How Carly Pearce Responded To Whether She Resents Lainey Wilson’s Rise

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Carly Pearce shared why she doesn’t feel resentment toward fellow singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson, despite the Whirlwind hitmaker’s meteoric leaps forward in the country music industry in recent years.

Pearce, 34, caught up with the L.A. Times in a newly-published interview on Wednesday (October 16). Throughout that interview, Pearce spoke about why she passionately hangs onto traditional country music (rather than crossing boundaries into pop or other genres), why she believes some pop artists are drawn to country, songwriting as a form of therapy, clapping back at an unruly audience member, and more.

Pearce removed a heckler from a venue, and could be heard on fan-recorded video saying “if you’re gonna be an a**hole, then you’re gonna have to say it to me and get the f*** out of my show. …I do not have time for d***s.” The hummingbird star told the L.A. Times that Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini texted her afterward to offer their support.

When asked whether “you ever resent the speed of her [Wilson’s] ascent,” after marking major career milestones with a similar musical style, Pearce replied: “Here’s why I don’t feel that way about her. I would feel that way about others. But Lainey moved to Nashville 13 years ago. She lived in a trailer and she busted her a**. I mean, sure, we haven’t seen a female star rise like this since maybe Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift. I’ll be honest with you: When she won female vocalist of the year [at the 2022 CMA Awards], I didn’t win — that was hard. But I was able to step aside because I know what she’s done to get there, and she deserves it. If we’re gonna have a trailblazer of my generation, she’s the one to do it.” Find the full interview here.

Pearce released her fourth studio album — her first in a producing role — in June. The highly-anticipated follow-up to 2021’s 29: Written in Stone  includes “country music made me do it,” “my place,” “woman to woman,” “fault line” and more. Pearce’s duet with Chris Stapleton, “we don’t fight anymore,” won in the Collaborative Video of the Year category at the 2024 CMT Music Awards earlier this year. Pearce recently released a blazing music video for her revenge anthem, “truck on fire,” and kicked off her first-ever headlining world tour. See the “hummingbird tour” dates here.