Carly Pearce Opens Up About Marriage to Michael Ray Being ‘Hot and Heavy Lust’ in New Interview

Carly Pearce addressed her quick marriage to fellow country music singer Michael Ray, and gave a candid look at what the relationship meant to her and how it shaped her personally and musically.

"Looking back on it, it was a hot and heavy lust. It wasn't love. It was just passionate," Pearce told Bunnie Xo's Dumb Blonde podcast. Their marriage lasted only eight months. "I knew the night I got married that I shouldn't have," she said. The pandemic gave her space to process the split privately.

Pearce addressed past speculation surrounding Ray's reported relationship with Travis Tritt's daughter, Tyler Reese, admitting that she intentionally stared at her during a performance at the Opry, which fueled rumors. In the same conversation, she hinted that infidelity may have played a role in the breakup, though she stopped short of confirming it outright.

Time has provided perspective. "Thank you, because you taught me how strong I am," Pearce said, noting she feels no desire for revenge. She credits the painful chapter with making her more resilient and self-aware.

Pearce shared additional adversity, having navigated OCD and anxiety since childhood, and a history of recurrent pericarditis while still working full-time in a notoriously unpredictable industry. She has persevered through so much and, as a result, has continued to reach milestones, from the Grand Ole Opry induction to taking her hurt and turning it into amazing art with the release of her album 29: Written in Stone.

Her career momentum remains strong. Pearce's recent album Hummingbird featured GRAMMY-nominated tracks, while Ray released the EP Dive Bars & Broken Hearts. She also found happiness in a new relationship with Jordan Karcher, whom she met on the dating app Raya. She celebrated six months together, describing it as a serious new chapter.

Pearce revealed that she first initiated contact with Ray during her rise to breakout success with "Every Little Thing." Despite the marriage ending, she knows what it taught her and is choosing to stay focused on her evolution and the creative process. 

She will continue to write new music that comes from her home and Kentucky roots, which is her favorite material so far.