CARLY PEARCE OPENS UP ABOUT COMPARISON IN POIGNANT NEW TRACK “HAPPY FOR MYSELF” – OUT NOW
FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM HONEST WOMAN ARRIVING AUGUST 28th
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR “HONEST WOMAN: UP CLOSE” US LIVE SHOWS
CURRENT SINGLE “IF I DON’T LEAVE I’M GONNA STAY” WITH RILEY GREEN CLIMBING THE COUNTRY CHARTS
NASHVILLE, TN GRAMMY, CMA and ACM-Award winning country star Carly Pearce delivers a masterclass in honesty with poignant new song “Happy For Myself,” out now. Set against a backdrop of rich, traditional country craft, the singer-songwriter unpacks the complicated reality of comparison through her real life story, capturing the quiet heartbreak in a single line: “How could good news be so damn hard?” Listen to the track HERE and watch the official video HERE.
Pearce opened up about the story behind the song on her “Diaries of an Honest Woman” Substack, talking about a personal experience with her close friend: “I was genuinely happy for her. I really was. But underneath that happiness was something I didn’t want to admit out loud: When would I get to be happy for myself? Because when you’re a woman, there comes a point where everyone else’s milestones can start feeling like evidence against your own life. Every engagement announcement. Every baby shower. Every wedding photo. They all seem to whisper the same question: ‘What’s wrong with me?’”
Today’s release is the latest preview of Pearce’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, Honest Woman, which will arrive August 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Co-produced by Pearce with longtime collaborator Ben West, Honest Woman sees Pearce embrace every aspect of who she was, is, and will become through narrative-driven lyrics and a sonic return to form. Including features with Riley Green, Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle, the album leans into her bluegrass origins and focuses on authentic country craftsmanship. Honest Woman is an ‘honest’ portrayal of life’s journey delivered by a woman who understands that it’s the fullness of time that defines you. Pre-order, pre-add, and pre-save the album HERE and find the full track list below.
“Happy For Myself” follows Pearce’s critically-acclaimed release of the “utterly exquisite” (Music Row) “What If You Loved Me” with bluegrass giants Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle. The timeless track marked a return to the genre for Pearce who got her start singing in bluegrass bands as a child in Appalachian Kentucky. Rich vocal performances melt into “delicious, buttery three-part harmony” (The Bluegrass Situation) as the trio sings about longing and possibility, layered on top of “lush instrumentations” (Billboard).
Pearce’s passion-filled duet with Riley Green and current single, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” continues to climb the country charts. The “blockbuster duet” (Billboard) will also be featured on Pearce’s forthcoming album along with the “lilting portrait of a femme free spirit” (MusicRow) “She Don’t,” the “delightfully snarky & sassy” (Music Row) “You Can Have Him,” “honest anthem” (Rolling Stone) “Church Girl” and the “unfiltered, introspective” (Billboard) “Dream Come True.”
To celebrate Honest Woman, Pearce will perform a special, can’t-miss album release set at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, August 29 where she will debut many songs from the album. She will also travel across North America and perform special two-night residencies to support the album. Kicking off September 10 with two nights in Detroit, Pearce will bring her “Honest Woman: Up Close” live shows presented by Conundrum Wines to intimate venues in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Toronto and Boston before concluding with two nights in New York City. Belle Frantz will join Pearce as support. Tickets are on sale now.
Honest Woman Track List
- “Dream Come True”
- “Church Girl”
- “She Don’t”
- “You Can Have Him”
- “How Long”
- “WWJD”
- “Same Circus”
- “Happy For Myself”
- “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Carly Pearce & Riley Green
- “I Don’t Have The Heart”
- “He Don’t Like My Dogs”
- “Leave My Heart Alone”
- “Who’s Lying Here” Carly Pearce & Dan Tyminski
- “Daisy”
- “What If You Loved Me” Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle & Dan Tyminski
- “Why God Why Me”
CARLY PEARCE – “HONEST WOMAN: UP CLOSE” ROUTING
Thursday, September 10 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall*
Friday, September 11 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall*
Wednesday, September 16 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed*
Thursday, September 17 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed*
Friday, September 18 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line*
Saturday, September 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line*
Sunday, September 27 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour*
Tuesday, September 29 – Los Angeles, CA – GRAMMY Museum
Thursday, October 15 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House*
Friday, October 16 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House*
Sunday, October 18 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair*
Monday, October 19 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair*
Wednesday, October 21 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre*
Thursday, October 22 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre*
*With support from Belle Frantz
ABOUT CARLY PEARCE
Carly Pearce has become one of country music’s most authentic and defining voices. Fiercely rooted in the classics, the girl who left her Kentucky home and high school at 16 to take a job at Dollywood has grown into a woman who embraces the genre’s forward progression. The GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter burst onto the scene with her debut album, Every Little Thing, and its PLATINUM-certified, history-making title track, and she hasn’t slowed down since. Now a member of both the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, where she has performed more than 100 times, Pearce has come a long way from the heartache that inspired her critically acclaimed and commercially successful third studio album, 29: Written In Stone. The project includes the Country Radio chart-topping hit “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with Ashley McBryde and the 2x PLATINUM-certified “What He Didn’t Do.” Following her breakout success, Pearce was named CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 2021 and went on to win ACM Female Artist of the Year in 2022. In 2024, she released her critically acclaimed album hummingbird, featuring the PLATINUM-certified lead single “we don’t fight anymore” with Chris Stapleton. The track earned Pearce her second GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and marked her fifth Top 5 hit at Country Radio. With a catalogue of fan favorites, Pearce has hit live touring milestones, playing her largest shows to date in 2026. Pearce continues to expand her global footprint—just wrapping her Inside the Dream Tour to major international stages from Australia’s CMC Rocks to Ireland and the UK, with a headlining show at the famed Royal Albert Hall. With her highly anticipated fifth studio album Honest Woman arriving August 28, Pearce continues to connect with audiences through her honest songwriting and timeless musicality. Recent releases “Dream Come True,” “Church Girl,” “You Can Have Him,” “She Don’t” and “What If You Loved Me” have resonated deeply with fans, critics, and fellow country artists alike, offering a glimpse into the bold new era ahead. Most recently, Pearce released the acclaimed duet “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” with Riley Green, a sultry collaboration that was premiered by iHeartRadio, exploded across social media and was accompanied by a steamy, fan-favorite music video. For more information, visit CarlyPearce.com.
