Carly Pearce caught up with Billboard's Tetris Kelly at Stagecoach 2025.
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00:00How lucky am I kicking it with Carly Pearce at Stagecoach.
00:02Hey, girl.
00:03Hi.
00:04So you have a big performance that you're doing here at Stagecoach.
00:07And I want to first talk to you about, like, coming from tour,
00:10coming to a festival where it's not all your fans.
00:13It's a different crowd out there.
00:14How is that approach for you?
00:16You know, I think I try to just put together the best representation
00:19of who I am as an artist because a lot of these people
00:22may have never seen me perform.
00:23They may only know, like, a few songs from the radio.
00:25So it kind of gives you, whoo!
00:27It gives you a chance to maybe do a little bit different of a set
00:31than you would for your core fans, which is fun.
00:33And talking about a different set, what about this Jolene cover
00:37that you're performing at Stagecoach, like, shocking the crowd?
00:40What made you want to do that?
00:42I think everybody universally, if you're at Stagecoach, you love Dolly.
00:46I think we all love Queen Dolly.
00:48And for me, I left home when I was 16 to work at Dollywood,
00:52and then Dolly asked me to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry back in 2021.
00:56I love that.
00:57So it's just, she's always been, like, such an inspiration for me,
01:00and to get to reimagine one of her songs because she's been so influential
01:03is really fun.
01:04So I'm, it's a really good cover, and it gives everybody a chance
01:07to kind of sing along.
01:08And then speaking of, like, festivals in general,
01:10what is, like, a vibe that you look forward to as a festival, as a fan?
01:13Are there sets you want to see, foods you want to try?
01:15What's your vibe?
01:16I like being able to see my friends.
01:18You know, Tiger Lily Gold, I love them.
01:20Carter Faith.
01:20I'm a huge Brothers Osborne fan.
01:22We kind of came up together.
01:23They're amazing.
01:23Getting to stand, like, side stage.
01:24They're, like, my big brothers in this industry.
01:26So to get to be a fan, but also just see your friends
01:29because we're always on tour, and we don't get to see each other.
01:31And I have to say, the food's pretty good.
01:33And speaking of being on tour with friends.
01:36Yes.
01:36Little Big Town.
01:37Yes.
01:37Are you going on tour with them?
01:38How did that come together, and how excited are you about it?
01:40They've been long-term friends of mine through the years
01:43and just mentors, and they asked me to be a part of it.
01:45And we've actually never gotten to tour together,
01:47so I am so excited, and I'm sure that a lot of red wine
01:50will be consumed by Karen and I.
01:52I love that your choice is red wine.
01:54I was talking to Brothers Osborne.
01:55They were very much about the whiskey.
01:56You're about the red wine.
01:57Oh, yeah.
01:57I do not drink whiskey with them.
01:59Absolutely not.
01:59It's not for Carly.
02:00And then I also want to talk.
02:01You've been talking about new music.
02:02You have been teasing it.
02:04You've been in the studio.
02:05So what can fans expect coming up for you?
02:07I'm done tracking it.
02:09So it's kind of, we're in the middle of cutting vocals.
02:12I know that every artist says this,
02:14and it's like the most cliche thing I could ever say,
02:16but it's my favorite album I've ever made.
02:18I'm working with a new producer that I've known for a long time,
02:21but he's never produced any of my music.
02:23His name's Ben West, and I'm just really excited about it.
02:27It's kind of taking me all the way back home to Kentucky
02:30with my Appalachia roots.
02:31Well, I'm really happy for you.
02:32I'm happy you're excited about it.
02:33And, I mean, you've been very honest about your health
02:35and everything you've been going through.
02:36So how have you been taking care of yourself,
02:37and how is it to kind of share that information with your fans
02:39and have their support?
02:41I was diagnosed with recurrent pericarditis,
02:43which is a heart condition.
02:45I obviously have had to alter my shows at times
02:47when I'm having a flare,
02:48and I think it was important to me
02:50because we're all our best advocate,
02:52and you have to advocate for yourself.
02:54I was kind of dismissed for a long time
02:56with symptoms that I knew were not normal,
02:59but people just, doctors telling me,
03:01oh, it's anxiety, it's this, and it's like, no.
03:03If you know something's wrong,
03:05you have to be diligent in not taking no for an answer.
03:09And I just wanted to raise awareness for anybody out there,
03:12especially young people.
03:13I take care of myself.
03:14I eat right.
03:14I work out.
03:15But this still happened to me.
03:16And so just being your own best advocate.
03:19Well, we're so proud of you.
03:20I'm so happy for your new music,
03:21and I can't wait to see you on stage.
03:23All right, have fun.