Carly Pearce just celebrated her 30th birthday, a milestone she welcomed with open arms. The Kentucky native, who spent her birthday with her parents at their Alabama home, where she is self-isolating due to health concerns with her mother amid the coronavirus pandemic, had no qualms about entering a new decade.

“One of my favorite songs is ‘Strawberry Wine,'” Carly told Big Machine Label Group. “I remember that lyric: ‘I still remember when 30 was old.’ It’s not so old anymore. I think that in a lot of ways I felt like I would be doing what I am doing. I really figured I would be married. I think long ago I thought I’d be selling out arenas and with a couple kids, but now I’m realizing I’m still so young and I still have so much time. I’m so thankful that I didn’t rush anything in my life and I didn’t get things rushed to me.”

Carly just released her introspective self-titled sophomore album, which was part of Carly’s embracing the next phase of her career.

“I think where I’m at in life, I’m so excited to turn 30 because I really feel like through this record and through the last couple of years of my late 20s – the early 20s and the mid 20s you’re figuring it out –  I just feel like I have a lot of things in my life at a good place to take on the next ten years of learning and experiencing and seeing what’s to come. So, I welcome 30.”

Carly might have thought when she was younger that she’d have a couple of kids by now, but don’t plan on that happening anytime soon. Carly, who wed Michael Ray in October, wants to start a family –– just not yet.

“Michael and I definitely want children,” Carly admitted. “I think that we are both, I guess, on the up in our careers and not at a place where either of us feel like we are comfortable enough to slow down. So, I think it’s in our future. I would say it’s in our five-year plan. We just want to be married right now, but we always say two kids. We kind of want two.

“I feel like everybody says that, but we’re gonna have to find a way to travel together, tour together, when that happens because I ain’t getting’ stuck with both,” she added. “I ain’t gonna be stuck as a single mom.”

Carly’s debut single, “Every Little Thing,” was just certified platinum for sales of one million copies, while her current single, “I Hope You’re Happy Now” was certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies. Purchase, download or stream Carly Pearce at her website.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of BMLG / John Shearer