Courtney Cole is opening up on the real life ups and downs that can come along with a career in country music in an eye-opening new video series.

The country singer-songwriter was on an upswing just a couple of years ago. A run on CMT: The Next Superstar in 2011 helped her land a publishing deal, and she parlayed that into a deal with a manager who helped her land gigs opening for Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, Chris Young, Kip Moore, Old Dominion and more big names at shows all over the U.S. She released a self-titled EP in 2015 and promoted it by opening for Lambert on her Roadside Bard & Pink Guitars Tour, garnering positive notice from many outlets including Taste of Country, Huffington Post, Spotify and more. Most recently she was one of ToC's Fresh New Artists to See at the 2017 Taste of Country Music Festival.

But Cole has encountered one setback after another over the last year, as she shares in the debut episode of her new web series, Courtney Cole: The Rockumentary.

"I've been on the road ... just in a different fashion," she shares, pausing before revealing, "I'm an Uber driver."

Cole was forced to take that humbling gig after she lost her manager and her publishing deal simultaneously, but that's not even the hardest hit she's taken. After reuniting with an old high school flame, she saw the love of her life slip away when her lover decided to pursue another relationship.

The video above provides a fascinating glimpse into what it's really like for a young artist in Nashville, trying to keep your head above water and still find the time and means to pursue music. Cole takes fans with her in her darkest moments as she juggles trying to find a way to pay her rent with making time for songwriting appointments with friends including Trannie Stevens.

She admits she's been taken completely off guard by the changes that have come her way. "I thought by now I'd be married, have a baby or two and have some awards on the shelf. But my song obviously doesn't go go that way," she observes.

And while Cole is not giving up on her dreams, by the end of Episode 1 she decides to follow her heart and head for the West Coast for the summer, cementing her decision in a song titled "Leave These Tears in Nashville."

"For 12 years, I’ve been writing my song here in Nashville. I’ve put a lot of pressure on this town to meet my expectations, and in a lot of ways, it’s exceeded them. But in a lot of ways, I’ve been really disappointed. And with everything that’s been happening over the last few weeks, I feel myself shifting and changing. I feel myself wanting more than I’ve been allowing myself to have," she says.

"I don't know what to expect, and honestly I don't to expect anything," she adds. "I just want to go and see what's there, write a new song and tell a new story."

Follow Cole's journey via YouTube.

See Pictures of Courtney Cole's Tour With Miranda Lambert

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