Carly Pearce still gets “chills every time” she watches Lucy Hale and Shiloh Fernandez portray a distant couple whose romance has grown “cold” and “indifferent.” Hale and Fernandez “told this story so perfectly,” Pearce said as she premiered the music video for her heartache collaboration with country music powerhouse Chris Stapleton, “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” on Wednesday (September 6).
The stunning storytelling video opens with Hale returning home, walking past Fernandez without either partner saying a word. They remain distant as they go to bed at night, with thunder and rain providing the only sound. Hale eventually tries reaching her hand out for Fernandez, who doesn’t reach for her in return. Scenes of Pearce are interspersed throughout their story, featuring the award-winning country star in a flowing white dress, sitting on the floor surrounded by candles as she singes the emotional ballad.
Pearce released “We Don’t Fight Anymore” — which she wrote with Shane McAnally and Pete Good, and produced with McAnally and Josh Osborne — in June. She previously shared that she added Stapleton to the track after reaching out to his wife, Morgane Stapleton, first.
“I’ve always wanted to write music that makes people feel something — whether that is feeling seen, less alone, happy or even uncomfortable. ‘We Don’t Fight Anymore’ felt like I was writing one of those stories that, whether or not we want to include it in our social media highlight reel, we’ve either been there or are living there right now,” Pearce previously said in a statement of her inspiration behind the song. “Having Chris Stapleton join me on this song was a dream come true and he unlocked an element to the story that I didn’t even know it needed.”
Pearce — Grand Ole Opry member who is was revealed as this year’s artist who will “flip the switch” at the annual Opry Goes Pink event benefitting Susan G. Komen — has since followed “We Don’t Fight Anymore” with “Country Music Made Me Do it,” a cheeky love letter to the genre that also bears the name of her fall headlining tour that’s set to kick off next month. Next year, she’ll join country music icon Tim McGraw on his headlining “Standing Room Only Tour.” Watch Pearce’s newest music video here: