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Carly Pearce and Riley Green Unveil ‘If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay’ With Cliffhanger Video

Pearce conceived the pairing with Riley Green to showcase her next album.

Overview

  • The duet and its steamy Wes Edwards–directed video were released March 13, with filming completed in Nashville roughly three weeks earlier.
  • Pearce initiated the collaboration after songwriter Jordan Reynolds flagged the track, and Green replied “I’m in” within minutes before they recorded vocals in January.
  • The slow-burning song follows two on-again, off-again lovers trying to resist a familiar pull, underscored by lyrics about striking matches they cannot quite extinguish.
  • The video intentionally ends on a cliffhanger meant to spur debate over whether Pearce’s character left that night or the next morning, according to Pearce.
  • Both artists stressed their on-screen intimacy was performance only, as they leaned on long-standing rapport while building on Pearce’s collaboration track record and Green’s recent duet wins.