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Kelsea Ballerini talks pressure, #TimesUp and avoiding the sophomore slump

 
Kelsea Ballerini performs onstage for the opening night of The Unapologetically Tour at The Alabama Theatre on February 8, 2018 in Birmingham, Alabama.  (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Iconic Entertainment)
Kelsea Ballerini performs onstage for the opening night of The Unapologetically Tour at The Alabama Theatre on February 8, 2018 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Iconic Entertainment)
Published Feb. 13, 2018

There's a reason you didn't see Kelsea Ballerini at this year's Grammys.

"Last year was my first year going because I was nominated, and I realized while sitting there that I feel like it's the kind of thing you want to show up to when you have a reason to show up, you know?" Ballerini said by phone from her home in Nashville. "Hopefully next year I'll have reason to go."

It's not a bad bet. Over the past four years, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter has charmed the country world with her out-of-nowhere rise.

Ballerini was an unknown independent from Knoxville, Tenn., when her debut single Love Me Like You Mean It rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart — the first time that'd happened for a solo female act since Carrie Underwood. Two even bigger singles, Dibs and Peter Pan, came next. Almost before the world fully caught on, Ballerini got a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and three straight nods for the CMAs' Female Vocalist of the Year.

At that point, Ballerini had every reason to go pop, much like the artist to whom she's most frequently compared: Taylor Swift. Instead, last fall, she released her sophomore album Unapologetically, which fleshes out her modern sound without relinquishing her country roots. Just like on her first album, Ballerini wrote or co-wrote every song.

In December, Ballerini married fellow country singer Morgan Evans. Later this year, she'll hit the road with Keith Urban. But first, she's on a headlining tour that hits Ruth Eckerd Hall on Friday. Before the show, she talked about avoiding the sophomore slump and more.

If you put out a sophomore album, and it doesn't sell the same or get nominated for Grammys or CMAs, does it mess with your spirit?

The first album had songs that got attention, particularly Peter Pan. But this one, for me, I tried to make a record. I didn't want to make 12 songs that I liked that randomly kind of went together. I wanted to make it like a story and a concept. If you listen to the record from top to bottom, it takes you through my emotional journey the last few years. That's why I really do want the album to be heard, not just the singles that we put out.

Nobody would have faulted you if you'd done a single with Migos or something. But you clearly held back from going full pop. Is that something you had to temper your desire to do?

No, I feel like we went more pop on this record. But I feel like we also went into country. As a songwriter, I love to write whatever I'm inspired by. There are songs on this record like Miss Me More, which is definitely more pop, but then there's also songs like I Hate Love Songs, which are more country than anything on my first record. I just explored a little bit more of those boundaries, which is really fun.

Was there any point where you worried, "What do I do with this? How do I not squander it? How do I not lose this opportunity?"

Yeah, all the time, I worry about that. I think I realized it's not just about talent. It's about being really kind, being really intentional and outworking everyone else. Those are the things that get you respect and love and friendship and goodwill from people. And vice versa.

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How long did you feel underestimated? Was there a point where you felt like people understood what you could bring to the table?

I'll let you know if I ever feel like that. (laughs)

Now you're a wise old sage of 24, how do you see your platform? Let's just take as an example the #TimesUp/#MeToo movement that's sweeping through the entertainment world. Is that something you feel an obligation to be involved with?

As far as any movement, especially political stuff, when I feel really passionate about something, or if I have a story to tell about something, I'll always speak up. But there are also times where I'm like, listen, I'm a singer, and this is one of those times when my voice should be heard through my music. It just depends on the movement and the moment and the situation.

Congratulations on getting married. Have you settled into any semblance of a routine life yet?

Our normal is not very normal. Our normal is, "I'll see you Monday, have a good week on the road!" But yeah, absolutely, we got a lot of time to enjoy that honeymoon phase, and now we're both back to doing what we love. That's amazing, to be parallels and walk our dreams together and then meet up for a couple of days a week and be like, Ah, this is so fun!

Contact Jay Cridlin at cridlin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8336. Follow @JayCridlin.