Carly Pearce‘s deeply personal 29: Written in Stone album came out last fall. The 15-track record was her journey through grief, over the end of her brief marriage to fellow singer, Michael Ray, and includes songs like “Should’ve Known Better,” her recent No. 1 hit, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” duet with Ashley McBryde, and her current single, “What He Didn’t Do.”
Although it hasn’t been quite a year since 29: Written in Stone was released, the 32-year-old reveals she is already working on a new project, this one much more reflective of her current life, including her romance with her current beau, Riley King.
“29 was such a pivotal record, and such a pivotal moment for me and my career, but also just as a person, so I’m taking some time just to really make sure that this next transition of where I’m at is reflective of actually what’s going in my life,” Pearce tells Billboard. “So I’m getting some stuff that I’m really excited about.”
Although Pearce is now happily in love again, she insists it’s not hard to return to the feelings she had when she wrote 29: Written in Stone, at least while on stage.
“Songs, especially for me, are kind of the way I view yearbooks,” Pearce reflects. “I look at songs like that like, ‘Oh, I was so sad when I wrote this song,’ or, ‘Oh, this song made me feel this way.’ I’m able to tap into that character, and go back to where I was in that moment.”
Pearce is the reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and the ACM Female Artist of the Year. She also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2021, and headlined her own The 29 Tour, before joining Kenny Chesney on his Here and Now Tour. They are all successes and accolades that once felt like an impossible dream to Pearce, dreams that are now being fulfilled.
“I’m in this phase of just going, ‘Oh my goodness, so many of my dreams are coming true. So much is aligning,'” Pearce says. “I want to maintain that, and then just keep raising it.”
Pearce will return again to host the upcoming ACM Honors ceremony, for the second year in a row, where she will also perform. The show will air on FOX in September.
“Hosting is something that I really am passionate about,” reveals the singer. “That’s the next tier of things that I really want to check off my bucket list. Getting to do it again, I’m really excited.”
Pearce will headline two shows at the Ryman Auditorium in October. Find all of her music and tour dates at CarlyPearce.com.
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