Carly Pearce reflects on growing up in the South, her public divorce from Michael Ray, and how her song ‘Church Girl’ addresses faith, shame, and unconditional love.
Carly Pearce shares how her faith and identity made her childhood in the South unique.
In a recent interview, the 35-year-old country singer, Carly Pearce, discussed the deeper meaning of her earlier song “Church Girl.” This comes after she joined Riley Green, another country artist, for their spicy duet “If I Don’t Leave, I’m Gonna Stay.”
Carly Pearce performing at Hogs for Hospice, Leamington, Ontario, 2025-08-01
Photo credit: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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Pearce, raised in a religious family in a small town in Kentucky, shared how she connected with the themes in “Church Girl.” The song felt personal to her and reminded her of her past struggles with the pressures young women face in strict religious communities.
“I believe I loved it so much because, as a woman of faith in the South, it’s tied to so many things from growing up. There’s that experience of dealing with sex shame, judgment, and guilt that many of us face while trying to live a life that reflects Christ’s teachings,” she said. “There’s always this pressure to be flawless, to avoid messing up, and to meet these high standards that can feel overwhelming at times.”
“I’ve faced my own battles living so much of my life in the public eye,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot, including a divorce and other challenges. When you’re in the spotlight, people examine every choice you make, and if your choices don’t meet their expectations as someone of faith, the criticism can feel crushing.”
“I wrote this song as a way to remind anyone going through tough times that they’re not invisible or forgotten,” Carly Pearce shared. “I wanted people to realize that having these struggles doesn’t mean you’re less faithful or unworthy of God’s love. It just means you’re human.”
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In October 2019, Carly Pearce tied the knot with fellow country singer Michael Ray. However, just eight months later, in June 2020, she decided to file for divorce. The singer of “Every Little Thing” has shared how tough that chapter of her life was, admitting she struggled with feelings of shame surrounding the split.
Carly Pearce at CMA Fest 2017
Photo credit: BruceC007, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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“I needed it back when I was going through a very public breakup,” she shared. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, have I failed God and what marriage is supposed to mean?’ It made me question so much—like, ‘Does this mean I’m no longer a Christian? Does this mean God doesn’t love me anymore?’ Those thoughts stayed with me, and I know I’m not the only one who’s felt that way. So many women carry this weight of believing they’re just not worthy of God’s love because they’ve messed up or their lives didn’t go as they hoped.”
Carly Pearce shared more about the deep understanding she’s gained through her own path of faith and personal growth. She said, “I think I’ve realized something important over time, through all the highs and lows, all the doubt and questioning. I wish I could go back and talk to the younger me—the version of myself who worried so much about being good enough, who cared too much about what others thought. I’d tell her, ‘You’re fine just the way you are. Life is a journey for everyone. We’re all trying to figure it out.
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No matter where you are on your path, no matter the mistakes you’ve made or the struggles you’re facing, Jesus loves you. I know this without a doubt.’ “His love doesn’t depend on you being perfect or living up to what others expect from you. It has no conditions and stays constant even when you think you don’t deserve it. It seems you have provided only placeholders, not actual content. Could you please provide the text you’d like me to paraphrase? I’d be happy to help!
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“You’re not alone in facing hardship. We all deal with different challenges and battles. Others might not notice or grasp them, but no one has the right to dismiss your pain or decide it’s not real,” she said. “Each person’s path with faith is unique, and that’s not just acceptable—that’s how it’s meant to be. We should show kindness to each other and perhaps most, extend that kindness to ourselves.”
“I lean on my faith a lot more than I even notice most of the time,” Pearce shared. “In a world and industry that’s changing and so unpredictable, with high highs and low lows and feeling like a wild ride, faith is what keeps me steady. One day, you can feel like you’re on top, and the next, you’re questioning everything. Faith reminds me of who I am deep down. It’s not about the awards, the charts, or what people think. When things feel chaotic, that is what helps me find my center.”
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“Church Girl” was released as a single on January 23 and received widespread praise and heartfelt reactions from fans. It will play a key role on Pearce’s fifth studio album, which fans and critics alike are waiting for. Pearce mentioned earlier that the album will take a thoughtful journey back to her Kentucky and Appalachian bluegrass roots. These roots shaped her love of performing and served as the basis for her 2024 release, “Hummingbird.”
“My childhood was amazing,” she said with a smile, her voice tinged with fondness and happy memories. “I have such an incredible family. My grandparents introduced me to country music. They made me love the traditional sounds, like bluegrass and old-school country full of storytelling and emotion.”
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Her upcoming album, which fans are waiting for, will feature Carly Pearce and Green’s striking new duet, “If I Don’t Leave, I’m Gonna Stay.” This track adds a fresh layer to an album that’s shaping up to be both personal and rich.
“When you’re a storyteller, a songwriter, and an artist dedicated to your craft, you need to step into different roles and explore various emotions, perspectives, and experiences even if they aren’t yours,” she shared, speaking with the confidence of someone who has spent years perfecting her work. “We didn’t write this song ourselves. That’s kind of different and not what we do. Both of us tend to write most of our own music, shaping our stories and putting them into our lyrics. But I think connecting with this particular emotion, this specific type of feeling comes really .”I think both of us have been in a situation at some point where we were stuck with a relationship longer than we should have. Maybe it happened in the past or maybe not that long ago.
We let ourselves stay in something that wasn’t good for us. Even when we knew it wasn’t right, even when people around us told us to move on, we sometimes let ourselves get pulled back in. Pearce found it interesting that she and Green didn’t record their vocals in the studio at the same time, as is often the case with duets. However, after she finished her part of the song, she gave the “Worst Way” singer clear instructions and pointers to ensure their voices blended well.
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The release of “If I Don’t Leave, I’m Gonna Stay” hit country radio and streaming services on March 13 paired with a music video that dives deep into the song’s dramatic story. In the video, Pearce and Green portray a couple locked in a fiery, on-and-off relationship full of heated arguments and intense moments of passion. After the video’s debut across multiple platforms, fans began speculating about a possible real-life romance between the two artists. Their on-screen chemistry, the way they exchanged glances, and the strong tension between them left many wondering if there was something more behind the act.
Green is stepping into acting for the first time in the much-awaited Yellowstone spinoff series “Marshals,” where he takes on the role of Garrett, a tough ex-Navy SEAL. When someone asked Carly Pearce if she had thought about trying her hand at acting too—similar to other country stars who’ve shifted to TV and movies—she replied, “It’s been something that I would absolutely love to do.”
Source:
Ashley Hume, Larry Fink (March 23, 2026). Carly Pearce says her faith upbringing in the South came with ‘sex shame’ and judgment. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/carly-pearce-says-faith-upbringing-south-came-sex-shame-judgement
Header Image: Carly Pearce performing at Hogs for Hospice, Leamington, Ontario, 2025-08-01
Photo credit: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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