Carly Pearce and Michael Ray are the hottest new couple in country music. The two lovebirds, who confirmed their relationship in July, have dueted on the Grand Ole Opry and often speak openly about each other in the press, as Pearce recently did during an interview with The Boot.

"As long as his songs don’t beat mine on the chart we’re good," Pearce jokes, cracking a smile before admitting that she never expected herself to date a fellow singer.

"I would’ve laughed at you if you would’ve told me, ‘You’re gonna end up dating a country artist.’ I would’ve said, 'That’s really funny. Never. I don’t want to date an artist,’" she admits. "[But] it's really awesome."

Though Pearce may have originally been opposed to the idea of dating another musician, she says that she and Ray use their work experiences as a connecting and uplifting point. The competitive spirit between the two is "healthy," she adds.

"I’m very supportive of him, he’s very supportive of me," Pearce shares. "We build each other up and are there for each other if we need to cry or just get something out that’s frustrating."

Pearce hasn't been shy about admitting that she was crushing on Ray for a while before they got together, either. Now, she says, she "look[s] up to him in a lot of ways because he’s had a lot of success, and he’s just had more years doing it on this level than I have."

"I’m a fan in the way that I would be if he wasn’t my boyfriend," she says warmly, "and I think vice-versa."

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