Yes, Chase Rice Hopes to Find Love and Have Some Kids. But What He Really Wants Is to Get His Music Heard (Exclusive)

Every time Chase Rice has himself figured out, he surprises even himself. 

“I’m doing a puzzle right now,” the country star states in a state of disbelief during an interview with PEOPLE. “And I f—ing hate puzzles. It’s absurd. I got to go back to getting drunk every night.”

He laughs, but that occasional reality seems to be changing too, as Rice goes on to admit that he hasn’t had a drink in a “couple weeks.” “It’s been awesome,” the “Eyes on You” hitmaker declares “I’m just trying not to drink during social settings. I need to learn how to actually be around people and not have to be drunk.”

As usual, Rice, now 39, is speaking his truth — and singing right along with it.

Take for example his new original song “Cowboy Goodbye” — a lyrical sentimental silhouette featured on Rice’s new Live From Chief’s EP, and a release that further proves that the diamond-certified songwriter from North Carolina has arrived at a time where he’s looking to lead with his heart rather than his ego.

“Lately, I’m really big on real stories to me or well-written stories that are probably true for somebody else,” says the newly appointed independent artist, who hopes the song will find itself on his upcoming record Eldora. “This is obviously me going down that road. It is like the [North Carolina theme park] Tweetsie Railroad references. It’s all real-life stories about my life, and it’s just how I felt.”

The touching song even includes references to a childhood love. “She was my summer love,” says Rice of the girl named Jenny, who was 10 years older than him. “We would be at church camp when I was a little kid, and I’d walk around in my cowboy boots with jean shorts on and just thought I was cool as s—. And man, I fell in love with Jenny. I loved her. She’d always give me hugs and stuff, and I was just a cute little kid.”

Jenny died is a car accident just a few years later.

“I played [“Cowboy Goodbye”] for her parents this summer,” Rice says quietly. “So yeah, it’s a real story and the truth about my life and where my life is at these days and all the goodbyes that have led to it.”

And as Rice gets older, the goodbyes seem to sting a bit more — especially the ones that led him to find himself at this moment where he faces life alone in many ways.

“I’m at that point in my life where I’m not looking for love, but I’m at least trying to get my ducks in a row to where if the right one comes along, I’m ready,” says Rice, who is currently out on his Go Down Singin’ international tour. “And that’s just part of growing up. I just don’t want to wake up and be 50 years old and have all this to myself.”

Rice says he’s also wanting kids and hopes to become a father someday. “Whether it happens, or I am married or not, time will tell. But I’d obviously like to do it with the right woman.”

He would also like to figure out the best way to share his music these days, especially as the music industry seems to get more fragmented and downright confusing by the minute.

“That has been the frustrating part of the last two years because it’s the best music I’ve ever made,” explains Rice, indirectly referring to albums such as 2023’s critically acclaimed I Hate Cowboys and All Dogs Go to Hell and 2024’s Go Down Singin. “But the masses haven’t heard it. They don’t know it exists. So how do we get people to really believe what I’m doing? And the short answer for me is just keep doing it.”

He draws in a deep breath. 

“You look at ‘Ready, Set, Roll’ and ‘Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.’ and all those songs that were hits for me back the day and it keeps me wondering why that is what people want to hear, as opposed to the more quality, better music that I’m making now?”

Rice concludes: “I don’t have an answer for that, but I’m not going to go back to what I was doing. This is who I am.”