Carly Pearce went public with her relationship with Riley King at the 2021 CMA Awards, but by then the couple had been dating for a while. After going through a breakup with fellow country singer Michael Ray in 2020, after less than a year of marriage, Pearce was understandably guarded at sharing her love life with her fans again.
“It was hard,” Pearce tells Everything Nash of introducing him, and their romance, to the world. “That’s why I waited a year really to really stand on it. I think I learned a lot in the past, and I think I learned some things are meant to be private. I certainly am not flailing him all over social media. We have a lot of our life to be private, and I think that is what makes that relationship strong and sacred. I’m not doing it for the show. I’m doing it because it’s what I want to have in my life. I’ve learned a lot of things as I’ve started a new relationship over the last two years with somebody, and I’m much happier.”
Pearce is working on a new album, only a year after 29: Written in Stone was released. The 32-year-old is ready to put her chapter of heartbreak behind her, and focus on the love she currently feels for KIng.
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“I just don’t think I can be 29 and divorced forever,” Pearce says, explaining why she wants to release new music. “I’m really excited about it. I write from where I am in my life. So I think that you’re gonna see this new season of life for me, and more confidence in the kind of country music that I make, and really just waving my flag in that. I think you’ll see the beauty of falling in love again, but also the hardships that come with trusting somebody again, and that push and pull of what that looks like. So I think it’s gonna be just, you’ll know exactly where I’m at in my life.”
Pearce could add a few more trophies to her growing collection in November, where she is nominated for five CMA Awards, including Female Vocalist of the Year. She is also one of the CMT Artists of the Year honorees, along with Walker Hayes, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs and Kane Brown.
The Kentucky native will wrap up her 29: Written in Stone journey with two back-to-back, sold-out shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. She will serve as the opening act on Blake Shelton‘s Back to the Honky Tonk Tour in early 2023. Find all of Pearce’s music and tour dates at CarlyPearce.com.