Fans of Reba McEntire were disappointed this year to hear that the country queen won’t be returning to the vocal competition show The Voice this year. She’s been a standout coach on the program for quite a few seasons. Singer Kelsea Ballerini will fill in for Reba on Season 27, and some fans are wondering what Ballerini’s all about. Let’s look at just a few fast facts about Reba McEntire’s replacement on The Voice, Kelsea Ballerini!
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She’s Yet Another Powerhouse Country Singer from Tennessee
Kelsea Ballerini was born in Mascot, Tennessee. She got her start as a country singer in Knoxville. She had her first meeting with a Nashville-based label at the tender age of 14, though she was initially rejected. That didn’t stop her and her mother from moving to Nashville to nurture her budding music career.
Her Debut Album Went Platinum
Ballerini’s first country album was The First Time, which was released in 2015. She quickly became the very first female country singer to have three debut singles (“Peter Pan”, “Dibs”, and “Love Me Like You Mean It”) all reach no. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. The First time went platinum, and she was named the New Female Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards the following year.
She’s a Champion for the LGBTQ Community
Ballerini has hosted the CMT Music Awards several times from 2021 to 2024. She used her platform as the award ceremony’s emcee to show her support for the queer community, and even performed with a few famous drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2023.
She’s Been on Quite a Few TV Shows
Outside of music, Ballerini has become a bit of a fan favorite on TV. She appeared as a guest on the drama series Nashville back in 2016, as well as the show Songland in 2019. She also made her Sesame Street debut in 2021. Ballerini also performed her songs “Blindsided” and “Penthouse” on Saturday Night Live back in 2023. Ballerini took things a bit more seriously with her dramatic acting debut in the medical show Doctor Odyssey in 2024.
This Isn’t Her First Time on ‘The Voice’
Season 27 will be Ballerini’s first season as a full-time coach on The Voice. However, she’s got some rapport with the show. On the show’s 15th season, Kelsea Ballerini joined the team as the fifth coach for The Comeback Stage, a digital companion to The Voice. In 2021, she temporarily filled Kelly Clarkson’s seat on Season 20 of The Voice as well.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CMT
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