Carly Pearce Opens Up About New Chapter, Finding Herself Again on ‘Honest Woman’ [Exclusive]

Carly Pearce is preparing to release her fifth studio album, Honest Woman, a collection of songs that found the GRAMMY winner rediscovering who she is and falling in love with country music all over again. The 16-track project, out August 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, marks her first release with her new label home and follows a series of changes behind the scenes in her career.

We recently caught up with Pearce at her label’s Nashville headquarters, where she opened up about feeling like she’s exactly where she needs to be with her new team, the latest releases from the project including “She Don’t” and “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” her duet with Riley Green, and rediscovering the passion that brought her to country music in the first place.

In recent months, the team behind the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter has changed. In March, Pearce was announced as the first client at the newly formed Borchetta Entertainment Group, led by Scott Borchetta. A few months later, it was revealed that Pearce signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, marking another exciting step in her career.

Of the changes, Pearce explained, “There’s a lot that has gone on behind the scenes and it’s something that I think people don’t know all that goes into it. I feel that God continues, even if he scares me at first, he protects me and he gives me exactly what I need. I think for this album, I am exactly where I’m supposed to be and it came in such a surprising way but truly is such an exciting thing. And I think having just a set of people that really feel equipped and passionate with my vision and work harder than anybody I’ve ever seen, I feel like it’s a blessing to be here now.”

With a new team behind her, Pearce is heading into the release of Honest Woman more excited than ever. The project will offer fans a full picture of where she is in her life right now. Fans have already gotten a taste of what’s to come through early releases like the emotional “Dream Come True,” the unfiltered “Church Girl,” the sassy “You Can Have Him,” and the chart-climbing single featuring Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.”

As someone with a deep appreciation for the genre and a love for ‘90s country, Pearce said she can’t help but love a male/female collaboration.

“I clearly love a duet, but it’s because I’m such a fan. And I think for me, those duets in the 90s, the male female duets, there was nothing better. I think of ‘It’s Your Love’ and I think about just the timeless ability to have both perspectives that’s special. That then is universally speaking to everyone.”

She went on to recall the moment she first heard Green’s vocals on the song and shared her honest reaction.

“I remember asking Riley to be a part of this song and I was so excited and he sent me a voice memo of him singing a little bit and I got excited. But I will tell you, I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that I had gotten the final mix and I listened to it at like two in the morning and I knew I’m such like a gut reaction person and I knew this is going to be a big one,” she shared. “There’s just something when you can find another artist that really matches you vocally. I think it’s the bluegrass girl in me. When people sing together, it’s like you’re looking for that perfect blend and I felt like we had it.”

Most recently, Pearce shared another new track from Honest Woman: “She Don’t.” With ‘90s country influences throughout, the song tells the story of a girl whose dreams are much bigger than the small town she grew up in and her journey to finding the courage to follow her own path rather than the one everyone in her hometown expects of her.

While she didn’t have a hand in writing the song, Pearce admits she felt immediately drawn to the storyline.

“I came from a small town and I always felt too big for just not the people in it, but just the stigma that you could never get out and be anything bigger than living within the county lines. And if you want to stay there, that’s fine. But I think this song really just speaks to that fearless girl in me that left Kentucky at 16 and moved to Pigeon Forge to sing at Dollywood and then moved to Nashville. I very much feel like the sound of it is reminiscent of all of the ladies that made me want to do this. So it’s kind of like paying tribute to them and also paying tribute to me as a kid.”

After more than a decade in country music, Pearce says Honest Woman represents a return to the reason she fell in love with the genre and chose this path in the first place.

“It’s been a decade since my first single came out and with that, I’ve had so many high highs and a lot of lows. And over the last few years, I really had to find my why again of why I wanted to do this in the first place. And I feel like I found it through this album.”

Honest Woman will be released on August 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.