Carly Pearce celebrates love in all its forms in Valentine’s Day sophomore album release

Big MachineIt’s no secret that love has been a big part of Carly Pearce’s life over the last couple of years — last October, she married fellow country artist Michael Ray. Now, her just-released, self-titled sophomore album takes fans through every step of her love story.

Carly Pearce’s 13 tracks include plenty of love stories from the bubbly early stages of a relationship, including “Heart’s Going Out of its Mind,” which Carly wrote just two days after her first date with Michael.

The singer even enlists her husband as a guest vocalist on one of the songs, a duet called “Finish Your Sentences.” With a star-studded songwriter list that includes Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini, “Finish Your Sentences” is a lovestruck ode to the early days of a budding romance.

Listeners with a more cynical outlook on Valentine’s Day also will find plenty of heartbreak to enjoy. The album’s first single, a breakup duet with Lee Brice called “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” is currently a top-fifteen hit.

Carly Pearce also grapples with loss. Songs like “It Won’t Always Be Like This” call to mind the unexpected and tragic loss of Carly’s producer and mentor, busbee, who died last September shortly after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

“A lot of life and learning happened as I recorded this album: Sorrow, forgiveness, sass, flirtation. But overall, love,” Carly reflects. “I am so grateful to these incredible collaborators for helping me to create these songs that truly reflect my stories over the last couple of years.”