10 Questions with ... Carly Pearce

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Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CarlyPearceMusic
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/CarlyPearce

Carly Pearce has had an amazing year: her debut single, "Every Little Thing," hit #1 on the Mediabase Country singles chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA; she released her debut album, "Every Little Thing," on Friday, October 13th; and she opened for BMLG Records' Brett Young and was also invited to join Blake Shelton's "Country Music Freaks Tour" next year. Now, selected to perform at CRS 2018 as part of the "New Faces" showcase, Pearce has started looking to the future. The "New Faces" performer chatted with All Access about what the "New Faces" show means to her; her debut album and her new single, "Hide The Wine;" and advice for other females in the genre.

1. Carly, thank you so much for taking time to speak with All Access! You've been voted to play at the "New Faces" showcase for CRS 2018, and while you've played to most of this cast of characters before during your radio tour, this setting will be a bit different. Can you tell us what it means to you to be chosen to play this show, and how you will prepare for the performance?

I think every new artist would tell you that this is the highest honor; Country radio is why we get to do what we get to do, and the fact that they chose and thought enough about who I am and the music I'm making and putting out there - they thought it was worthy of being one of the five of who they're kind of betting on and rooting for. That is amazing, and my band and I are going to work very, very hard to make sure that we live up to having one of those five slots.

2. Where were you when you found out that you had been selected to perform at New Faces, and how did you react?

I was on an airplane, and I screamed so loud - I squealed! And, my guitar player and my drummer jumped, because they were sleeping, and I scared a couple people on my flight. I was like, "I'm so excited! I just got really awesome news!"

3. You last spoke to All Access earlier this year, when "Every Little Thing" was just released, and before your debut album was even revealed. We were actually at your Knoxville show the weekend "Every Little Thing" reached #1 - your reaction on stage almost made ME cry! Can you talk about how the success of your debut single has impacted you, both personally and professionally?

On my social media the day I went #1 with "Every Little Thing," I just posted that video of me crying, and I said, "I don't have words yet, so here's this video." That's really how I feel. Everything has changed in my professional life; I get to live every dream - and more - that I ever wanted as a little girl, and as a teenager. All the hard work is starting to pay off, and I really am in disbelief still that this is my reality and what I'm able to do. I feel so fortunate. My personal life - it's different! I live out of a bus, and out of a plane, and out of a hotel, and out of a suitcase; that's something that's so different. You can never prepare yourself for that, but it's such a blessing and something that so many people hope and dream that they get to do, and so very little of us actually get to do that. So, I welcome all of the transitions and all of the changes, because I really am doing what I love.

4. Speaking of the "Every Little Thing," your debut album of the same title has also been released since you last spoke to us. Can you share the process of putting the album together?

My producer, Busbee, and I have been working together for the past two years before I got signed, and we'd been kind of mapping out the album with my publisher, Daniel Lee - they were kinda my two right-hand men, if you will. We were putting [the album] together like a puzzle. So, when we got the deal, I get to work with somebody who believes in my vision one-hundred and fifty percent - [Big Machine Label Group President] Scott Borchetta - he was literally like, "I love what you do. Go make your album," and was one-hundred percent on board with every song. It was a dream process for me, because I got to pick the 13 songs that I felt like were THE 13 songs - I didn't have to compromise a song. It doesn't happen very much! I'm very lucky.

5. Your new single, "Hide The Wine," impacted Country radio recently and earned the title of being most-added. In your opinion, what unique components does the single bring to Country radio - especially as a female act - and since it's so different from "Every Little Thing"?

I know "Every Little Thing" stood out so much because it is a ballad, and you knew it when you heard it on the radio. I think that, although this song is completely different, it's gonna stand out on radio. It has a swagger to it that we haven't heard from a female. I think that I'm speaking to a demographic of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. It's something we need on Country radio. It's just a fun, swagger, confident confession that so many females are gonna be like, "Oh my gosh!" And, guys can even be like, "Oh my gosh, I totally know that girl," or "I know what that's all about." We haven't heard a female talk about alcohol in a fun way. It's not a sad thing. I mean, obviously, I have sad songs on my album about alcohol, but I think it's fun to hear a girl talk about alcohol in a "Yeah, it's bad for me, but I'm gonna do it anyways," way.

