That’s how it’s done.
Carly Pearce released her fifth studio album, Honest Woman, on August 28, and the result is a remarkable body of work that ranks among her best. An album with a title like that calls for a willingness to open up and let listeners see the real person behind the music. Fortunately, Carly has never shied away from being honest about her life and emotions.
If you haven’t given the record a listen yet, it’s well worth checking out.
With Honest Woman out in the world, Carly has been hitting the road and promoting the new music. She also took on a different kind of performance tonight, singing the national anthem ahead of Game 3 of the 2026 MLB World Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Tampa Bay Rays faced the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers dominated the matchup, securing a 3-0 series lead and moving within one win of what could become the franchise’s first-ever World Series championship.
Performing the national anthem is no small feat. It’s a notoriously challenging song, and stepping up to sing it in front of a major sporting crowd can be a risky move for any artist, given how closely these performances are scrutinized. But Carly rose to the occasion, delivering a fantastic rendition and sounding absolutely incredible.
Only a handful of singers have delivered national anthem performances that stand among the greatest of all time. Whitney Houston and Chris Stapleton are two names that immediately come to mind, both widely celebrated for their extraordinary vocal abilities. That’s the level of excellence that makes these performances so memorable.
Singing the national anthem on such a major stage can be a defining moment for an artist, and Carly Pearce appears to have made a fantastic impression. Fans flooded social media with praise for her rendition, applauding her vocals and the way she brought the song to life.
Country music continues to make its mark on the national stage, and fans were thrilled to see Carly represent the genre. Here’s just a taste of the reactions:
“Our Kentucky girl crushing it! Dolly would be proud.”
“Carly Pearce brought the perfect touch to the World Series stage. What a moment!”
“Amazing.”
“Love her and this rendition!!!! She is beautiful inside and out!!”
“SO GOOD.”
“She was absolutely amazing!”
“Simple yet beautiful.”
“Absolutely crushed it! Amazing!”
“Makes me proud to be an American frfr.”
“A fantastic job, Carly!”
“Beautiful rendition.”
“She’s so good.”
“ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.”
“You got beautiful voice Carly.”
“Totally perfect!”
“Great Job Carly, you absolutely nailed that national anthem!”
“Country voices are the best for national anthem.”
It’s hard not to agree. Carly is an immensely talented vocalist, and performances like this give an even wider audience the chance to appreciate what she brings to the stage. Seeing country music receive this kind of recognition is always worth celebrating.
The announcement that Jay-Z will headline the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show has also sparked discussion about which artists deserve a spot on one of music’s biggest stages. Given country music’s current popularity, some fans would love to see a country star take the halftime spotlight. It has been a long time since the genre had that opportunity, and if a country headliner isn’t in the cards, having a country artist perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” would be a welcome way to showcase the genre.
