Country Artist Jenna Paulette Reveals She's Pregnant With Baby No. 1

Country artist Jenna Paulette is pregnant with Baby No. 1.

The Lewisville, Texas-born singer-songwriter debuted her growing baby bump last week when she walked her first red carpet at the 59th ACM Awards in her home state (and particularly looked forward to watching host and performer Reba McEntire take the stage because “she just reminds me that country music is still country, baby!”). Paulette revealed that she and her now-husband Ross eloped last year, and now, they’re looking ahead to a new chapter for their family.

Paulette, previously named one of the CMT Next Women of Country amid other rapidly-rising female artists in the genre, said she built her career “the old school way,” including by remaining consistent in her touring and her music. She released her first full-length album, The Girl I Was, last year and landed her first record deal. Now, she’s working on her second album, with singles planned along the way. When asked about her biggest inspirations in her music, Paulette laughed and gestured to her husband as she said, “my best inspiration’s standing right here!”

Paulette is expecting a baby girl, due in the fall. She said she’s most excited about seeing her daughter bond with Ross, and predicts motherhood will “be a whole other level of love, I think.” Even before she was pregnant or thinking of starting her family, the “Darlin’” singer said she wrote a song that might have manifested this stage of her life.

“I wrote a song last year on a retreat because I knew how special it was going to be — probably not to the full extent, but in my mind — how special it would be to have a baby, and to do it with somebody that I love so much,” Paulette reflected as she caught up with iHeartCountry. “And we had just eloped, and that song is just something that I feel deep in my soul now that it is actually a reality. My cowriters on it were like, ‘oh my gosh, did we predict the future?’ And I’m like, ‘we kinda did!’ …I’m so thankful because I didn’t even know if it was possible for me.

“I’d been on the road and I was like, ‘hey I’m buying some pregnancy tests on the way home!’” Paulette said of the moment she learned she was expecting her first baby. “(The positive result) showed up real quick, and I’m like, ‘is this even real? Oh my gosh.’ So wild. So cool. ...I’ll be on the road a lot next year and we’re just gonna figure out how to make it happen with this little girl, and keep on truckin’.”