6. Anyone who follows you on social media knows that you really do have a love for wine, and it has become a part of your brand. What sparked this branding decision?

That's what's so funny! "Hide The Wine" is not me going, "So, I have this song about wine, and I need to love wine..." I genuinely have loved wine since I turned 21! It's just fun now, because I'm getting gifted so much wine, and I'm kind of being known as the girl who loves wine. I think it's something that now it pops into people's brains, immediately, so I think they'll be able to connect that with the song. Again, I don't want to sound stupid, but I get to live in this little dream land, and I'm just being myself. I'm really lucky that people are buying into the things that really are me.

7. You've been through a lot to get to where you are now. An album cut that really stands out to me is "I Need A Ride Home," which shares the story of missing where you grew up. But, with a #1 single, a newly-released album, and being selected as a "New Faces" performer, I'm sure you're happy you never left Nashville. What kept you to continue chasing your dream?

There were definitely plenty of moments that I thought about moving home. In my album, I thank my best friend from home for not letting me quit and move home, because I did look at apartments in my home area. At the end of the day, I've known since I was a little girl that I'm wired to make music. I'm wired to make Country music, and I don't think that the people closest to me would've let me do it, because they knew that was my destiny. It's weird, but I feel like in those moments when I was really at zero, I feel like God gave me these little lights that said, "No, you have to keep going. You can't quit."

8. Going off of that, what advice can you offer to females looking to breakthrough in the Country music world?

I've been so open about my story, and I think it can show any female that you can do it. I had every single stereotype against me. I was a female who had been in town for eight years, who had been passed on by every label, who was coming out as her breakthrough single with a ballad in the middle of the Summer. If that isn't enough for somebody to go, "Okay, all can be against you, but if you hang in there, and you make the music that's one-hundred percent authentic to you, and you do the work, then you can do it."

9. As a "New Face" - and, let's be real, in general - you have bright future ahead of you in the industry. If you were to look in to a crystal ball, where would you hope to be - both personally and professionally - by CRS 2025?

I would like to be a Grand Ole Opry member. I would like to have several #1s under my belt; three successful albums; maybe a CMA and an ACM New Artist or Album Of The Year, or Female Vocalist, some of those; and just be one of the females you think of when you think of this generation of Country music.

10. After countless radio visits and radio shows, how has your experience been getting to know radio? Is there anything that your friends at Country radio do NOT know about you that you can - or would like to - share here?

I had a great radio experience! I really enjoyed getting to meet everybody. It's obviously super stressful, high-energy, and can be very draining; it's a crash-course of what it takes to be an artist, for sure. I definitely understand now why so many of my friends who are artists were like, "Call me when you reach that breaking point," because it's a lot! But, I think that my experience was great. I built a lot of great relationships, and honestly, a lot of friendships I feel I'll carry with me throughout my career. I'm a pretty open book - they know I'm kind of just a wine-o that likes to grocery shop and hang out at home. I eat really healthy, they know I run - they all make fun of me! I wouldn't eat any of the bad things at dinner. Maybe [they don't know that] the early morning part of it wasn't hard for me, because I'm a morning person through and through. I applauded getting up at 5a!

You just wrapped up Brett Young's "Caliville Tour," and you're about to hit the road with Blake Shelton's "Country Music Freaks Tour." But, looking at the other up-and-coming guys and gals in the genre right now, who has really impressed you? If you were to go out on your own headlining tour, what supporting acts would you bring along and why?

I love Russell Dickerson. He and I have kind of come up together, so I could take him, because we're on the same trajectory, and I love him. I love Luke Combs; I think what he's doing is so awesome. Obviously, I love Midland. If I could take somebody, I would love to do something with Devin Dawson. I think he is so good and so cool.