Born and bred in a small town in Kentucky, at the age of just 16 Carly Pearce dropped out of high school and moved to Tennessee. To many it might seem like an overtly daring move, but for Carly it was just the first step in following her dream.
“I honestly knew I wanted to be a country artist when I was about six. I know that sounds so funny,” laughs Carly. “I was lucky enough to have parents who listened to me when I saw an audition to sing at the country show in Dollywood, which is Dolly Parton’s theme park here in Tennessee. They let me quit high school and do that show. That was kind of my first real major jump in pursuit of doing this full time.”
Telling her story, Carly is speaking on the phone with Irish Country Living from her base in Nashville, Tennessee. The country star is preparing for her maiden voyage to Ireland next month, as part of the Country to Country Festival line-up in the 3Arena, taking place from Friday 8 March to Sunday 10 March.
I had a record deal and lost it, I had to clean houses and Airbnbs, I was a nanny and a back-up singer, so I’ve done everything you can imagine trying to make this my living
She is both humble and honest, openly admitting that there were some tough times before success was sealed.
After Dollywood, Carly, now 28, moved to Nashville – that was 10 years ago. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing and took eight years of hard work before things took off.
“I had a record deal and lost it, I had to clean houses and Airbnbs, I was a nanny and a back-up singer, so I’ve done everything you can imagine trying to make this my living. It’s definitely not been an overnight success,” explains Carly.
“I really genuinely in my heart, even on my worst days, believed this is what I was supposed to be doing. I was just not willing to compromise and I continued to try and better my music, better myself and work really hard.”
Carly’s first break came in 2016 in the form of the song I Wasn’t That Drunk, which she duetted on with The Josh Abbott Band. The hit charted in the Top 40 Country Airplay in the US, affording Carly a lot of opportunities that independent artists don’t normally get.
“It got me out of my Airbnb cleaning job. Josh Abbot and those guys, they were so good to me and I got to experience a lot of things you don’t get to experience being an unsigned artist.
“I got to visit radio stations for the first time, I got to go on tour and Josh was kind enough to pay for my band and for our flights so we could open shows. Those are the things you really don’t get exposed to as an independent artist and I’m very grateful for that.”
The following year, 2017, Carly really and truly became a country singer in her own right, with her debut single Every Little Thing (and album of the same name) catapulting her to fame, and ultimately landing her the record deal she now has.
Since its release, Every Little Thing has accumulated 25m views on YouTube. “I always joke and say I was like a hurt puppy that couldn’t believe someone was loving her. I never imagined that song would do anything like that.
“You hear about those songs that can change somebody’s life overnight and genuinely overnight my entire world changed when I put that song out. I wrote it just about needing to get over somebody who really hurt me and it’s just been amazing to see that pain give me everything I ever wanted,” reflects the singer.
Just because I’m on stage or you see me on TV or hear me on the radio, doesn’t mean I’m not an everyday girl
“For me, that was a really vulnerable song that I never really intended anyone to hear, let alone be my debut into country music. It’s inspired me to continue to be that vulnerable, because I see the way it effects people.
“We all experience the same things. Just because I’m on stage or you see me on TV or hear me on the radio, doesn’t mean I’m not an everyday girl as well, going through the same things that a country fan is going through.”
The present is a very exciting time for Carly, she is working on her second album and is also engaged to fellow country music star Michael Ray. She says that despite what people may think, getting two singers’ timetables to work in tandem isn’t that hard.
“I never in a million years thought I would be marrying another country artist, but we speak the same language and we have the same heart. I think people are always so surprised, saying; ‘how do you make it work with your schedules?’ and it’s actually quite easy. I find it easier because we do the same thing.”
With a dream in place from a young age, Carly has shown reliance in following it and will be sharing her American dream in Ireland, country style.
For a full Country to Country line up see www.c2c-countrytocountry.com/dublin/line-up. For booking see ticketmaster.ie.
What is Country to Country?
Country to Country is Europe’s largest country music festival, which takes place for three days, at the same time, in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Artists switch venue each night. This year’s headliners include Lady Antebellum, Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban.
Win
Country to Country tickets
We have three pairs of Country to Country tickets - a pair for each night - to give away. All you have to do is answer the following question: What night is Lady Antebellum headlining Country to Country in the 3Arena?
Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number to:
Country to Country Competition, The Irish Farmers Journal, The Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.
Or alternatively enter online here. By entering this competition you consent to your details being used to contact you and to your name being printed in the paper should you win. Please note winners must be available to attend on any of the three days. Closing date is 28 February.
