Beyoncé may have set an all-time Grammy record this month. Harry Styles may have taken home the coveted album of the year. But neither had the kind of Grammy night that Carly Pearce did.
One nomination — her first ever — and one win. No grumbling about the ones that got away.
Pearce triumphed for best country performance by a duo/group for "Never Wanted to Be That Girl," with Ashley McBryde. Flabbergasted at the Grammys with her victory, Pearce burst into euphoric babble, punctuated with a couple of OMGs.
A few days later, she had a little perspective.
"It's hard to even put into words what a Grammy nomination means, let alone a win," said the rising Nashville star, who opens for Blake Shelton on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. "To see all the ways [the song] has transcended every stereotypical roadblock that it could have had — with the subject matter [having an affair with a married man] and two female artists on country radio and now to see it make history at the Grammys feels like the most perfect ending of the most beautiful ride with this song."
Pearce and McBryde bested some pretty heavyweight duos, including Robert Plant/Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton/Reba McEntire, singers who have a bunch of Grammys.
"Never Wanted to Be That Girl" was the first duet by women to top the country chart since "Does He Love You" by McEntire and Linda Davis in 1993.
In 2019, Pearce landed at No. 1 on the country list with the duet "I Hope You're Happy Now" with Lee Brice. She wanted to write a duet and sing it with another woman.