Country music star Carly Pearce recently reflected on the bold artistic choices she has made throughout her career, acknowledging that some of her songwriting has intentionally challenged perceptions. She admitted to enjoying "ruffling" feathers online, particularly with her lyrical content.
Addressing Controversial Lyrics in "Church Girl"
Pearce pointed to her song "Church Girl" as a piece that initially caused some apprehension among her inner circle. "I think the song that probably was a bit scary for everybody was 'Church Girl,'" she stated. She explained the complexity, noting, "Any time you talk about religion or... Sex, drugs, drinking, same sex and Jesus all in the same sentence, that's a lot."
Despite the potential for strong reactions, Pearce emphasized the importance of the track for her personal expression. She felt it was crucial to "put my flag in the ground on things that are important to me," a process she described as personally fulfilling and a source of pride.
"Honest Woman": A Return to Form and Deep Vulnerability
Throughout her acclaimed career, the artist behind hits like "truck on fire" has accumulated significant accolades, including a Grammy Award, three CMA Awards, and four ACM Awards, alongside releasing four studio albums. However, Pearce revealed that her forthcoming fifth album, titled "Honest Woman," represents her most vulnerable offering yet.
She described pushing herself creatively during its creation. "I really challenged myself to kind of be even more honest and vulnerable and real than I ever have been," Pearce shared. The new record, she added, "feels so personal and it feels like a return to form for me."
The genesis of the album began with the song "Dream Come True." Pearce recalled, "'Dream Come True' was the first song that I wrote for the album, and I remember when I wrote that song, I did not even realize that I needed to write that song, but I was in a place where I really needed that song." She credits this particular track with illuminating the path forward for the entire project: "I think that song in particular opened up my eyes to what needed to happen in order for me to make this record, which was I needed to go on a quest and find myself again."
Drawing parallels between "Honest Woman" and her third studio album, "29," Pearce affectionately referred to them as "cousins" and "friends," asserting that "you can't have one without the other."
Intimate "Honest Women: Up Close" Tour Announced
To celebrate the release of her new album, Pearce is embarking on the "Honest Women: Up Close" series of live shows. This tour will feature intimate two-night residencies in select North American cities.
Explaining her vision for these performances, Pearce stated, "It also feels like the best season of my life. And it felt right." She highlighted her understanding of her audience, noting, "I think what I've learned more than anything, and I've played pretty much the majority of the venues you can play, big and small — people come to my shows for the storytelling and the singing. They don't come for the show. So I wanted to honor this album that really is based on storytelling and singing."
The tour is scheduled to commence on September 10 in Detroit, Michigan. Subsequent stops include intimate venues in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Boston, before concluding in New York City on October 22.
Collaborations with Fellow Country Artists
Beyond its personal narrative, "Honest Woman" also showcases collaborations with several prominent country artists, including Dan Tyminski, Molly Tuttle, and Riley Green. Pearce spoke highly of Green, describing him as "a great storyteller."
She elaborated on her decision to collaborate with Green: "He is such a great storyteller and artist that I really wanted to be a part of that. I think. I'm so inspired by his ability to captivate a sold-out arena with just he and his guitar singing a song about his grandpa." Pearce expressed admiration for the power of authentic music, adding, "That is so awesome that real music can move people like that. And I think that he was the only person for this song because it needed that type of artistry that we can sit in a stadium on stools and sing the song and people love it."
"Honest Woman" is slated for release on August 28.
