Country singer Gabby Barrett details financial and emotional struggles before fame

Before the glitz and glamor of stardom, Gabby Barrett knew all too well the struggles of “being at the bottom.”

The 26-year-old country star, who recently released her latest single “In On It,” opened up about her rise to fame, spoke candidly about the financial and emotional challenges she’s faced, and talked about how her faith has gotten her through tough times in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Barrett was one of seven children and learned the importance of a strong work ethic at an early age.

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“Growing up in Pittsburgh, my family was always very hard-working,” Barrett said. “My mom was both working. My mom stayed home with us when we were little, and now as a mom, I really appreciate that. But she’s been working for a long time. My dad worked several jobs at the same time. My dad is very entrepreneurial, so that rubs off on me. And he’s a businessman, and I’ve seen him work really hard my whole life and sacrifice a lot for me, too, in those early years when I was singing in Pennsylvania and trying to make a name for myself.”

“Sometimes we couldn’t pay the electric bill or the lights were turned off and we had to pack sandwiches into the car because we couldn’t afford to stop all the way to the car,” he continued. “I remember we were all sleeping in the car while we were getting ready to go on ‘American Idol.’ And there were a couple of dogs in the car, too. It was just crazy. I mean, I understand what it’s like to be down and what it’s like to be on top. And I really appreciate my parents for instilling a hard work ethic in me, because I understand that. And there are challenges that come with that. But I’m really grateful for that.”

The “I Hope” singer started singing around the age of nine and found herself performing at local fairs and festivals before competing on Season 16 of “American Idol” in 2018 at the age of 18.

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“I was so nervous,” Barrett admitted. “My dad was a very motivating, encouraging person, you know, even when I was having a hard time at school, he would always help turn a negative into a positive for me… I was a minor on ‘American Idol,’ I was 17, 18, so I kind of got into that mindset because it was the first time I felt like I was really saying, ‘Okay, there’s real pressure here.’ Like, this was my first foray into something global where millions of people are watching you at the same time, which is very difficult. That’s hard for a 17, 18-year-old.” “So it was a challenge, but it was a good challenge.”

Barrett’s latest single “In On It” is out. “The inspiration behind this song was that no matter what your circumstances, God has a plan for your life,” he told Fox News Digital. (Getty Images)

While Barrett placed third in the singing competition, she left with a full heart.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what was going to come out of ‘American Idol.’ I honestly had no idea. At first I thought it was a scam… I was discovered by the producer and I got an email like, ‘Hey, ‘American Idol’ wants you to do this,’ uh, you like this thing. And I said, this isn’t real. No way. Of course it was. I auditioned for it and came in third that season, which I just finished. I couldn’t be more grateful for how things turned out. It was great.” It felt like another world though… I’m proud of where I’ve come from then and it’s been such a fun journey ever since.”

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In 2018, Barrett appeared on Season 16 of “American Idol.” (Getty Images)

The experience also changed her personal life: Barrett met her husband, Cade Foehner, while competing on “Idol.” The two married a year after appearing on the show together and have since gone on to have three children.

Gabby Barrett and Cade Foehner have been married for almost seven years. (Getty Images)

“I think marriage develops you deeply as a person and also shows you where your weaknesses and strengths are,” Barrett said. “You’re always going to have friction. You’re always going to disagree somewhere and it’s a matter of resolution, you know, like am I still going to elect you because of this?”

“I’ve been married for almost seven years, I got married when I was 19,” he continued. “Everyone said ‘No!’ he said. Do you know? Because it’s so…young and you’re still figuring out the meaning of life. You start asking all these big questions. ‘Who do I want to be? What do I want to be about?’ There’s a lot to figure out. And at 26 I’m still trying to figure this out intensely. I’m not saying I have it all together because there are challenges. “But it taught me a lot about me as a person, and it also taught me how grateful I am to God for marriage and what a great gift it really is.”

As a working mother of three children, Barrett said she’s learned an important lesson: There’s no such thing as balance.

The couple shares three children together. (Getty Images)

“I like to throw the word balance out the window,” Barrett said. “There’s really no balance. I’m a person of faith and so I really prioritize my family and make sure they’re okay. I also really prioritize the music and make sure I’m really intentional about the way I make the music and what I’m putting out and something that I can connect with the fans. So there’s no balance but it’s really fun.”

“I’m going on tour right now… and I’m taking my kids on the tour bus, too, and you know, some nights are not the best nights to sleep, but when you zoom out and put it in perspective, it’s really great. Like, I can take my kids to work. I know there are a lot of hard-working parents who can’t take their kids to work or have their kids go to daycare. And that’s something I don’t accept.” [granted]. “I’m truly grateful for the life I’ve lived.”

Despite all the challenges life can throw at her, Barrett remains true to her faith. So much so that this song became the inspiration for her latest single “In On It”.

“The inspiration behind this song was that no matter your circumstances, God has a plan for your life,” he said. “And I was offered this song. It was a song that I didn’t actually write. So I had to really feel it deeply and I wanted to convey the message of the song. And as soon as this song came to me, I was like, ‘Oh, I love this.’ And I could see myself writing it and pushing it.”

Barrett relies heavily on her faith to get her through tough times. (Getty Images)

“And the writer didn’t actually give us the script for everything, you know,” Barrett continued. “The plan of life is not right in front of us. And so we have to trust God even in those uncomfortable situations… I’m sure I’ve been through uncomfortable circumstances, as we all do. And as time has gone on, I’ve moved past them. And then I look back and I’m actually able to peel away some valuable things, even though I didn’t feel good at the time, I still did it. And so, once again, trusting and believing that God has a much bigger plan for your life. You can see it right now.”

For Barrett, Christianity is everything.

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“I’m a Christian and I like to think of myself as more of a Christian, where I’m not afraid to talk about that part of my life because it’s organically woven into the way I live,” she said.

“My husband and I have three children, and this is something that’s really important to us. It’s actually something that’s woven into all of my music. So I think it’s really important to represent a message like that, especially in a world we’re in right now. I think everyone could use a message that’s positive, encouraging, and points to God.”