Kellie Pickler Says Married Life Is ‘Better Than What I Thought It Would Be’

Kellie Pickler is still enjoying life as a newly married woman. In January, Pickler and her songwriting boyfriend, Kyle Jacobs, wed in the Caribbean, surprising their family and friends when they decided to elope. As she enters her seventh month of marriage, Pickler says it has been and remains to be the best experience of her life.

"It's better than what I thought it would be," Pickler tells Taste of Country. "I never thought I'd be at this particular place in my life, so that's a real surprise for me, and I'm glad I jumped because I'm so very happy with Kyle. I can't complain as far as he and I go. I've been really, really blessed as far as that's concerned. He's my best friend, so I think that's the first rule of marriage is you've got to make sure you are marrying your best friend."

While she is keeping her maiden name, Pickler does enjoy hearing the occasional "Mrs. Jacobs." "It still kind of gets me off guard," she says with a laugh. "I mean, I'm always going to be Pickler, that's what everyone calls me still, so very rarely do I get called Mrs. Jacobs. It's always Ms. Pickler or KP."

Pickler, who has been in the studio working on her next album, says that married life has definitely changed her music -- especially her songwriting. "Any kind of change in your life kind of comes out in your writing," she says. "You write about your life. I’m not really someone to pull something out of thin air, but I guess I don't need to because my life is kind of a song [laughs]!"

Pickler's latest single and first release from her forthcoming album is 'Tough.' Look for the new album to hit stores later this year.

Watch the Kellie Pickler 'Makin' Me Fall in Love Again' Video