More Cherry Valley is on the way for Carter Faith fans.
Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Megan Moroney. These are some of the biggest female names in country music as we speak. But there is another woman not on this list that you need to tune into if you’re not already.
Carter Faith will be the next it girl of country music — mark my words. And she is well on her way to making that statement come true.
Ahead of last year’s ACM Awards, Ella Langley shared that she felt like Carter Faith was going to be the next hot name in country music, a very similar prediction to how Lainey Wilson mentioned Ella’s name the year prior. Ella Langley knew what she was talking about because last year, Carter Faith released her debut record, Cherry Valley, and it took the world by storm.
The blonde firecracker with booming vocals has a voice you would not expect from her petite frame. Faith describes herself as “a cowgirl hippie and sometimes kind of trippy,” and I think that hits the nail on the head. Her vocals embrace the roots of classic country, with some songs carrying a whimsical’ 70s-inspired groove. Her lyrics detail life events through a comedic lens, and others strike a deep chord.
Although Faith did not come from a musical family, she was bitten by the country music bug when she stumbled upon her grandfather’s country music cassette tapes. After studying those for quite some time, she began teaching herself music, first by learning to play the piano and guitar. Faith then began to take music more seriously after her first heartbreak at 16, penning a tune about the anguish her heart endured.
Since releasing her debut single in 2020, Faith has collaborated with artists like Sam Williams, Alison Krauss, Tyler Halverson, Corey Kent and more. But Faith really solidified her status as a force to be reckoned with on her debut record, creating an experience that transported fans to a whimsical place called Cherry Valley.
Cherry Valley is filled with wild nights, heartbreak, growth, and lyrics that cut like a knife. The project turned a lot of heads here at Whiskey Riff, earning the title of the Best Debut Album of 2025 and landing at #15 on the 40 Best Country Albums of 2025. But beyond what we think here at Whiskey Riff, it turned heads by the big players securing a nomination for Album of the Year at the upcoming ACM Awards.
Instead of receiving a New Female Artist nomination (like many up-and-comers do for their first nomination), her first ACM nod is for her stellar debut album, Cherry Valley, competing for the highly coveted Album of the Year. Undoubtedly, Faith and Cherry Valley absolutely deserve the nomination; however, it’s incredibly interesting (and rare) to see an artist’s first nomination be for Album of the Year.
I think this nomination alone speaks volumes about how incredible this project is. AND she’s the only woman nominated in this category.
To keep the Cherry Valley era going, today, May 15, the “Six String” singer announced that she will be gifting fans with a deluxe edition of the record, Cherry Valley Forever.
Cherry Valley Forever, out everywhere on July 24, features five additional tracks and arrives on the heels of her historic ACM nomination. To give fans a taste of what’s in store for the deluxe edition of this record, Faith is sharing a brand new tune, “Ain’t Over You Yet.” The song, penned by Faith, Hillary Lindsay, and Steve Rusch, has been teased on social media, building significant hype ahead of this release.
Sonically, this tune fits perfectly into the Cherry Valley fame as Faith delivers the heartbreaking lyrics of meeting up with a lover, knowing that the relationship is and has been over for quite some time. But she has a glimmer of faith that they might be able to turn things around and find that spark again.
“I’m all gussied up to get down
Beat a dead horse into the ground
I’m standing on the curb, you’re picking me up
Something ’bout tonight got me lonely enough
So turn that radio on
And love me all night to a sad song
Yeah, baby, I can take another regret
Kiss me like you ain’t over me yet”
In the end, Faith knows that she’s hurting her own feelings by keeping this hope alive and knows it’s best to move on. Talk about a sad song that hurts too good.
Carter Faith continues to prove that she is country music’s next it girl… Honestly, she might already be there. Turn “Ain’t Over Me Yet” all the way up.
And just for fun. Ahead of this new release, Faith shared a snippet of this single being played on an omnichord. If you like what you hear and want to be transported into another universe, I highly recommend firing up this clip before you go.
I might need a full omnichord version in the future…