Read more
Dancing queen
New kid on the block
WIN: COUNTRY TO COUNTRY TICKETS
Born and bred in a small town in Kentucky, at the age of just 16 Carly Pearce dropped out of high school and moved to Tennessee. To many it might seem like an overtly daring move, but for Carly it was just the first step in following her dream.
“I honestly knew I wanted to be a country artist when I was about six. I know that sounds so funny,” laughs Carly. “I was lucky enough to have parents who listened to me when I saw an audition to sing at the country show in Dollywood, which is Dolly Parton’s theme park here in Tennessee. They let me quit high school and do that show. That was kind of my first real major jump in pursuit of doing this full time.”
Telling her story, Carly is speaking on the phone with Irish Country Living from her base in Nashville, Tennessee. The country star is preparing for her maiden voyage to Ireland next month, as part of the Country to Country Festival line-up in the 3Arena, taking place from Friday 8 March to Sunday 10 March.
I had a record deal and lost it, I had to clean houses and Airbnbs, I was a nanny and a back-up singer, so I’ve done everything you can imagine trying to make this my living
She is both humble and honest, openly admitting that there were some tough times before success was sealed.
After Dollywood, Carly, now 28, moved to Nashville – that was 10 years ago. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing and took eight years of hard work before things took off.
“I had a record deal and lost it, I had to clean houses and Airbnbs, I was a nanny and a back-up singer, so I’ve done everything you can imagine trying to make this my living. It’s definitely not been an overnight success,” explains Carly.
“I really genuinely in my heart, even on my worst days, believed this is what I was supposed to be doing. I was just not willing to compromise and I continued to try and better my music, better myself and work really hard.”
Carly’s first break came in 2016 in the form of the song I Wasn’t That Drunk, which she duetted on with The Josh Abbott Band. The hit charted in the Top 40 Country Airplay in the US, affording Carly a lot of opportunities that independent artists don’t normally get.
“It got me out of my Airbnb cleaning job. Josh Abbot and those guys, they were so good to me and I got to experience a lot of things you don’t get to experience being an unsigned artist.
“I got to visit radio stations for the first time, I got to go on tour and Josh was kind enough to pay for my band and for our flights so we could open shows. Those are the things you really don’t get exposed to as an independent artist and I’m very grateful for that.”
The following year, 2017, Carly really and truly became a country singer in her own right, with her debut single Every Little Thing (and album of the same name) catapulting her to fame, and ultimately landing her the record deal she now has.
Since its release, Every Little Thing has accumulated 25m views on YouTube. “I always joke and say I was like a hurt puppy that couldn’t believe someone was loving her. I never imagined that song would do anything like that.
“You hear about those songs that can change somebody’s life overnight and genuinely overnight my entire world changed when I put that song out. I wrote it just about needing to get over somebody who really hurt me and it’s just been amazing to see that pain give me everything I ever wanted,” reflects the singer.
Just because I’m on stage or you see me on TV or hear me on the radio, doesn’t mean I’m not an everyday girl
“For me, that was a really vulnerable song that I never really intended anyone to hear, let alone be my debut into country music. It’s inspired me to continue to be that vulnerable, because I see the way it effects people.
“We all experience the same things. Just because I’m on stage or you see me on TV or hear me on the radio, doesn’t mean I’m not an everyday girl as well, going through the same things that a country fan is going through.”
The present is a very exciting time for Carly, she is working on her second album and is also engaged to fellow country music star Michael Ray. She says that despite what people may think, getting two singers’ timetables to work in tandem isn’t that hard.
“I never in a million years thought I would be marrying another country artist, but we speak the same language and we have the same heart. I think people are always so surprised, saying; ‘how do you make it work with your schedules?’ and it’s actually quite easy. I find it easier because we do the same thing.”
With a dream in place from a young age, Carly has shown reliance in following it and will be sharing her American dream in Ireland, country style.
For a full Country to Country line up see www.c2c-countrytocountry.com/dublin/line-up. For booking see ticketmaster.ie.
What is Country to Country?
Country to Country is Europe’s largest country music festival, which takes place for three days, at the same time, in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Artists switch venue each night. This year’s headliners include Lady Antebellum, Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban.
Win
Country to Country tickets
We have three pairs of Country to Country tickets - a pair for each night - to give away. All you have to do is answer the following question: What night is Lady Antebellum headlining Country to Country in the 3Arena?
Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number to:
Country to Country Competition, The Irish Farmers Journal, The Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.
Or alternatively enter online here. By entering this competition you consent to your details being used to contact you and to your name being printed in the paper should you win. Please note winners must be available to attend on any of the three days. Closing date is 28 February.
Read more
Dancing queen
New kid on the block
WIN: COUNTRY TO COUNTRY TICKETS
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