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Carly Pearce penned a sweet message to her longtime friend and “sister,” fellow singer-songwriter Kelsea Ballerini, after appearing as a surprise guest on her arena tour.
Pearce posted several photos on Instagram on Friday (January 24), chronicling some of the cherished moments she’s shared with Ballerini of the course of their careers. The first photo is from Ballerini’s headlining arena show on Thursday evening (January 23) at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Ballerini introduced Pearce as a surprise guest, and the two country stars delivered a duet version of Ballerini’s heartfelt ballad, “To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak.”
That performance took place about a full decade after Pearce opened for Ballerini, and they’ve remained friends ever since.
“I remember opening for [Kelsea Ballerini] somewhere around 10 years ago,” Pearce wrote in her post. “I remember her inviting me on her bus & saying ‘hey, I know you’re traveling in that van- do you want to ride on my bus to get a good night’s sleep?’ That’s who she was and who she still is.
“It’s hard to put into words what I’ve watched her build, but last night I stood in awe while she sang to 12,000 screaming fans who have found themselves in her music and story,” the hummingbird star continued. “And while the journey to watch her go from playing a 500 seat club to an arena has been remarkable, it’s been the journey of really having a sister in this business that I’m the most grateful for. In my darkest hours, she shows up. Sometimes when I don’t even ask.
“My sweet, Kelsea. You’ve earned every ounce of what I watched last night. Thank you for sharing your stage from day 1 with me.”
Pearce’s surprise appearance at Ballerini’s show arrives in the midst of her 2024-2025 headlining world tour. Pearce is set to perform next on February 9 in Stockholm, Sweden, and will return from Europe for U.S. shows beginning in March. The tour will end on May 16 with a show in Nashville, Tennessee. See the dates here.