Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini is an American country-pop singer-songwriter born on September 12, 1993, in Mascot, Tennessee, and raised in nearby Knoxville. She began writing songs at the age of 13, and by 15, she moved to Nashville to pursue a music career. In 2014, she signed with Black River Entertainment and released her debut single, "Love Me Like You Mean It," which topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making her the first solo female artist to achieve this with a debut single since Carrie Underwood in 2006.

Ballerini's discography includes five studio albums: The First Time (2015), Unapologetically (2017), Kelsea (2020), Subject to Change (2022), and Patterns (2024). Her 2023 EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, received critical acclaim for its candid exploration of her personal experiences, including her divorce from fellow country artist Morgan Evans.

Beyond her music, Ballerini has been recognized with multiple Grammy nominations and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2019 as its youngest member at the time. She has also served as a coach on NBC's The Voice and hosted the 2024 CMT Music Awards.