Pearce is framing this as a creative rebirth—returning to her classic country and bluegrass roots after what she describes as rediscovering herself. The BMG partnership is positioned as the perfect match for an artist ready to take control of her narrative. Her quote about feeling like she's found "the best next chapter" signals confidence, not desperation.
Sources close to the Nashville scene say Pearce's split from Blue Highway wasn't entirely amicable—she's been building toward a major reset for over a year. Bringing in Scott Borchetta as manager is a power move; the former Big Machine CEO still carries weight in Music City. This feels like a calculated pivot, not a organic evolution.
Honest Woman releases Aug. 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville—Pearce's first release with this label after leaving Blue Highway. General tour tickets go on sale June 26 at 10 a.m. local time. The album features collaborations with Riley Green, Dan Tyminski, and Molly Tuttle across its 16 tracks.
Carly Pearce just made one of the boldest moves of her career—new label, new manager, same uncompromising vision for authentic country music. Honest Woman drops Aug. 28, and if these early singles are any indication, this is the project that could redefine where she goes from here.
Carly Pearce is ready to tell her truth, and she's bringing some heavy hitters along for the ride. The Grammy-winning country artist announced Monday that her fifth studio album, Honest Woman, will drop Aug. 28 via BMR Music Group/BMG Nashville—a major label home that's a significant departure from her previous work with Blue Highway Records. The project marks Pearce's first collaboration with producer Ben West, and if the already-released singles are any indication, she's leaning hard into what she calls "classic country and bluegrass" influences.
Three tracks have already hit digital shelves: current single "If I Don't Leave I'm Gonna Stay" featuring Riley Green, plus "You Can Have Him" and "Church Girl." A new track, "She Don't," drops Tuesday (June 23). The full 16-song tracklist reveals guest appearances from bluegrass legend Dan Tyminski on two tracks ("Who's Lying Here" and "What If You Loved Me") and virtuoso Molly Tuttle, who appears alongside Tyminski on closing track "What If You Loved Me." In a statement about the album's direction, Pearce said she found herself rediscovering her artistic identity during the creative process.
"When I started making Honest Woman, I found myself rediscovering who I am and why I wanted to be a country music singer in the first place," she explained. "This album takes me back to the beginning of my story, where the sounds of classic country and bluegrass music shaped who I am. I'm so proud of this body of work, and I truly feel like it's my best yet." That's a bold claim from an artist who's already got Grammy hardware on her shelf—makes you lean in.
The album announcement comes bundled with some significant career changes beyond just the label switch. Pearce has also brought Scott Borchetta aboard as her new manager—the former Big Machine CEO who remains a polarizing but undeniably influential figure in Nashville's power structure. When discussing the BMG partnership, Pearce framed it as finding the ideal creative environment rather than fleeing a bad situation.
"Signing with BMG feels less like turning a new page and more like finding the best next chapter," she said. "I am incredibly grateful to be surrounded by a team that truly hears my voice and matches my ambition. The horizon looks exactly how it's supposed to." To support the release, Pearce will hit the road for an intimate club tour spanning September through October 2026, with stops at iconic venues like Joe's on Weed in Chicago, The Troubadour in Los Angeles, and a concluding run at New York's Gramercy Theatre.
She'll also appear at the Grammy Museum in LA on Sept. 29. Full dates are available now, with general tickets going on sale June 26 at 10 a.m. local time—support for all shows comes from Belle Frantz. Honest Woman is available for pre-order starting immediately.
