Country Singer Battled Scary Heart Condition: ‘Please Go Get Checked’

Published: June 16, 2026

Carly Pearce GettyImages-2196840585 — NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: Carly Pearce attends the The American Heart Association's Red Dress Collection Concert 2025 on January 30, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for The American Heart Association)

By Kayla DeKraker

Country artist Carly Pearce recently opened up about her reoccurring health battle with pericarditis, which she’s dealt with since 2020.

“I think just when you have any kind of diagnosis, I think it can be scary and give you anxiety about, ‘Is it going to happen again? Am I OK?’ For me, it was ‘Oh my gosh, is my heart OK? Am I going to have a heart attack?'” she told Fox News Digital about the fear the diagnosis brought on.

The Cleveland Clinic defines pericarditis as “inflammation of the thin sac around your heart, called the pericardium. It usually comes on quickly and can last weeks to months.

Though she officially received the diagnosis in 2024, Pearce had been having symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue since 2020.

“That was something I developed in 2020 and didn’t know what it was for a really long time,” Pearce told Rolling Stone. “It was kind of misdiagnosed, also dismissed. ‘Oh, you have anxiety. Oh, you have a busy schedule.’ And it’s like, ‘No, something’s not right.’”

She continued, “And, so, in 2024, I went public with that just because it took me out for a second. But I’m doing really well. And I haven’t had any kind of major flare. But I think, again, just trying to be honest with people and use my platform to be like, ‘Please go get checked because there was something wrong.’”

Pearce used knowledge to help herself remain steady through the uncertainty.

“Just kind of making sure that you’re educating yourself to know that those things are not going to happen,” she said, advising, “Don’t get on ChatGPT or WedMD.”

Thankfully, Pearce is doing much better.

“I’m doing really well right now. I feel like I’ve been in a really good place with my health and feel like I have plan for if I have a flare for recurrent pericarditis. I’m well-equipped and educated at this point to be able to know what to do.”

Pearce is back to singing and doing what she loves. Recently, the artist performed at the CMA Fest.

“CMA Fest! This was by far the most special one yet,” she posted on Instagram. “I said it last night, but I’ll say it again…I have worked my entire life to make it to the big stage, and I can’t tell you how grateful and blessed I am for this life. Also a huge shoutout to my amazing band for absolutely crushing it and being the brothers I never had.”