Carly Pearce has been vocal about her love of traditional country music, something that is evident in “fault line,” a new song from her upcoming hummingbird album. Pearce just dropped the song as the final track ahead of the release of the record on June 7.
“Some of my favorite songs were in the era of Tammy Wynette and George Jones,” Pearce says of the inspiration behind the song, which she wrote with Shane McAnally and Jordan Reynolds. “‘fault line’ is my take on writing one of those classic, ‘I’m gonna rip your head off’ country songs. The playful angst in this song makes it one of my favorite moments on the record.”
Pearce also shared her thoughts about the new song on social media, and it’s nod to her favorite time period in country music.
“’fault line’ is my little ode to the era of country music that made me fall in love with it,” Pearce says. “When I was little, my grandpa bought me album sets from every decade of country music and told me to study it. I fell in love with the early sounds and wrote this song as if I was an artist living in that time. I can’t help but hear Tammy and George singing it in my head.”
hummingbird follows Pearce’s vulnerable 29: Written in Stone, released in 2021. The Grand Ole Opry member wrote all but one of the songs on the 14-track record, showing her growth and evolution in the time since her last record was released.
“I was so intimidated of how to follow 29 because I never wrote that thinking it would have any kind of success,” Pearce tells Billboard. “But what it did is it taught me so much about how strong I am. And so, to see this album be finished and for it to speak to so much that has happened to me, I’m really proud of myself, and hummingbird will forever remind me that I can really do anything.”
With songs like “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” “What He Didn’t Do,” and more on 29: Written in Stone, the Kentucky native was intentional about what she wanted her fans to take away from hummingbird.
“It was important to me that the first songs that people heard from me were that I’m doing good,” Pearce explains. “It’s a two-part album of healing because with the healing comes a great freedom and joy. Even the heavier side that can feel harder in moments, there’s still a sense of strength that 29 didn’t have because, quite frankly, I didn’t have the strength during 29.”
Pearce is currently on the road with Tim McGraw, on his Standing Room Only Tour. See a track list for hummingbird below. Find all of Pearce’s music and upcoming shows at CarlyPearce.com.
hummingbird Track List:
1. “country music made me do it” | Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
2. “truck on fire” | Written by Carly Pearce, Justin Ebach, Charles Kelley
3. “still blue” | Written by Carly Pearce, Natalie Hemby, Josh Osborne
4. “heels over head” | Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
5. “we don’t fight anymore” featuring Chris Stapleton | Written by Carly Pearce, Pete Good, Shane McAnally
6. “rock paper scissors” | Written by Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds
7. “oklahoma” | Written by Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Jordan Reynolds
8. “my place” | Written by Carly Pearce, Lauren Hungate, Jordan Reynolds
9. “things I don’t chase” | Written by Robyn Dell’Unto, Kat Higgins, Ava Supplesa
10. “woman to woman” | Written by Carly Pearce, Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate
11. “fault line” | Written by Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Jordan Reynolds
12. “pretty please” | Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
13. “trust issues” | Written by Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds
14. “hummingbird” | Written by Carly Pearce, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Jordan Reynolds