Kelsea Ballerini

Biography

Kelsea Nicole Ballerini (born September 12, 1993) is an American country pop singer and songwriter. She was born in Mascot, Tennessee, and grew up in Knoxville. Ballerini began songwriting as a child and moved to Nashville, Tennessee at age 15 to pursue a music career. At 19, she signed a record deal with Black River Entertainment.

Career Breakthrough

Ballerini released her debut single "Love Me Like You Mean It" in 2014. The song reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making her the first female artist to top that chart with a debut single since Carrie Underwood in 2006. Her debut album, "The First Time," was released in 2015 and also featured the number one singles "Dibs" and "Peter Pan." This made her the first female country artist to have her first three singles from a debut album reach the top of the charts since Wynonna Judd.

Subsequent Success

Her second album, "Unapologetically" (2017), debuted at number three on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and included the hit single "Legends." In 2019, at the age of 25, she was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, becoming its youngest member at the time. She followed up with the albums "Kelsea" (2020) and its acoustic counterpart "Ballerini" (2020). The collaboration "Half of My Hometown" with Kenny Chesney from "Kelsea" won two Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.

Her fourth studio album, "Subject to Change," was released in 2022, followed by the EP "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat" in 2023. In 2024, she released her fifth album, "Patterns."

Artistry and Achievements

Ballerini is known for blending country and pop influences in her music, with personal and relatable lyrics. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and nominations. She is a five-time Grammy Award nominee and has won two Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards and two CMA Awards. In 2021, she co-hosted the CMT Music Awards and won for CMT Performance of the Year.

Discography

Studio Albums:

• The First Time (2015)
• Unapologetically (2017)
• Kelsea (2020)
• Subject to Change (2022)
• Patterns (2024)

Extended Plays:

• Kelsea Ballerini (2014)
• Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (2023)