Carly Pearce Talks About Life Beyond Music and Her New Bold Musical Journey

Carly Pearce in Nashville in August 2025.
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

### Carly Pearce Embraces Bold New Era in Music

Carly Pearce is stepping confidently into a new musical chapter, with a clear intention: to be bold and unapologetic. Speaking to PEOPLE, the singer reflects on her latest single, “Church Girl,” which is set to be part of her upcoming fifth studio album.

“This song represents how I challenged myself in writing this record,” Pearce explains. “I keep saying to everyone, be bold. I want to be bold, and I want to be unapologetic in all things.”

Pearce emphasizes her approach to music as a departure from conventional topics often avoided in country music. “It looks like leading a new music cycle with two songs that you don’t really hear people talk about. You don’t hear people talk about church shame… Especially in country music, being a Christian,” she notes. “And you don’t hear people talk about the not-so-pretty parts of being in the spotlight.”

In “Church Girl,” Pearce explores her relationship with faith and questions its double standards. Her earlier release, “Dream Come True,” delves into the complexities surrounding fame.

When crafting these songs, Pearce aimed to shift perspectives. “I wrote ‘Dream Come True’ out of necessity,” she shares. “It made me realize that I needed to return back to the original dream. What was the dream that I had as a little girl? I moved here 17 years ago this year. Why?”

This introspection allowed her to reignite her passion for music. “I do believe it’s my purpose in life to be a singer,” she reflects. “I know that this is, not to sound corny, but it’s my destiny.”

However, Pearce acknowledges the difficulties that accompany her lifestyle. “Of course there are moments when I’m like, I can’t take it anymore, it’s so hard,” she admits, highlighting the challenges of living a public life where people often misinterpret her story. “They get some of it right and some of it wrong… People are just mean.”

Her renewed focus on music has resulted in what she describes as her best work to date. “I’ve made my best music and my favorite music I’ve ever made,” she states with conviction.

Carly Pearce in Nashville in April 2024.
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

Pearce also finds joy in her personal life, embracing what she describes as a “painfully normal” routine. “I go to a workout class with the girls in the cul-de-sac from ‘Dream Come True,’ we go to workout classes together. I love to grocery shop. I love my dogs. I am so normal, and I love it,” she shares. “I sometimes forget, people come up to me and be like, ‘I love your music,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, thank you.’ I don’t live for the show.”

Reflecting on her mental health journey over the past year, Pearce notes that challenges have often fueled her creativity. “I don’t think you write a song like ‘Dream Come True’ if you’re mentally totally cool,” she says. “But what that did is it gave me an opportunity to grow. This year, my vision board is much less angst and more just… I have true goals, and I have intention, and I feel very full in my life right now.”