I am very embarrassed to say this, but before 2021, I did not know who Kelsea Ballerini was. However, I went to a concert and she was opening for the band I was seeing. I was instantly intrigued. I started listening to her music and was very excited when she announced that her upcoming album “Subject to Change” was coming in 2022. I love that album so much. Once it was released, I was listening to it almost daily. My favorite songs on the album are “Subject to Change”, “Heartfirst”, and “Doin’ My Best” but I truly think every song is very well done. I love this album because I think it’s really inspiring. What I take away from it and the title is that we are all subject to change, growing up can be hard, and real growth is a process. I sadly was not able to see her perform any of these songs in person, but I am so thankful for the album because it was the majority of what I listened to during the fall of 2022.
Flashforward to the beginning of 2023: on February 14th, she released a six song EP titled “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” all about her healing process and recent divorce. Now, I loved her other album because I felt like I connected with the lyrics, so I will admit I was not sure how I would feel about these new six songs because I have never been divorced personally, however, I am here to report it does not matter if you have never been divorced. I have been listening to the album a ton and even though I do not know Kelsea personally and this will probably make me sound silly, I am so impressed with her ability to tell a story through song. Each song is carefully crafted to tell her side of the story and it is impressive.
To sum all of this up, Kelsea is crushing it. She has put out two impressive sets of songs with different meanings. Even though this is not why she wrote them, her listeners now have choices depending on their mood; if they feel inspired and excited, the “Subject to Change” album is perfect to listen to, and if you want to get into some more serious and deep feelings, “Rolling up the Welcome Mat” is perfect for that. The best part is that this success doesn’t stop there. She will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on March 4th. I am really excited for Kelsea and all that she has done and am so happy I found her music.