Kimberly Marie Perry (born July 12, 1983) is an American country music singer-songwriter best known as a member of The Band Perry alongside her brothers Neil and Reid.
The band transitioned to pop in 2017 and attained limited success before officially announcing a hiatus in 2023. Following this, Kimberly returned to her country roots and launched a career as a solo artist.
Career
Beginnings
Perry sang in her own band as a teenager with her brothers Neil and Reid working as roadies and eventually as her opening act.[1] Kimberly released an EP entitled "Carry On" with a song of the same name inspiring two songs on "Pioneer". Once they had united to form as "the Band Perry", they joined a New Faces of Country tour in 2005.[2][1][3]
The Band Perry
In 2008, they were discovered by Garth Brooks' manager Bob Doyle, who helped them make recordings that were sent to Scott Borchetta, head of the newly established Republic Nashville label and were subsequently signed the following year, releasing their debut single "Hip to My Heart" in November 2009.[1][4] Their five track self-tiled extended play was released on April 6, 2010 and was later expanded into their debut album, which was released on October 12 that same year. The album included "Hip to My Heart", which reached number 20 on the BillboardHot Country Songs chart, and four additional singles which all reached the top 10. The album's second single "If I Die Young", was a breakthrough for the band, becoming their first number one and being certified 6x platinum and sold 1.6 million copies.[5] The band subsequently won the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year, with Kimberly, the sole writer of "If I Die Young", also winning Song of the Year and becoming just the fourth woman to win the award with a solo composition. Perry was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Song at the 53rd Grammy Awards, while The Band Perry won New Vocal Duo/Group and Top New Artist at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards. Additional singles from their self-titled debut included "You Lie", which reached number two, "All Your Life", which became the group's second number one, and "Postcard from Paris", which reached number six.
On August 14, 2015, the band released "Live Forever" off their planned third studio album and subsequently signed with Interscope Records with the plan to release more pop-oriented material. They released several singles, including "Comeback Kid" and "Stay in the Dark" on Interscope to limited success and a third album, tentatively titled Heart + Beat and later My Bad Imagination, never materialized and they left the label in mid-2018. The group self-released a five track extended play in September 2018 titled Coordinates.[8]
Solo career
The Band Perry announced that they were officially going on hiatus on March 27, 2023 to focus on solo projects.[9] Kimberly was the first to reveal plans and signed with RECORDS, a subsidiary of Columbia to release her debut solo single "If I Die Young Pt. 2" on May 5, 2023, the first track from Bloom, an extended play which was released on June 9.[8] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Perry stated that she was hoping to have her debut solo album completed by the fall of 2023.[10]
A longer version of the Bloom EP, titled Superbloom, was released on October 27, including several new songs, such as "Fool's Gold", "Black Corvette", and "Monsters".[11]
Personal life
Perry announced her engagement to Toronto Blue Jays catcher J. P. Arencibia on September 30, 2013, and married him in Greeneville, Tennessee, on June 12, 2014.[12][13] The pair divorced in March 2018.[14] Perry married Johnny Costello in June 2021 and announced that the couple were expecting their first child in April 2023.[15][16] On June 1, Perry revealed that she had previously suffered a miscarriage prior to recording "If I Die Young Pt. 2".[17]
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