Carter Faith is a 26 years old country singer and songwriter from North Carolina. After releasing her debut album Cherry Valley, she made a massive splash in the industry becoming the only female artist to be nominated for an ACM Album of the Year award, as well as the first person in a decade to have their debut album nominated for the award before going on tour with massives names such as Post Malone and Jelly Roll. We sat down to discuss her most recent success and more in a one on one interview with BeatRoute.

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Cherry Valley has already had such an incredible run. At what point did you know there was more story left to tell and that a deluxe edition was necessary?

Carter Faith: I think it was probably during my first headline tour. Since Cherry Valley was my first album, I made it for myself. I really tried not to concern myself with what people would think of it.

When we went out on tour and sold it out, that was pretty surreal. Seeing how people reacted to certain songs that I never expected them to connect with made me want to extend the life of Cherry Valley.

The title Cherry Valley Forever suggests this world isn’t something you’re ready to leave behind. What does Cherry Valley represent to you now compared to when you first started writing the album?

C: I think now it represents all the fans who’ve found something in it. At first, it was mine. I created this little world for myself so I’d have a place where I felt comfortable enough to put out a body of work.

When fans embraced it—showing up in their cherry outfits and connecting with all the little details I’d hoped they’d notice—it took on a whole new life. It just felt bigger.

The new track “Ain’t Over Me Yet” feels like a powerful statement. What inspired that song, and why did it feel like the right introduction to the deluxe project?

C: That song is inspired by true events. The original Cherry Valley album was very cinematic, with real stories that were sometimes a little embellished. I wanted Cherry Valley Forever to feel like less of a departure and more like a deeper look into that world.

It’s almost like saying, “Now that I’ve let you into this world and you’ve accepted it, I can peel back a couple more layers.” So that song is very real.

I wrote it with my friends Hillary Lindsey and Steve Rush. I wrote it after the album came out, and I loved it so much that I knew it needed a place to live. It felt perfect for the deluxe edition.

The album explores heartbreak, family tensions, new love, and personal growth. Was there a song that was particularly difficult for you to write or release?

C: Weirdly, “If I’d Never Lost My Mind” was the first song I wrote. I hadn’t even written it specifically for the album. I’d just held onto it for a long time because I loved it.

It was very therapeutic to write, but it also felt vulnerable to release, which is usually how it goes for me. I always connect most with other people’s vulnerable songs, though, so I wanted to take that same risk myself.

You’ve cited everyone from Patsy Cline to Lana Del Rey as influences. How do you balance those classic and contemporary inspirations in your music?

C: I just love juxtaposition. I think it’s so much fun, and I love when other artists mix classic and current influences—not just in music, but in art in general.

A lot of it comes naturally. Some of the sounds are very classic, while the lyrics use modern language and everyday vernacular. In the studio, it’s always fun asking, “How do we blend these two worlds together?”

I’m fascinated by that because I draw inspiration from so many different eras.

You started writing songs as a teenager after a breakup. How has your songwriting process evolved since those early days?

C: During my first year of songwriting, I probably only wrote five songs. Back then, I only wrote when I truly had nowhere else to put my feelings.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are so many more nuances in life—smaller emotions and little moments that are worth writing about. I think I see the world with a much more open perspective now.

At this point, I could write a song about a chair and still find a story in it. I think that’s fun. Songwriting isn’t just about getting my emotions out anymore. Now it’s both storytelling and emotional expression.

You’re the first artist in a decade to receive an ACM Album of the Year nomination for a debut album. What was your reaction when you got that news?

C: It was crazy. Getting the nomination itself was incredible, but learning that fact made it even more surreal.

I remember when Chris Stapleton was nominated—it really felt like a moment in time. I had no idea about the history behind it until people started telling me and I kept seeing the headlines. It honestly blew my mind, and I still don’t think it’s fully sunk in.

Being the only female artist nominated in that ACM Album of the Year category adds another layer to the achievement. What does that recognition mean to you?

C: It means everything to me. I think especially because I sing about things—and sing about them in a bold, uncensored way—that aren’t always celebrated in life or in country music.

To have not just a song, but this entire body of work that I poured so much of myself into recognized as a new female artist felt like such a stamp of approval. More than anything, I hope it’s inspiring to other people making music to stay true to themselves and not center what everyone else expects.

Looking back at your younger self performing at Grammy Camp and the Bluebird Cafe, what do you think she’d say about where you are today?

C: Oh my God, I think her mind would be blown. These are all the dreams you have growing up, and while you hope they’ll happen, there’s always a part of you that wonders if they actually will.

She’d probably just say, “Thank God. Thank God I moved to Nashville for this.”

This year you’re sharing stages with artists like Post Malone, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, and Shaboozey. What excites you most about being part of such a diverse group of tours?

C: Probably the fact that I’m genuinely a fan of all those people. I’ve played so many festivals and opened for so many artists over the years. I’ve put in the reps and learned a lot.

This year, more than ever, I feel like I’m opening for artists who’ve inspired me since long before I even moved to Nashville. They’re people I’ve listened to for years. It feels like one of those moments where you put in the work, and eventually you end up exactly where you’ve always hoped to be.

Is there an artist you’ve toured with recently who’s given you advice that’s really stuck with you?

C: I toured with Kelsea Ballerini in Australia last December, which was already surreal. One night we were talking backstage, and she told me something I’ve heard other people say too: Perform for the person in the very last seat.

If you can make that person feel included, then you’re performing for everyone. Even the person in the back bought a ticket because they wanted to be there, and they deserve the same experience as someone standing in the front row. I thought that was such a beautiful reminder that we’re all sharing the same experience together.

You’re bringing Cherry Valley Forever to audiences in stadiums, theaters, and festivals. How does your performance change depending on the venue?

C: Honestly, it doesn’t change that much. My band and I have been playing together for a couple of years now—even before the album came out. Once it was released, we had a lot of fun building a production around our headline tour.

The biggest challenge now is figuring out which songs have to come out of the set when we only have 30 or 45 minutes instead of an hour and a half. That’s become the real puzzle.

You’re also making your acting debut in the Netflix film Heartland. What made you want to step into acting, and how different was it from making music?

C: Oh my God, it was very different.

Sometimes my music career feels like it’s all about me, and I wanted to do something completely different—something that felt more like a team sport. I had the best time on set.

You get to know everyone—the prop department, the hair and makeup team, the crew, the actors, the directors. It was really cool to be part of something that felt so much bigger than yourself.

Did acting teach you anything that you’ve brought back into your songwriting or live performances?

C: I always thought acting meant pretending to be someone else, but what I learned is that you almost have to become the character rather than simply act like them.

I’m not saying I mastered that—it was my first time—but I think that mindset carries over into music too. When you’re stepping into big opportunities as a singer, you have to carry yourself like you belong there.

Your brother is also a musician. Do you two share songs with each other before they’re released?

C: We do. It’s funny because he originally moved to California for college to study film, but he’d always loved music. Once he got out there, he really committed to it.

Our styles are completely different, but he writes and produces his own music, and it’s really fun to share songs with each other. We’ll send each other music from other artists—usually very different kinds of music—and every now and then we’ll both love the same song. It’s just fun to have someone in the family to talk music with.

If fans could take away just one message from Cherry Valley Forever, what would you hope it is?

C: I’d hope it’s to be bold and unapologetically yourself. I keep using the word uncensored, but I think that’s really what it comes down to—connecting with who you are and allowing yourself to be that person.

Last question: What’s one thing about this next chapter of your career that people aren’t expecting yet?

C: I’m making a new album, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want it to be and how I want it to exist in the world. So I think the biggest surprise is simply how that next chapter turns out.

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