Carly Pearce Says She Plans To Be ‘100 Percent Vulnerable’ In Her Next Album

Carly Pearce saw great success with her personal collection that dropped last fall, 29: Written In Stone. The aftermath was filled with exciting milestones in her career, but the writing process it took to get there was filled with the grief she experienced after her divorce to fellow singer, Michael Ray, and losing her friend and producer Busbee. As she looks ahead to her next album, Pearce is left with the challenge of following such an impactful project. 

“What I have to remind myself is, all 29 was, was how I see the world,” she told Taste of Country. The subject matter that informed that project is — hopefully, for her personal life — unlike any material she’ll ever have to draw from again. Still, every stage of life poses its own challenges, disappointments, and triumphs.

29: Written in Stone includes songs like “Should’ve Known Better,” “What He didn’t Do” and her recent No. 1 hit,  “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” duet with Ashley McBryde. She first released this project as a seven-song EP before then expanding it onto a full-length album, as her story wasn’t finished in just seven songs. 

The outpouring of emotions in this album has touched the hearts of so many fans who have lived through similar obstacles. 

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Since writing these songs, things have begun to turn around for Pearce. For example, she now finds herself in a happy relationship with Riley King. The 32-year-old artist she is now no longer has the same experiences as her 29-year-old self. Pearce is able to build on this journey as she continues to write new music while experiencing new highs and lows of life. 

“Yes, it’s an exciting time for me with my career. My love life is flourishing and it’s wonderful. But also, life is a push and pull,” Pearce points out. “Trying to love again? That’s kind of hard. Trying to navigate your life? That’s kind of hard, but also beautiful and crazy.”

Her next album might not have the same narratives, but her strong storytelling skills are once again slated to prevail.

“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.”

Pearce explains that she plans to continue her path of vulnerability in the next chapter of her career in hopes that it will reach her audience in a similar way. 

“[I’m] just going into it with the mindset of being 100 percent vulnerable with where I am in my life,” Pearce reflects, “and I think fans will meet me there.”

Although Carly Pearce hasn’t shared much more regarding her next full-length release, she did announce a new trek of shows. Beginning February 16, she and Jackson Dean be hitting the road in support of Blake Shelton’s Back To The Honky Tonk Tour. Until then, Pearce has a few more performances on the books including her next appearance in Las Vegas on Sept. 24.