Carly Pearce dressed to the nines on Saturday (May 6) for her home state gig as the national anthem singer for the 149th Kentucky Derby. Her stunning baby-blue minidress was accentuated by flowers: on her skirt and a matching fascinator headpiece. Blue high heels with gold buckles tied together an outfit worthy of one of the South's marquee events for spring and summertime fashion.
Pearce teased her big gig in an April Instagram video by dawning the type of wide-brimmed hat that surely kept the sun of derby attendees' eyes. By the big day, the headgear got smaller and the outfit became more eye-catching.
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Fans get a peak behind the curtain in an Instagram carousel of everything from rehearsals to Pearce's hair extensions game.
"My Kentucky heart is the most full," Pearce wrote in the caption. "Thanks for having me today [Kentucky Derby]."
Pearce grew up in Taylor Mill, Kent., which is about 100 miles away from famed Louisville racetrack Churchill Downs.
As for the national anthem performance, Pearce kept it simple, letting her bluegrass-bred vocal range soar throughout a soulful rendition.
Fans and peers praised Pearce's personal touch on "The Star-Spangled Banner," with fellow singer-songwriter Jayda Dreyer among those glued to the NBC broadcast.
It wasn't the first time Pearce sang the national anthem at a home state sporting staple. The then-rising country star belted out "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 2017 during the University of Kentucky's men basketball matchup against the University of Louisville. Pearce wore a different shade of blue —the primary color of the Kentucky Wildcats— for the occasion.
