Q&A: Carter Faith Marks a Career Milestone With Debut EP, ‘Let Love Be Love’

There is a new country songstress on Music Row, and she is taking the industry by storm. At just 21 years old, Carter Faith has used her silky voice and vulnerable Taylor Swift-inspired storytelling to place her name on radars nationwide. 

The self-taught artist from North Carolina is currently following in the footsteps of the influential female trailblazers that have come before her – Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves are just some of the few icons who inspired the go-getter to pick up the acoustic guitar and to learn the power of a piano key to carefully create her own sound.  

It wasn’t long until the driven dreamer packed her bags to pursue country music in Nashville. Upon arrival, Faith landed gigs at legendary venues such as The Bluebird Cafe, The Listening Room Cafe and shared the spotlight with household names like Cole Swindell, Raelynn, and more. 

Faith is now paving her own path, as she recently represented a new era of country music at Whiskey Jam’s 10th-anniversary show at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The signed Altenda and Pound It Out Loud artist closed out the sold-out concert by performing the track ‘Joyride‘ off of her recently released debut EP, Let Love Be Love.

“This was SUCH a “pinch me” moment. I honestly still cannot believe it, but it was just such a huge honor and beautiful night,” shares the singer during an exclusive Country Now interview. “I was really excited to be able to support Ward and the Whiskey Jam community, my family got to come and sit front row, and it was so special being in that building getting to perform where so many greats had before. I felt all the chill bumps that night, and I’ll never forget that experience.”

turns out this night was *not* a dream🥺 @theryman pic.twitter.com/RKQ2few9Fk

— Carter Faith (@carterxfaith) August 2, 2021

With her close-knit family in her corner, Faith continued the positive momentum with the release of Let Love Be Love. “I think Let Love Be Love is a milestone for me. It is the first all-original project that I am getting to release, and that is something I am really proud of,” shares the “Cowboys & Dreamers” singer. “It feels like a collection of songs and stories that are all different and go so well together, and they show who I am… I’d say they give a real glimpse into my mind.”

In true singer/songwriter fashion, Faith thought back to monumental moments in her life that sparked her creativity. “Joyride,” was inspired by her trips to preschool with her grandad and taking the small-town backroads with her father. The mid-tempo love track became a family affair in the studio, as the rising star called in her parents to sing backup vocals. 

“I am pretty mesmerized that I get to make music after it being a dream for my whole life, and I know my parents feel the same, so it was just such a special and unforgettable experience to have them there. They even sang gang vocals on the bridge of ‘Joyride’ funnily enough!” she adds about the recording process of her successful ballad that raked in more than two million streams. 

To learn more about the debut EP, Country Now caught up with Carter Faith to hear about the poem by Morgan Harper that encouraged her to do a full-length project, how she manifested all of her 2021 accomplishments, and the big plans she has to hit the road. 

Read on to find out more about Carter Faith in this exclusive Q&A Below…

Who is Carter Faith? Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I am a singer/songwriter from North Carolina! I recently turned 21 and am getting to put out my debut EP, Let Love Be Love, which feels surreal after being a dream so long. I grew up listening to and have stayed inspired by artists like Eric Church, The Eagles, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton, Fleetwood Mac, etc., and I feel like my “sound” comes from those inspirations.

You are dropping your EP Let Love Be Love on August 20th. How are you preparing for the release?

I am honestly just freaking out a little! It has always been a dream to release a record, and wow, does it feel crazy to get to do so. I love art and connecting all different forms of media, so I have been very intentional about my visuals and how they connect with my music. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on what I truly want people to receive from this project and why I just had to make it.

How is Let Love Be Love different from any other project you have worked on in the past?

I think Let Love Be Love is a milestone for me. It is the first all-original project that I am getting to release, and that is something I am really proud of. It feels like a collection of songs and stories that are all different and go so well together, and they show who I am… I’d say they give a real glimpse into my mind.

Out of all six tracks, which one should fans listen to first and why?

To me, ‘Joyride’ should be first! The track listing is actually how I would listen to the EP, and so I feel like ‘Joyride’ is first because it truly is that easy summer, windows down song. I’d say that it’s an easy ride and a nice ease into the project.

How would you like your fans to feel when they listen to Let Love Be Love for the very first time?

I truly just want listeners to get a little six-song escape when they listen to Let Love Be Love. While I am extremely proud of the writing and production on this project, I mainly want listeners to feel peace, joy, excitement, or just at ease when they listen.

How did you get into the creative mindset to pen each track on your upcoming EP?

I definitely am someone who needs to be inspired when writing or making music, but after 2020 and I think as I have gotten older, I’ve started to find inspiration in so much more of life. Some of these songs were inspired by a tv show, the title was inspired by a poem, some of the songs were inspired by my life.

What was your favorite memory while writing and recording your debut EP, Let Love Be Love?

My favorite memory was the week of tracking these songs because my mom and dad got to come to Nashville to watch the whole process and be there for me. I am pretty mesmerized that I get to make music after it being a dream for my whole life, and I know my parents feel the same, so it was just such a special and unforgettable experience to have them there. They even sang gang vocals on the bridge of ‘Joyride’ funnily enough! 

What did you learn about yourself while working on this project?

Wow, I learned so much about myself, more than I ever thought I would! I think mainly, I learned to stand firm in who I am even if that is going to change (cause it will). Everyone and every aspect involved in this project has shown me that we are put on earth to be exactly who we are. I learned that comparison is going to creep in but that I care more about doing what I am meant to do.

Could you share with us the inspiration and story behind “Pipe Dream”? 

“The song “Pipe Dream” was written on zoom and started with a title and a verse lyric. Ashley Ray and Sean McConnell really brought that song to life, and I am so grateful for them! The inspiration behind it was just a story of denial and heartbreak, something I think everyone can relate to. We had a ton of fun bringing the story to life in some interesting ways.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by C A R T E R F A I T H (@carterfaithofficial)

Could we expect any music videos from you in the near future?

Yes, you sure can. I’ll be releasing them after Let Love Be Love is out, but I can’t wait to show everyone the visuals we’ve recreated around this project. I’m so proud of them.

You just closed the sold-out Whiskey Jam 10th-anniversary show at the Ryman Auditorium – walk us through your experience? Would you say this was a “pinch me” moment?

This was SUCH a “pinch me” moment. I honestly still cannot believe it, but it was just such a huge honor and beautiful night. I was really excited to be able to support Ward and the Whiskey Jam community, my family got to come and sit front row, and it was so special being in that building getting to perform where so many greats had before. I felt all the chill bumps that night, and I’ll never forget that experience.

You recently opened for Raelynn with Livy Jeanne – Could you tell us about this star-studded performance?

Yes! That night was so so fun. Livy and I got to open up for Raelynn at Ole Red downtown on a week of her residency. I have honestly never played a showdown on Broadway, and we all had such a great time.

You believe in manifestation – what have you manifested in 2020 that came true in 2021?

I definitely do. The things I prayed for and manifested in 2020 were to get to make a record and to have a group of people help create it that really believed in me and who I believed in as well, and that definitely came true. I also may have manifested playing the Ryman.

Could fans expect to see you on tour performing your new music anytime soon?

I am playing a couple of shows here and there, so look out for them on my socials! I can’t wait to get out on the road!

What is one fun fact about yourself that your fans don’t know or might find surprising?  

One fun fact about myself is that one day I want to buy a house on a couple of acres so that I can have goats and pigs and chickens, along with a couple of dogs and cats and a garden.

 Fans can keep up with Carter Faith on Instagram.