Photo Credit: John Shearer
NASHVILLE, TN (June 15, 2020) – When CARLY PEARCE shares vulnerability and heart, people connect. Her PLATINUM-certified “Every Little Thing’s” ascent designated the Kentucky native as one of only four solo female debuts to chart at No. 1 since 2015. This week, the GOLD-certified “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” marks her second No. 1 single on both Mediabase Country Aircheck and Billboard Country charts, following the peak position in Canada. The LEE BRICE duet was released jointly via Big Machine Records & Curb Records and has surpassed 207 million global streams as critics praise the pair.
“Life is crazy and takes you places you never thought, making the most beautify moments,” reflects Carly, who penned the track alongside Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton and Randy Montana. “Thank you, Lee, for lending your incredible voice to this song. What started as my apology to someone from my past made me realize we all fall short sometimes. I’m so very grateful for life’s lessons and celebrating this No. 1. Country radio and all of you who embraced this song … thank you!”
“I am still so humbled that Carly asked me to be a part of her story with this perfect country duet. I want to say thank you to the Country music community, its fans and JR Schumann at SiriusXM for suggesting me to Carly. Being on top of the charts again with the perfect partner means the world to me!” expressed Lee.
Believing in their success upon release, Rolling Stone Country foreshadowed, “she also appears to have another bona fide hit on her hands with ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now,’ a wrenching duet with Lee Brice.” Taste of Country noted the “vintage country teamwork” as ABC News Radio insisted “Carly Pearce and Lee Brice reinvent the classic country male/female duet.”
Billboard remarked “Pearce and Brice’s voices blend beautifully” as Nash Country Daily echoed about “two of the best voices in country music” and Country Now surmised, “with its heartfelt lyrics and sound reminiscent of country duets from years past, ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now’ is destined to be a hit.” Sounds Like Nashville concurred, “built on a foundation of classic-country duets, ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now’ feels like a throwback in the best sense of the word — much like Pearce’s breakout ‘Every Little Thing’ did.”
Carly and Lee recently performed an acoustic version of “I Hope You’re Happy Now” during her 75th Grand Ole Opry appearance. Unknowingly working with producer and mentor busbee for the last time on her self-titled sophomore album earlier this year, the sentimental night also served as a tribute. Carly sang “stirring ballad ‘Show Me Around’ for the first time. Laying bare her wounded heart, she dedicated the aching acoustic ballad to producer busbee, who passed away in September 2019 at the age of 43 after a shocking cancer diagnosis. But even though it was filled with genuine grief, the pure-country track is focused on a silver lining — looking forward to being reunited” (Sounds Like Nashville).
