we'd be like that. And I think she was like, please, please don't know it because I finished the whole thing, but my mom knows because we'd be like that. And I think she was like, please, please don't move that part.

She did not eat. That was terrible. You was right, mom. I learned. And then you Disney. When did you know you could act? Is there a direct correlation between singing and acting or acting and singing? No, I don't think there's a direct correlation.

Singing, you're not really even trying. You're really just doing what's inside of you, unless you're one of those crafted artists who are doing what's being told. Acting, I think it was just another thing that I wanted to do at a young age. I felt like I wanna be on stage, I wanna do whatever. And the music thing was kind of ebb and flow,

but auditions were like a literal job. You can submit yourself for it and see if you get the job. And so it just was something else that I tried. But I was really bad at acting for a really long time. Really bad. Singing was the only one that was just natural. Everything else was bad. So what's the hardest audition that you've gone on?

The hardest audition? The one that I can think about, that it's not in film, it was Broadway. Oh, really? That Broadway is no joke, man. Because you're singing the whole song and then you have to do the scripts. But also, you're in charge of your own outfit

and your own props, and then you have to hit your mark, and it's live. There's no doing it again. There's a whole audience there. So I think my Broadway auditions were the ones that were the most challenging. Have you ever got a job on, you know, you audition and say, well, you got to part? Right after that? Yeah.

No. No. I wish. I remember as a kid though, when I would go in those Disney auditions, I'd be like, I haven't seen it. I'd be like, so did I get it? They'd be like, girl, you cannot just ask that. I was like, I'm trying to know.

Y'all be having me waiting. I'll be over here for a moment. I'm going to say we got two more months, then we got to go back. Like, what's up? The radio business next big thing, 2010, 2011, you didn't win. No.

Were you heartbroken? No. I wasn't heartbroken. I think it's because at the time, I was just so happy to be there that I was like the fact that I'm even here Great because it was my first time You know doing anything big anything outside of my city where I was from so no I wasn't heartbroken And plus I knew I was still gonna go on tour. I was like the second runner-up does something

You met Victoria Monáe. You were able to work with her. What was that experience like? Work with her. In what? You met her during the time. Oh my gosh, yes. When I was first signed, when I was 14, she was one of the writers that they had brought in to write on my first EP ever.

Isn't that so crazy? It is. It is so crazy. It was her and Tommy Brown, Taylor Parks. But yeah, they wrote this song for me. And honestly, at the time, I think everybody was like super green, doing their own thing. And I'm there with my mom. My mom's in the corner in the back, like, Raspisha,

like, what's going on? So it wasn't like we were talking about anything or anything crazy like that. But yeah, that is so crazy. When you meet somebody like her and then she ends up winning a Grammy and like you knew her back then What is that? What is that? What is that feeling like for you because it's like you feel like you're part of it Even though you didn't but I'm saying because you know her you you knew before before this moment. Mm-hmm

I mean, I think for me to see another black woman get her flowers, it's just like, whew, a breath of fresh air. And I think for what it does for the future of us is also really exciting. And yeah, Victoria's been working a super long time in it. And it shows me too, so many different things looking at her career. You can write for other people, you can contribute to other people's journeys and their success and still have your own thing. You can be a mom and still do this, you know?

So it teaches me a lot just watching her and all the aspects of her life. Would you be interesting or have you or do you write for someone else or you just write for you right now currently? For me, right now, just me. Because honestly, it takes so much time. Do you?

But you know what, if I do write a song, and I'm like, this doesn't really fit me, I will say to the producers and to the other writers that they can shop it around. Because I don't want to be the reason that somebody else don't pick the song. But in the beginning, I do think I wrote a little bit for other people.

But I didn't know where none of that was going. I'm just figuring it out as I go. And so at that time, I didn't have like, like a publishing company behind me or anything. So I was like, they're saying this for so-and-so. And I'm like, okay, we'll see. Have you ever turned down a song that you like, and somebody else did it and they got a claim for it

or it sounded good and you're like, maybe I should have kept that one for myself? That's a good question. Turned out a song that turned, no. No. I did have this one lady record a song that was one of my super old demos. And I was like, if this pop off, I'ma know something.

But, respectfully, it didn't. It did. I don't know, no shame, no shame, no shame. Taylor James Williams in Let It Shine. Everybody loves Chris Abbott's school. What was it like to work with him? I mean, you just. Tyler? Yeah, Tyler. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no and Trevor, they would all go out and be hoodlums. And I was just sitting there, homeschooled, happy to be there. So, no, I mean, but I knew he was super professional. He just seemed very seasoned and like used to this.

And I was over here like a freaking deer in headlights. Happy to be there, very green. Let me ask you this. Obviously, you can do both. You act and you sing. Is there a preference? Singing. Singing?

Yeah. If I could only do one forever, if I only had to do one, it would be singing. act and you sing, is there a preference? Singing. Singing. Yeah. If I could only do one forever, if I only had to do one, it would be singing. I think because there's a lot more control in singing. What you're saying, what you look like, and also when you do it. Acting is like, okay, and here's your schedule

for the next six months and you're gonna be here for 12 hours every day, except this day, it changed, now you're here. You feel like you don't really have the control but for me I'm like I want to go on tour but not in the cold so then that means it could be in the summer that means I need to record in the winter you know right I can make it kind of more adjust to my life so you don't like the cold huh no I don't I don't like the cold but I don't like it extremely hot either. You said you're in Vegas, dog.

Yeah, but it's only three months. And then plus I ain't outside. I mean, I'm outside to get my car and then I'm going to the... You don't be outside? No. Oh, okay. Why you say it like... You ain't outside?

Why you say it like that? I mean, you lived in Vegas. What are you doing there, reading books? Yeah, I'm working. Okay, you're working. You're working in Vegas. I'm about to... I only went to Vegas to drink tequila and porties, so I've never lived there, you're working. You're working in Vegas. I'm about to skip. I only been to Vegas to drink tequila and porties,

so I've never lived there but perc. Kid actors. I mean, we hear so many, Coco, we hear so many horror stories about kid actors. Mm-hmm. And- I feel like they're recently coming out though. I haven't heard this.

I didn't hear any of this when I was starting, otherwise my mom would have pivoted so fast. Would have never let you be. And that's the point. Yeah. Is that you don't hear about it at the time, it's only when they're much older they tell these horror stories. Did you experience anything? Did you see anything like that? I didn't see anything like that.

But you know what? My mom never let me out of her sight. I remember at this one time in my life, we used to butt head so bad, because I'd be like, why can't I just go in there by myself? Why can't I do these things by myself? And at the time she was just like, no, and I didn't understand, but now I do understand. It's that when you're alone and you're that young sheep with no guidance, but my mom wasn't playing that. This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it

to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shae Shae Profile and I'll see you there. This is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Lady J. Ravine Tour winner. And Kira Kaye Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. And we've got new podcasts, Quiet Please with Mel. And Kira,ixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please, with Mel. And Kira, we are bringing you spicy takes

on sports and pop culture, some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower. An I Heart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on I Heart Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner

of I Heart Women's Sports. Tickets are on sale now y'all for our 2025 iHeart Country Festival presented by Capital One happening Saturday, May 3rd at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Don't miss your chance to see Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors, musicians, policy makers, and so many other fascinating people, like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd. I love writing more than anything. You're left alone. You do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon,

go pick up a kid from school, and write at night. And after nine hours, you come out with seven pages, and then you're moving on. Listen to Here's the Thing on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.