Carly Pearce Gets Real About Her Divorce: “I Knew The Night I Got Married That I Shouldn’t Have”
on Aug 27, 2025
Carly Pearce’s Heartbreak Album, 29, Was Crafted Out Of Real-Life Experience
At 29 years old, while on the precipice of her country music career, Carly Pearce married fellow country singer Michael Ray. The pair met in 2018 after playing some shows together and connecting on Instagram.
In a new conversation with Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie Xo, for her Dumb Blonde podcast, Carly admits:
“Looking back on it, it was a hot and heavy lust. It wasn’t love. It was just passionate.”
Carly and Michael got married the following year. Now, looking back at the fallout, the singer maintains that she got married for the “right reasons” and planned to “go the distance.”
The “Every Little Thing” singer recognizes that she and her now ex-husband got caught up in the excitement of it all. She adds:
“I think we didn’t really know each other… I knew the night I got married that I shouldn’t have, if I’m being completely honest. I think the best thing that ever happened to me was COVID, because it allowed me to deal with that in private. I think that I probably would have stayed in it longer if I could have avoided it… I was embarrassed when it happened, I had shame around that, and was heartbroken.”
Carly Pearce Comments On Speculated Infidelity
Fans were surprised when the whirlwind romance came to an end after less than one year of marriage. Carly filed for divorce in 2020. When asked if there was a “final straw” that led her to end the marriage, she replied:
“It wasn’t what I signed up for. It just wasn’t the marriage that I know I deserved. I knew that very quickly… We were only married for eight months. Plenty happened to where it was very clear to me this was not – this just wasn’t a marriage.”
After the separation, Carly found a balance between sharing enough of her story through her music to be impactful, while still keeping many personal details private. Her album, 29: Written In Stone, delved into much of that heartbreak and was released in 2021.
As her song “What He Didn’t Do” goes, “I ain’t gonna tell you everything he did, but I’ll tell you what he didn’t do…”
Bunnie asked about suspected infidelity, and without confirming or denying the allegations, the 35-year-old simply responded, “It wasn’t good.” She admits that initially, it was hard dealing with public opinions and rumors, but she no longer feels the urge to correct what is the truth versus conspiracy.
“My friends who walked through that with me, they know. My parents know and God knows, and that is enough.”
Stronger On The Other Side
Now, five years later, Carly Pearce says she is in the “happiest season” of her life. Ultimately, she expresses gratitude for the lessons learned through her heartbreak.
“I would say, ‘Thank you, because you taught me how strong I am. You put me through things that have made me better now.’ And I don’t wish him evil. I don’t wish anything on him. I’m so glad that I’m not in that anymore.”
Watch Carly Pearce’s interview with Bunnie Xo on the Dumb Blonde podcast below!
