Carly Pearce says faith upbringing in the South came with 'sex shame' and judgement
Carly Pearce is opening up about the complicated relationship between faith and identity that shaped her upbringing in the South.
During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 35-year-old singer, who recently teamed up with fellow country star Riley Green for the sultry duet "If I Don't Leave, I'm Gonna Stay," reflected on the meaning behind her previously released song "Church Girl."
In the track, Pearce sings to a young woman who believes in God but wrestles with guilt and criticism from others for living outside the bounds of a traditional Christian lifestyle.
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Pearce, who grew up in a religious household in small-town Kentucky, explained that she immediately resonated with the themes explored in "Church Girl."
"I think why I loved it so much is because as a woman of faith, especially in the South, it comes with a lot of things from your childhood — you know, around sex shame or the judgment and guilt that a lot of us feel just trying to navigate living a life that’s Christ-like, if you will," she said.
"And I obviously have had my own share of those struggles, being somebody who’s gone through a lot in the public eye and obviously gone through a divorce and different things like that," she continued.
"And I wanted this song to be an anthem for anybody that’s on a journey to know that they’re seen and cared for," Pearce added.
In October 2019, Pearce married fellow country singer Michael Ray, but she filed for divorce just eight months later in June 2020. The "Every Little Thing" hitmaker has previously described that period as one of the hardest in her life and admitted to feeling shame around her divorce.
"I was embarrassed when it happened … and I had shame around that and was heartbroken," Pearce recalled during an August 2025 appearance on Bunnie XO's podcast, "Dumb Blonde."
While speaking with People magazine in January, Pearce shared that she also experienced spiritual guilt over the split. She told the outlet that she felt "Church Girl" was a song that she wished that she could have heard while she was growing up, saying that it helped her cope with the divorce.
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"I [also] needed it when I was going through a very public relationship splitting, and 'Oh gosh, I feel like I've let God down of what marriage is,'" she recalled. "So many different things in my life that I've been like, 'Well, does this mean I'm not a Christian? Does this mean that God hates me?'"
Pearce continued, "I think what I have come to find for myself is I wish I could go back and tell her, 'You're OK, you're OK, and we're all on a journey. We're all figuring it out, and no matter where you're at on your journey, Jesus loves you. I know that.'"
During her interview with Fox News Digital, Pearce reflected on what she hopes people who are struggling with their identity and faith take away from "Church Girl."
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"That you’re not alone and that we all have different struggles, and it is certainly not anybody else’s place to judge your struggle," she said.
Looking back on her religious upbringing, Pearce said her faith has remained an anchor through the highs and lows of her career.
"I think I rely on my faith a lot," Pearce said. "I think in a culture and in a business that’s so fleeting and up and down and such a roller coaster ride, I think it’s the thing that keeps me grounded."
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"Church Girl," which was released as a single on Jan. 23, will be featured on Pearce's upcoming fifth studio album. Pearce has previously said that the album, which follows her 2024 release "Hummingbird," will be a return to her Kentucky and Appalachian bluegrass roots.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, the Grammy Award winner recalled her childhood in Kentucky as the foundation of her love for music.
"I loved my childhood," she said. "I have the best family. I had the best grandparents that really instilled in me the country music — like, the traditional country music and bluegrass side of music. They were the ones that shaped my view of the Grand Ole Opry, my view of wanting to be a singer. I got my start as a very young girl, 10 years old, singing in a bluegrass band traveling around in Kentucky. So those memories, you know, it’s where my love of music started."
Pearce explained that her upbringing still shapes the music she makes today, saying, "That girl that was 10-years-old fronting a bluegrass band with men in their 40s and 50s — I think about her."
"She is still kind of the same girl wanting to sing music that can stand the test of time, not, you know, hide behind a bunch of help in the studio or different things like that," she continued. "And I think that rootsy side of me will always be there."
Pearce and Green's new duet, "If I Don't Leave, I'm Gonna Stay," will also appear on her forthcoming album. The sultry track explores the tension between two people who know they shouldn’t be together but can’t seem to walk away.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, Pearce reflected on whether she and Green drew on their own personal experiences to capture the push-and-pull dynamic at the core of the song.
"I think when you’re a storyteller and a songwriter and an artist, you have to kind of tap into different roles," she said. "Neither of us wrote this song, which is a little different for both of us since we’re primarily both songwriters of our own music. But I think it’s very easy to tap into this feeling. I’m sure that both of us at some point in our lives have stayed in a relationship too long and let that wheel continue to pull us back in at times."
Pearce noted that she and Green didn't record their vocals together but said she gave the "Worst Way" singer some guidance after laying down her part of the track.
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"I gave a little bit of a blueprint as to, "'You sing here, I’ll sing here,' and he just nailed it," she said.
"If I Don't Leave, I'm Gonna Stay" was released on March 13 alongside the accompanying music video, which leans into the story of the song and features Pearce and Green as a couple caught in a steamy, on-again/off-again relationship. The music video's debut prompted fan speculation of a real-life romance between the musicians due to their noticeable chemistry.
However, Pearce dismissed the dating rumors, telling Fox News Digital, "I feel like anytime any person is associated with another person in the public eye, people can do that. But you know, it’s make-believe. It’s show business, and we were playing the characters. But I think fans, they like to build up any kind of story that they can in their head."
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Green is making his acting debut in the new Yellowstone spinoff "Marshals," in which he plays a former Navy SEAL named Garrett. When asked whether she had also considered embarking on an acting career, Pearce said, "It’s been something that I would love to do."
She continued, "I grew up doing musical theater and things, and I’ve definitely over the last few years read for some parts, and it’s funny — when Riley and I were doing the video, he asked me if I wanted to act. And so yeah, I’m definitely open to it and think it would be something that creatively I’m interested in."
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Last month, Pearce cleared her Instagram feed, leaving just a single post, before she began teasing her new music. While speaking with Fox News Digital, Pearce shared why she had decided to make a fresh start on social media.
"I’ve been doing this a decade, which is crazy, at this level," she said. "And I think at times, especially in a world where social media is kind of the catalyst for all of us in the public eye, I think I just wanted to be — I think this is my most bold music. It’s the most ‘me’ music, and I think it was just wanting people to see that new is coming and to get ready for it."
Pearce told Fox News Digital that after a challenging last few years, she now feels like she is entering a new chapter in her life.
"I think I’ve had to get to a place where I think society tells us to completely forget and, ‘Oh no, I’ve moved on, everything’s wonderful,’ blah blah blah. But I think I’m in this place of saying all of these things have led me to be in a place that I think is my happiest and healthiest and best season of my life. And I’m happy for all of the things I’ve gone through."