A decade has passed since Kelsea Ballerini released her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It.” And what a decade it has been. 2024 was a particularly memorable year for the Knoxville, Tennessee-raised artist, scoring her first No. 1 album with October’s Patterns. As she gears up for her first-ever arena tour, Ballerini, 31, paused for a momentary look backward.
Videos by American Songwriter
Kelsea Ballerini Is Seeking Comfort in 2025
Kelsea Ballerini has referred to Patterns, her fifth studio record, as her “Saturn return album.” “In every area of my life from 28 to 30, I have felt everything,” she told Nylon. “It’s almost like a shedding of your skin.”
Your 30s are a time for becoming and unbecoming, of finding and wielding your power. Ballerini channeled that transformative energy all throughout Patterns, and it seemed to be a common 2024 theme for her as well. “i spent majority of this year wildly uncomfortable,” she wrote on social media Saturday (Jan. 4.) “part of it intentional, knowing real growth and creativity (maybe even freedom) comes from pushing myself out of my comfort zone.”
Although this year often left Ballerini “shaking in her boots,” the 2025 Grammy nominee has learned to coexist with that fear and “and settle into a new pace and level of steady love.”
“not dashing during dust storms and enjoying the view even more when it settles,” she wrote. “taking a magnifying glass to past patterns, and valuing, even protecting its place in my life.”
2025 will see Ballerini continue to “push and seek and want,” but also return to a place of comfort during comfortable times.
“don’t get me wrong, i love a little chaos,” she wrote. “i just wonder how it pairs with a little more peace.”
“See You in Arenas and the Big Red Seat Next Month”
In addition to embarking on her first-ever arenas tour, Kelsea Ballerini is looking forward to another endeavor. The “Dibs” singer will take her place in the “big red seat” for her coaching debut on The Voice next month.
Ballerini joins veteran coaches Michael Bublé, Adam Levine and John Legend for the show’s 27th season, which kicks off Monday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
Featured image by Darian DiCianno/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.