Kelsea Ballerini: 'The First Time' Makes History
Just turned 23 and already making history: Kelsea Ballerini. That’s right Kelsea’s career trajectory has been the steepest upward trend in country music. With three number 1 singles off her debut album, The First Time, Ms. Ballerini is creating quite the legacy. Photo cred: Rox
Kelsea came right out of the gate with her first #1 Love Me Like You Mean It back on June 22nd, 2015. Not only was it her first number 1, but it was the first time in 9 years a solo female country artist debuted at #1. She sure made her label Black River Entertainment proud!
The next month she released her second single to country radio, DIBS. While this next track was gaining play on the air waves Kelsea was on the road, stopping along some tour dates of Lady Antebellum’s Wheels Up Tour and then as the permanent opener on Dan & Shay’s Just The Right Kind of Crazy Tour. Her second #1 became DIBS in February 2015.
This summer Kelsea Ballerini secured a spot on the Rascal Flatts Rhythm and Roots 2016 Tour. Making history the day before her 23rd birthday September 11th, 2016 she learned Peter Pan hit number 1 on country charts! First debut female artist in country music to have her first 3 consecutive singles go #1. The Peter Pan music video was such a perfect visual of the emotional lyrics of the song: always gonna fly away because you know you can. And the beautiful dresses she wore alongside her cute co star actor playing Peter Pan are going to be featured in Country Music Hall of Fame. The official video is a must see!
Young, flawless, with a new love, new home, and her new first headlining tour this fall! The First Time Tour hits the road this October and rolls around to New York at the Irving Plaza on December 2nd. The final single off her debut album will be Yeah Boy (which also has an official video coming soon, possibly October 10th from an Instagram hint a couple days ago. This star definitely keeps us guessing!).
Photo cred: @guerinblask on @kelseaballerini Instagram
This Yeah Boy live performance and all the video in this post have been my footage of her performance at the Starland Ballroom on January 21st, 2016.
It just so happens as I write this coverage of Kelsea’s whirlwind year she posted a picture on Instagram of two roses and an announcement that she’s been working on the next record! (what a coincidence!) Photo cred: @kelseaballerini
Last week a Snapchat of a clip of a new song sparked rumors of possible collaborations with Taylor Swift or a pop record. Kelsea elaborated today that “it’s not a collaboration with anyone, and I’m not making a pop record. Just exploring all the boundaries of songwriting and creativity I have so I can make the best record I can make for both me and you. So, this is Roses.” There you have it. From the history maker herself, she’s sticking to her roots, pushing songwriting boundaries, and taking the country world by storm. My only complaint was that the 1 minute clip wasn’t long enough! Can’t wait to see what Kelsea Ballerini brings to country radio and what glass ceilings she’ll continue to soar through,not just for young up and coming female country artists, but for the records she is bound to set for all singer/songwriters across genres!
