Kelsea Ballerini Praises Taylor Swift for ‘Blazing a Trail’ in Country Music
It was the work of Taylor Swift, though, that truly inspired Ballerini to create a voice to represent all the young women she connected with through her true-to-self lyrics.
Thanks to the women in country music that came before her, Kelsea Ballerini feels confident whenever she contributes her individuality to the genre within her voice.
Wishing upon the day she finally would make it big as an artist, Ballerini acknowledges the females who led the way long before her time. As a self-proclaimed fan of Faith Hill, Shania Twain and many more of her idols she grew up listening to, Ballerini couldn’t imagine getting to the place she’s worked so hard for without their previous success.
It was the work of Taylor Swift, though, that truly inspired Ballerini to create a voice to represent all the young women she connected with through her true-to-self lyrics. Even as a musician on a lesser known label, Ballerini depended on the gracious shout outs and support Swift sent her way in the early days of her musical journey.
“Taylor [Swift] launched and completely changed the music industry in the most amazing way. I really think that she blazed a trail for all my fellow new women in country. I’ve always looked up to Taylor … so when she tweeted about my EP before my album even came out, I think that fact that she did that was her kind of being like, ‘I was a young singer/songwriter on an independent label, I feel you.’ And that was the first moment of us relating to each other,” Ballerini said in an interview with Cosmopolitan.
After hitting three No. 1 singles from her debut album and breaking down barriers even more so for women in country music, Ballerini finds the greatest humility when she hears her songs playing through her car speakers. The feeling never fades, and she couldn’t be more honored by the opportunity she worked day in and day out for.
“I still freak out when I hear my song on the radio,” she revealed. “I have always been a little ambitious and a bit of a dreamer…but I don’t know if I ever thought it would actually happen.”
“Legends,” the first single from Ballerini’s forthcoming sophomore release is playing on country radio now.
