Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini is a contemporary country and country pop singer-songwriter from Mascot, United States, who is associated with Knoxville, Tennessee, and Nashville. She starts writing songs at 13 and begins learning guitar a year later before moving to Nashville at 15 to pursue a professional career in singing and songwriting.

Early career

In 2013, at the age of 19, Ballerini signs a publishing deal with Black River Publishing and later that year a recording deal with Black River Entertainment. Her debut single, Love Me Like You Mean It, is released in 2014 and grows into a major hit, reaching number five on the Billboard country singles chart and number one on the country airplay chart.

Releases and recognition

Ballerini releases a digital EP titled Kelsea Ballerini in November 2014. As her profile increases, CMT names her one of its Next Women of Country in 2014, and she appears at the Grand Ole Opry for the first time on 13 February 2015.

Her first full-length album, The First Time, is released by Black River in May 2015. It debuts at number four on the Billboard country chart and number 31 on the Billboard 200, and it later goes gold.

Later work

In June 2017, Ballerini releases Legends, the first single from her second album, Unapologetically, which appears in November. She is associated with the labels KNB Music and Black River Records.