Carter Faith is having the kind of year that changes a career, and her latest song comes with a major Hollywood connection. The rising country singer-songwriter has released “Still the Sparrow Sings,” an original composition she wrote and performs for the upcoming Netflix film ‘Heartland’, which marks her acting debut alongside Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain. The track arrives through Gatsby Records/MCA ahead of the film’s November 13 premiere, accompanied by an intimate performance video filmed at Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Cafe.
And the timing couldn’t be more exciting, with Faith also celebrating her first-ever CMA Award nomination for New Artist of the Year.
“Still the Sparrow Sings” serves as the second release from the film’s official soundtrack, offering listeners an early introduction to the music accompanying Faith’s first major acting role. Writing a song specifically for a film presents a different creative challenge from recording an artist’s own material, requiring the music to connect with a larger story while maintaining the songwriter’s individual voice. For Faith, whose career has been built around emotionally direct country songwriting, the project provides another opportunity to bring her music to audiences beyond the traditional Nashville circuit.
The accompanying performance video takes the song back to one of country music’s most celebrated listening rooms.
Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe has long been associated with the intimate storytelling tradition of country songwriting, where performers often introduce songs in a setting that places the lyrics and melodies at the centre of the experience. Filming “Still the Sparrow Sings” there connects Faith’s latest recording to the city’s longstanding community of songwriters and the personal stories that have helped shape the genre. It’s an especially appropriate setting for a musician beginning to expand her creative work into film.
The upcoming ‘Heartland’ soundtrack also features an impressive collection of country performers and actors, bringing together established Nashville voices and cast members contributing to the film’s musical identity.
Among the featured artists are three-time Grammy Award winner Jennifer Nettles, Carly Pearce, Margo Price and Channing Wilson, alongside Chastain herself. Actors John Hawkes, known for ‘True Detective’ and ‘Winter’s Bone’, and Ross Lynch, whose credits include ‘My Friend Dahmer’ and ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’, also contribute performances. The combination suggests a soundtrack closely connected to the film’s cast, with music playing an important role in bringing its characters and story to life.
For Faith, joining that company represents another significant step in a career that has already gathered remarkable momentum.
Her acting debut arrives during a breakthrough period that has seen her share stages with some of country music’s biggest names. Throughout the fall, Faith joined Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves and Shaboozey on tour, introducing her music to audiences with different tastes and expectations. Those opportunities have helped expand her visibility while allowing her to develop the live performances that remain central to her career.
Now she’s continuing that momentum through her own ‘Cherry Valley Forever Tour’, bringing her songs directly to fans across the United States.
The headlining run includes performances at San Diego’s House of Blues, St. Louis’ Old Rock House and Chicago’s Joe’s on Weed Street, offering audiences the opportunity to experience her music in a more personal concert setting. For an emerging artist, balancing major support opportunities with independent headline shows provides an important opportunity to establish a lasting connection with listeners.
Faith’s nomination for New Artist of the Year at the 2026 CMA Awards adds another achievement to an already extraordinary season.
The award will be presented during the November 18 ceremony, broadcast live on ABC, just five days after ‘Heartland’ premieres on Netflix. The nomination places Faith among the country artists receiving significant industry recognition for their work, while her involvement in the film introduces another dimension to her creative ambitions.
The sequence of events gives Faith an unusually busy November, with a new song, a major soundtrack release, an acting debut and one of country music’s most prominent awards ceremonies arriving within weeks of one another.
What makes this chapter especially intriguing is the way her songwriting and acting opportunities have developed together. “Still the Sparrow Sings” allows Faith to contribute to ‘Heartland’ through the craft that first established her reputation, while her on-screen role gives audiences another way to experience her talents. The film’s soundtrack, featuring performers from both the music and acting worlds, brings those two creative disciplines into the same project.
With her own tour underway and a growing list of collaborations and accomplishments, Faith is entering an important period of artistic expansion.
‘Heartland’ premieres November 13 on Netflix, with its accompanying soundtrack arriving the same day. “Still the Sparrow Sings” is out now, and its Bluebird Cafe performance video offers an early glimpse of the music accompanying Carter Faith’s first appearance on screen.
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