Kelsea Ballerini questioned music career after watching hometown friends living in Knoxville

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Kelsea Ballerini is gearing as much as launch her fifth studio album, however admits that she as soon as had doubts about persevering with along with her music career.

During a brand new interview with Women’s Health journal, the 31-year-old nation star recalled feeling burned out after years of touring and seeing the distinction between her life-style and people of her friends in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.

“I’d been on the road for four years, and I was exhausted,” the “Miss Me More” singer mentioned. “I was married [to Australian country singer Morgan Evans], and I was looking around at all my friends who have 9-to-5 jobs and still live in my hometown, and I was realizing I felt really removed, really different.”

KELSEA BALLERINI, ‘OUTER BANKS’ STAR CHASE STOKES SPARK ROMANCE RUMORS AFTER FLIRTY EXCHANGES

kelsea ballerini holding microphone

Kelsea Ballerini revealed that she as soon as contemplated stepping away from her music career. (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)

She continued, “I was starting to have questions like, ‘What is driving me? Is missing Mom’s birthday worth it? Am I okay? And am I happy?’”

Ballerini instructed Women’s Health that the uncertainties that she started to have about her future at age 24 led her to hunt out skilled assist.

The singer had been to remedy twice earlier than, however not by her personal volition. She was despatched to court-ordered remedy at age 12 after her mother and father’ divorce. A few years later, she was mandated to attend counseling classes after witnessing a faculty taking pictures at her Knoxville’s Central High School.

“I couldn’t answer these fundamental questions I should have been able to answer, so I got back into therapy, by my choice, and fell in love with it,” she instructed Women’s Health.

kelsea ballerini sitting in a locker room of her high school in 2017

In 2017, Ballerini carried out at Central High School, the place she witnessed a faculty taking pictures when she was 14. (John Shearer/Getty Images for Tennessee Department of Tourist Development)

During a 2017 interview with Parade, Ballerini defined that when she was rising up, she believed {that a} skilled career in music was out of attain for her and that she would most certainly by no means depart her hometown. 

“I was from Knoxville, and I always thought I was going to stay there and be a vet,” she mentioned. “I didn’t think that you could just choose to be a singer and go pursue it and be [the next] Carrie Underwood.”

 “I was starting to have questions like, ‘What is driving me? Is missing Mom’s birthday worth it? Am I okay? And am I happy?’”

— Kelsea Ballerini

Ballerini began writing songs on the age of 12 and started dreaming of transferring to Nashville after being impressed by Taylor Swift, who debuted as a rustic singer when she was 16. 

“I used to be like, ‘Oh, my gosh. She moved to Nashville. She’s young like me. Maybe I could do that, too,'” she recalled.

Ballerini and her mother moved to Music City three years later. After high school, she went on to attend Nashville’s Lipscomb University but dropped out after two years to focus on music. In 2014, at age 19, Ballerini landed a publishing deal with Black River Entertainment, and the label signed her to a recording contract later that year. 

In 2015, she skyrocketed to fame after releasing her debut studio album “The First Time,” which featured three songs that topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart and was later certified platinum. 

kelsea ballerini performing in 2015

The singer rose to fame in 2015. (Cooper Neil/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcp)

Since then, Ballerini has released four albums that reached number one on the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, with 2017’s “Unapologetcally” and 2020’s “kelsea” each incomes gold certifications. The singer’s accolades embody two Academy of Country Music Awards, two Country Music Association Awards, one CMT award and 4 Grammy Award nominations.

Ballerini beforehand shared that the music video for her 2020 tune with Kenny Chesney, which was titled “Half of My Hometown,” depicted “what my life would be like” if she had by no means left Knoxville in the music video.

“I love when a video can kind of make the song have a new meaning and bring a new life to it,” she mentioned in an interview with People journal. “And we wanted to do that with this one, just because it is so personal.”

Ballerini continued, “It feels very comfortable and very easy to play, because I think it’s a very realistic picture of what my life would be like had I stayed.”

