Carly Pearce’s chart-topping single may be called “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” however it appears the singer no longer needs to hope for happiness.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the 2x ACM Award winner addressed the rumors regarding her love life. The rumor began swirling online after Pearce shared a photo of herself cozied up on the arm of Nashville Realtor and former MLB player Riley King in her Instagram stories a few days ago. Although she didn’t reveal much about it, she did admit, “all I will say is I’m happy. I’ll tell you, I’m very happy about that.”
After eight months of marriage to ex-husband Michael Ray, Pearce filed for divorce in June 2020. The divorce however wasn’t finalized until September 2020. And although the divorce was rough and in the public spotlight, Pearce came out on top with dozens of new songs inspired by heartbreak. The singer also admits that she believes in love and that she will never allow a failed relationship keep her from finding the love she wants and deserves.
“I believe in love. I want to find love. I got married because I was in love,” Pearce explained. “I mean, that’s the whole thing. I absolutely will never let a failed relationship keep me from finding that love that I deserve.”
The “Next Girl” singer also reflected upon her divorce during the personal interview with the outlet.
“I got married to stay married and to only get married once. I think that never in a million years, if you would have told me that this was going to be my story, that it would be that, but unfortunately it was,” Pearce recalled, later adding, “I have found — because I decided to go there in this music — a lot of other people’s lives, maybe not divorced but some especially young, nobody wants to talk about divorce in your 20s. Nobody wants to talk about just the bad things that maybe people think, ‘Oh well, that’s not going to happen to me.’”
“I just got married and it looked like a fairytale,” Pearce added. “but because I decided to share my truth, it felt like other people now are feeling like they can too and they have somebody. We all have faces in the public eye for a reason and you know for music, but now I’m putting a face to something that a lot of people hold shame around.”
During the interview the outlet also talked to Pearce about her latest EP, 29, a collection of songs that detailed heartbreak, the death of her longtime friend and producer busbee and much more. You can read the full interview HERE.
