Kelsea Ballerini: Country Music’s New Golden Girl

"That's all you can ask for as a songwriter and an artist," Ballerini told us after receiving her Gold record for "Peter Pan." 

Written by Lauren Jo Black
Kelsea Ballerini: Country Music’s New Golden Girl
Kelsea Ballerini; Photo by David O'Donohue

Less than 15 months ago, a bright-eyed girl with big dreams from East Tennessee released her debut album, The First Time. Since then, Kelsea Ballerini seen those dreams come true…and then some.

With two chart-topping singles, an Academy of Country Music Award, an American Country Countdown Award, and an opening slot on one of this summer’s hottest tours to her name, one would think things couldn’t get any better for Ballerini, but that’s not the case.

Her latest single, “Peter Pan,” which she co-wrote with with Forest Glen Whitehead and Jesse Lee, just made its way inside the Top 5 at Country radio. If the song follows in the footsteps of “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “Dibs,” the 22-year-old will make history as the first woman in Country music history to have written her first three consecutive No.1 singles off of a debut album.

Kelsea says the thought of achieving such a milestone “freaks me out,” but she couldn’t be more thankful for her success.

“I feel as a new artist and a songwriter, all you want is for your music to be heard,” Ballerini told Sounds Like Nashville. “To have it embraced in any way is great, but to have it embraced by radio, which is the biggest platform for people to hear your music, it’s a huge deal. I still can’t believe it.”

Photo by Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry

Photo by Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry

The singer/songwriter got even more good news last week when she was surprised with a Gold record for “Peter Pan” after performing one of two sets at the Grand Ole Opry.

“It’s so crazy,” she gushed over the honor. “That’s 500,000 people that have listened to it and bought it. It’s just so cool and it’s my favorite song I’ve released so far, so just to know that that many people have heard it and responded to it, that’s all you can ask for as a songwriter and an artist.”

Ballerini was part of a star-studded two-show night at the Opry that included Bill Anderson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Thompson Square, and Opry Member Carrie Underwood. The night was somewhat of a full-circle moment for the rising superstar.

“I had a a terrible date here when I was like 16, this is a true story,” she confessed to SLN. “Basically, I got tricked into coming on this date. He surprised me, coming backstage to the Opry, which was very sweet because he knew I loved Carrie Underwood and she was playing that night. I met Carrie Underwood on a terrible date, backstage at the Opry. It’s very redeeming tonight to be able to just play the show with her.”

Whether she’s gracing the coveted stage of the Grand Ole Opry, or singing through the radio airwaves, Ballerini has proven herself to be Country music’s newest golden girl, a title that she’s more than deserving of.