Country singer Michael Ray has opened up about his past toxic relationship and featured a Carly Pearce lookalike in his new music video. The singer's latest single, "Picture," tells the story of a relationship that was not as perfect as it appeared on the surface.
In an interview with People, Ray revealed that the song was inspired by a past relationship that left him feeling trapped and suffocated. He explained that he had been in a toxic relationship where he felt like he was losing himself and his own identity.
The music video for "Picture" features a lookalike of Ray's ex-girlfriend, country singer Carly Pearce. Ray said that he did not intend to hurt Pearce, who he is now friends with, but rather wanted to tell his story in an honest and authentic way.
Ray and Pearce were previously in a high-profile relationship, which ended in 2020. The two have since remained supportive of each other's music careers and have even collaborated on a song together.
In the People interview, Ray emphasized the importance of being true to oneself and not sacrificing one's own happiness for the sake of a relationship. He expressed hope that his song and music video would inspire others to be honest about their own experiences and find the courage to move on from toxic relationships.
"Picture" is part of Ray's upcoming album, "Higher Education," which is set to be released in August 2021.
