Carly Pearce on ‘You Can Have Him,’ Embracing Her Roots, and Making Music on Her Own Terms [Exclusive]
Pearce celebrates her birthday with the release of “You Can Have Him,” a “little birthday present” for fans.
Carly Pearce; Photo Luke Rogers
Carly Pearce is celebrating her 36th birthday in the best way she knows how: by giving fans a gift of her own. The GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter just released her brand-new track, “You Can Have Him,” as a surprise gift to them.
The just-released tune offers another glimpse into what’s to come on Pearce’s forthcoming album and leans heavily into her traditional country roots, complete with rootsy production featuring steel guitar, bass, fiddle, and dobro.
We caught up with Pearce by phone on Thursday as she made her way to Bowling Green, Kentucky to kick off a weekend run of shows.
“I think the album as a whole is really a return to form of my bluegrass and traditional country roots. And I feel like it really gets showcased in the song, just that old traditional, what would a Carly Pearce song be back in the 1960s on stage at the Opry? And I really wanted to showcase that part of my story because I feel like I haven’t really gone there before in a traditional country sense,” she explained.
Pearce produced the track alongside Ben West and co-wrote the tongue-in-cheek lyrics with Tofer Brown, Carter Faith, and Lauren Hungate.
“You Can Have Him” tells the story of a man who isn’t exactly picky when it comes to women. He “likes blondes, brunettes, and redheads,” and once he starts drinking, just about anyone in his vicinity becomes a target. While Pearce admits she kissed him “about an hour ago,” she ultimately decides she’s done dealing with his wandering eye.
“If he’s lookin’ at you that way with a look on his face/ That says “I can whisk you away,” go get at him/ If you can take him, you can have him/ If you make him wanna flirt in your denim mini skirt/ And he’s workin’ up the nerve/ If it’s lookin’ like he loves you, you should ask him/ If you can take him, you can have him,” she sings on the chorus.
Reflecting on the day they wrote the song, Pearce shared, “We were on the road last year together, Carter and I, and I just asked her, I’d never done that with one of my opening acts, but I just think the world of her. So I had asked her to write a song with me and we wrote this song really fast on the road, just kind of as a fun, tongue-in-cheek, honky-tonk drinking song as far as giving advice to girls. If a guy’s looking around, let him go.”
While the male character in the song may come off a bit sleazy, Pearce admitted there wasn’t a specific person in mind when crafting the storyline, they were simply leaning into the playful nature of the track.
For the country star, it was also important to show a different side of her artistry.
“I’ve been wanting to show a different side of myself that’s a little less serious and more just fun,” she admitted.
The upcoming project, which will serve as the follow-up to 2024’s hummingbird, finds Pearce pushing herself creatively and making music on her own terms, free from outside expectations.
“I think with this album, I’ve really gone to places that I never have before because I just simply am making this record for me without like parameters of what the industry or people tell me I should be,” she told us. “It’s like, this is the music that I wanted to make. And I think you’re going to really hear that sonically and lyrically just in a way that you haven’t from me and I’m really excited about that.”
“You Can Have Him” follows Carly Pearce’s recent releases, including her duet with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” as well as “Church Girl” and “Dream Come True.” Pearce says dropping multiple songs ahead of the album has been “really fun,” adding, “There’s a lot more music to come and large announcements coming very soon.”
She’ll celebrate her birthday with a show tonight at Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, West Virginia, and she won’t be celebrating alone. She confirmed her boyfriend, Jordan Karcher, will be there for the occasion. It’s fitting timing, too, as she revealed “You Can Have Him” is “his favorite song on my album.”
As she gears up to share more details about this next chapter, Pearce teased, “This is the most excited I’ve ever been…”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
