CHILLS.
As much as I love all of Carly Pearce’s music, I think this song is my absolute favorite.
She was honored tonight as one of CMT’s Artists of the Year, along with Alan Jackson, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown and Walker Hayes.
During the show, she delivered an absolutely stunning and moving performance of the title track to her third studio album, 29: Written In Stone.
It’s a very personal song, where she addresses the reality of the failed expectations she experienced in the wake of her divorce from Michael Ray.
Written by Carly along with Josh Osborne and album producer Shane McAnally, it speaks to all of the unexpected trials that, unbeknownst to her, come along with being that age.
The best part about the song, for me, is that it takes a deep dive into the messiness of having and managing certain expectations that come along with different stages of life. She gives us a peek into what she now knows about all too well; the crushing blow that can be felt when what you envision for yourself doesn’t work out the way you think it should.
And she also gave a great speech accepting her award after singing the song, wearing an absolutely gorgeous pink sparkly dress and looking every bit the country star that she is, saying:
“Oh my goodness, I have thought long and hard about what to say, and I think about CMT, and I think about 10 years ago crying on Lesli Fram’s couch in CMT wondering if I was ever gonna get a break.
And fast forward to just, everything that has happened in my life the past few years, I wrote this album not to chase anything except to survive. And when I think about, just everything that has happened in my life, I want anybody who’s struggling to know that you can get through and you can overcome anything because I did…
As a little girl, you think about the things that you want in your life, and this right here is what I wanted. So thank you CMT, thank you country music fans, thank you country music industry. I have to say, divorce has never looked so good, ahh!”
How can you not love Carly? That’s too damn funny…
Do yourself a favor and check out her incredible performance, it brought a few tears to my eyes, and she earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the crowd after it was over:
“29”