Kelsea Ballerini Recalls Bonding with Carly Pearce Pre-Fame in ‘Therapy Group’ for Women in Country Music (Exclusive)

Kelsea Ballerini and Carly Pearce have been friends for quite some time.

During a week-long guest hosting gig on SiriusXM’s Women of Country channel in honor of Women’s History Month, Ballerini opened up about getting to know Pearce before either of them were famous.

“Before we had anything on the radio, before we had any success, we were friends in like this all-girl, basically just like therapy group,” said the “Baggage” performer, 31, in a clip exclusively shared with PEOPLE.

“We were all just trying to figure out how to break into the industry and like being a support system for each other. And then we both had the opportunity to sign a record deal and start touring and put songs out. And we have just walked alongside each other through the last, more than 10 years, honestly,” added Ballerini.

While the two artists have “gotten to perform together and do songs together” including “You’re Drunk, Go Home” from Ballerini’s Subject to Change, Pearce, 34, is “a really wonderful friend.”

“We’ve gotten to walk life together and we’ve both had so much life happen and life change in the last 10 years,” she continued. “And to be able to have a sister that is also a peer that also just like you can relate to as a girl going through life and growing up and all those things, but also be like, ‘Okay, like, how are we feeling about music right now? Are you doing okay on the road? Are you tired? Like, what do you need from me?'”

Ballerini expressed, “It’s been really important for me to have her as such a beautiful friend. So, shout out to Carly Pearce. I love you forever.”

In January, Pearce gushed to PEOPLE about her friendship with Ballerini at the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert in New York City.

“Kelsea and I have been friends for over 10 years,” she said at the time. “I watched her when she had 200 or 300 people in a little club, and now she’s selling out big arenas, so it was surreal.”

Pearce noted she’s learned a thing or two from watching Ballerini perform live. “I feel like she has a really amazing ability to perform like the superstar she is in front of thousands of people, but she still remains so vulnerable and honest, and you feel very connected to her, even if you’re sitting all the way in the back,” she said.