Thecountry starworked with Pack Up + Go to curate the perfect vacation itineraries for these secret getaways.
The singer also teased new music coming this summer as well as her next cookbook!
I am so excited to be working with Malibu.
It’s a “do what tastes good mindset” energy.
And I’m very, very excited to be able to do this for a few different people.
What kind of things were you considering when you were picking the packages and where people would go?
But I think that whoever wins this contest will not be surprised … You’re trying to find out!
But you know what?
I really love so many different parts of the U.S. Obviously, I love my home state here in Tennessee.
I love the East Coast.
But I will say I was in Baton Rouge recently.
My whole family’s from Baton Rouge, and I love Louisiana so much.
It’s always one of my favorite spots to visit.
I’ve always wanted to visit Switzerland.
But as far as in the U.S., I have not visitedWyoming.
I feel like that’s the spot I’d love to check out.
Do you have any favorite travel stories from the places you’ve been?
We took the kids to South Carolina, a little south of Charleston.
It was one of my favorite trips with my kids.
And I love, love, love the beach.
I love the water.
I love the sand.
I love the sun.
This was a lot of different activities that we did, and I loved it so much.
And the kids loved it.
It’s a mindset.
Sometimes planning a trip can be stressful for people.
And then once you finally get there, you’re so worn out from the planning.
So sometimes it’s good to have people help youplan your trips.
That way, you’re able to be relaxed throughout the whole process.
You don’t have to do any of the work.
You just show up and enjoy yourself.
Are you more of a planner when you go on trips, or do you attempt to be spontaneous?
I have a go at be spontaneous.
Where I’m at right now, I don’t need to leave."
Or you could get somewhere, and you didn’t plan anything.
And then something spontaneous happens.
I usually like to go with the flow.
What is one item you never travel without?
Oh goodness, I would sayChapStick.
… My lips get chapped so fast, and they burn.
I have a ChapStick problem.
I know that was a random choice.
Do you have any favorite cities specifically to perform in?
Oh, New York.New Yorkhas my heart.
I love playing there.
I love my New Yorker fans, my New Jersey fans.
I love the city.
I love the restaurants.
I love all the Italians.
New York just melts my heart every single time with the food and the people.
I’m sad that I never lived there.
But it’s definitely one of my favorite spots to play, and I just love the energy there.
Or is your schedule usually too busy?
We usually have the majority of the day.
We just walked, honestly.
So I usually get a whole day to explore, and I definitely take advantage of it.
Let me think about that.
[Speaking aside] Oh yeah.
That was fun … My manager Matt is actually with me now.
Glenside, you’re right.
Glenside was really cute and quaint.
It was this little square and had cute little restaurants and shops.
That was so much fun.
Glenside, Pennsylvania was awesome.
Is there any song from that you’re most proud of?
Probably [the title track] “The Woman I’ve Become.”
I’ve never written anything that vulnerable before.
I feel like I, as an artist, sometimes my job is to bring fun and joy.
And I sometimes have a hard time being vulnerable.
But for the first time, I was vulnerable.
And I’m even more proud because it seemed to touch a lot of people.
What was that like, trying something new like and then seeing the response to it?
You never know how people are going to react.
But once the reaction was so amazing and so special, it made me feel good.
I do have another cookbook in the works and I will have a rumcocktail recipein there.
So I’m very, very excited about that book.
But I also have more music coming out.
Expect something really cool in July.
Each trip, worth $10,000, will be coordinated by surprise travel brand Pack Up + Go.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
