Country music star Carly Pearce has had her fair share of heartaches, but she never stopped believing in true love. In a recent interview with Big Machine Label Group (April 18), the hitmaker opened up about the roller coaster-like emotions she experienced while navigating a toxic relationship or healing from a breakup.
Following her divorce from Michael Ray, the Kentucky native penned “29:Written In Stone,” a diary-like collection that exemplifies the pain and obstacles she faced while putting back together the pieces of her broken heart.
Fans praised Pearce for her vulnerability in tracks – “Every Little Thing,” “Should’ve Know Better,” “What He Didn’t Do,” and “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with Ashley McBryde. The raw lyrics resonated with many and served as a reminder that wishy-washy feelings are valid when discovering your self-worth.
The songstress told BMLG that she would constantly fight with an internal voice in her head when coping with failed relationships.
“In relationships that I’ve seen and that I’ve been through, it’s so easy to just be sad and think, ‘what’s wrong with me’ or ‘what happened?’”
Pearce learned to ignore her negative thoughts throughout the years and took each situation as a learning experience.
“A lot of times you just have to know that you’re worth it. And if a relationship doesn’t work out it’s gonna be fine because you’re gonna find something that’s more suited for you,” she shared.
With age, she realized what she wanted within a partner – leaving her never to lose sight of her very own happily ever after. Pearce is now dating Riley King, a former MLB player for the Kansas City Royals. The two got together just one year after Pearce split from her ex-husband in 2020.
“I believe in love. I want to find love. I got married because I was in love,” she told The Sun. “I mean that’s the whole thing. I absolutely will never let a failed relationship keep me from finding that love that I deserve,” she added.
Pearce practices what she preaches, as she did not shy away from stepping into the limelight with her athlete boyfriend. The lovebirds gave fans a sneak peek into their relationship at the 2021 CMA Awards, when she kissed King on the lips after winning Female Vocalist of the Year.
“I did kiss him. I got excited,” she gushed to ET. “It’s been a good year for me in all regards. We met through mutual friends a while ago, but I think it has been important to kind of keep this one to myself a little bit. But not by any means trying to hide but just be more aware of my personal life and protect my heart a little bit,” she concluded.
The hitmaker is just days away from bringing her chart-topping collection, “29:Written In Stone” on tour with Kenny Chesney. The Here And Now stadium trek with support from Pearce, Old Dominion, and Dan + Shay will begin on April 23 in Tampa, FL. Tickets to hear the breakthrough star live are still available for purchase, here.