Carly Pearce Draws Inspiration from Motivational Tattoo

Carly Pearce could have given up. After being dropped by a record label in 2012, it would have seemed logical for Pearce to find another career path, telling herself she gave the music industry a shot and it didn't work out.

Instead, Pearce got a tattoo that said, "She believed she could so she did," complete with a butterfly and feather.

"It's on the arm where I play guitar so I would look down and never forget that I moved here for music," Pearce explains to CMT. "And then the feather and the butterfly are both for my grandparents, which my album is dedicated to them."

The record, Every Little Thing, came out in October, with the debut single,the title track, becoming a chart-topping hit.

"It's been the biggest surprise but also the most rewarding because of everything that I've done up to this point and the way that I've devoted my life," Pearce says. "I'll never forget that, and I'll never take it for granted.

"It's insane," she adds. "I've always dreamt of this. I've never been the girl — there's nothing wrong with anyone who has these dreams — I've never dreamt of a wedding dress and children or that life. I've always dreamt of being on the stage, being a member of the Grand Ole Opry."

Pearce will have plenty of opportunity to take the stage in 2018. After celebrating the New Year by performing at Jack Daniel's Music City Midnight: New Year's Eve in Nashville, which features Keith Urban as the headlining act, and includes performances by Maren Morris, Cheap Trick and more, the singer will join Blake Shelton on his Country Music Freaks Tour, which kicks off in February. A list of all of Pearce's upcoming shows is available on her website.