In this deeply honest and soul-rooted conversation, Ashleigh Chevalier sits down with Northern Virginia songwriter Annie Stokes to talk about her newest album Ghostwriter—a record that captures what it means to grow, grieve, and keep creating in your thirties. Together they peel back the layers of womanhood in music: artistry, motherhood, faith, and the quiet rebellion of getting louder as you get older.

They talk about the balance between art and obligation, what it means to be a “ghostwriter” for the lives and stories that shaped us, and why women in their thirties, forties, and fifties are far from finished—they’re just getting started.

Highlights from the Episode:

• 🎶 The inspiration behind Ghostwriter and writing from midlife reflection, not for 19-year-olds.
• 🪶 “Country Wife” — the story behind the tongue-in-cheek anthem that pokes fun at social media’s highlight-reel homesteading.
• 🔮 “Tarot Card Reader” — reckoning with past relationships and the villains we create in our own stories.
• 👩‍👧 Motherhood, marriage, and music: how both Annie and Ashleigh are balancing tours, toddlers, and truth.
• 💰 The business side of being an independent artist—touring, sync placements, and why albums are “musical business cards.”
• 💪 Unconscious bias and the invisible ceilings women still face in the live-music scene.
• 🌱 Why both artists are now pouring energy into mentoring, producing, and building sustainable creative communities.

About Annie Stokes
Singer-songwriter Annie Stokes blends Americana, folk, and country into songs that are equal parts poetic and rebellious. Her new record Ghostwriter explores legacy, love, and the layered lives of women who refuse to fade into the background.
👉 AnnieStokesMusic.com to get the latest from Annie and links to @AnnieStokesMusic on Instagram and YouTube.

About the Host — Ashleigh Chevalier
Ashleigh is a lifelong performer, songwriter, and advocate for unmasking the real stories behind the music and life. Through the UNMASKED Podcast, she invites artists, thinkers, and change-makers to drop the filters and share what’s real—about art, life, and the messy in-between.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you stream.
💬 Follow @AshleighChevalierMusic and @UnmaskedPodcast for new episodes, performances, and behind-the-scenes stories.