Kelsea Ballerini offstage with a guitar

Kelsea Ballerini moved to Nashville after being impressed by Taylor Swift.  (John Shearer/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

“I moved when I was 15 to Nashville, and I couldn’t wait to leave. All I wanted was to go to Nashville and figure out how to be a country music singer” she recalled. “So in my mind, Knoxville was the place that was holding me back.”

However, Ballerini instructed People that she now believed she “wouldn’t be the artist or the songwriter or the person I am if I hadn’t had those 15 years here.”

“I have a huge appreciation and respect for it now,” the “Peter Pan” hitmaker mentioned. “I love my hometown.”

“It brings joy to my heart to know that I did leave, right? I got to chase this dream and that I’m getting to come back and like appreciate the life that I maybe could have had had I stayed,” she mentioned. 

“It’s a very interesting juxtaposition, but it makes me happy,” Ballerini added.

Kelsea Ballerini stuns in a yellow dress and updo at the Grammy Awards

Ballerini mirrored on how her life would have been if she had by no means left Knoxville, in her 2020 tune “Half of My Hometown.” (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

In February 2023, Ballerini launched her EP “Rolling Up The Welcome Mat,” which explored her extremely publicized divorce from Evans. The former couple tied the knot in 2017 however break up in 2022.

During a September 2023 interview with Time journal, Ballerini attributed her success to “being wired like a workhorse.” She instructed the outlet that she can be taking time without work from specializing in her career to “live a life worth writing about.”

In June, NBC introduced that Ballerini would be a part of the teaching panel for the twenty seventh season of the singing competitors collection “The Voice” alongside Adam Levinie, John Legend and Michael Bublé.

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Morgan Evans and Kelsea Ballerini snuggle up for a photo

Morgan Evans and Kelsea Ballerini married in 2017 and divorced in 2022. (John Shearer)

Though Ballerini has beforehand appeared on “The Voice” as a coach throughout The Comeback Stage of season 15, a battle advisor for Kelly Clarkson’s staff throughout season 16, and quickly stuffed in for Clarkson in season 2020, she instructed Women’s Health that she was nervous about her new full-time function on the present, which premiered final month.

“I’ve gotten to the point where, if people don’t like my music, I’m like, ‘Fair enough. Not everything is for everyone,’” Ballerini mentioned. 

“It was the first time I was putting myself in a position where people are just not going to like me,” she added.

Ballerini consulted her therapist about her anxieties, and so they determined that her method can be to observe her episodes, assess her personal efficiency and request notes from the producers. 

However, the singer deliberate to keep away from scouring the Internet and social media for adverse reactions and criticism.

“There’s still that little know-it-all in me that has to know the full scope of it,” Ballerini instructed Women’s Health. “It’s now on me to choose the right [course of action].”

Ballerini is a coach on the 27th season of "The Voice."

Ballerini is a coach on the twenty seventh season of “The Voice.” (Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank by way of Getty Images)

Ballerini can also be set to make her appearing debut, guest-starring in the ABC medical drama collection “Doctor Odyssey.” She instructed the outlet that she was additionally anxious in regards to the gig however determined to problem herself.

“[Acting] was one of the things that I was like, ‘Run toward the things that scare you!’” she mentioned. “What if I suck on TV? Then you know what I do? I’ll go put on my glitter and go back onstage. That’s always going to be home base.”

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Ballerini mentioned that she sought recommendation from her boyfriend Chase Stokes, who stars on the Netflix teen drama “Outer Banks.” The pair first sparked relationship rumors in January 2023, and Ballerini confirmed their romance a month later.

A photo of Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini kissing

Kelsea Ballerini shares a kiss with boyfriend Chase Stokes on the 2024 CMT Music Awards. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for CMT)

The singer instructed Women’s Health that she has beforehand helped Stokes when he has taken on appearing tasks which have musical parts.

Speaking of their relationship, Ballerini defined, “Chase is also a Virgo, and we’re very kindred in 90 percent of the ways.”

“It’s been such a beautiful journey to figure out how to be in a relationship with someone who’s truly a mirror of you,” she added.

Ballerini is ready to launch her fifth studio album “Patterns” on Oct. 25. She instructed Women’s Health that the file is a “love letter to self-assessment” and a mirrored image of her mindset as she comes into her 30s.

“I crammed so much life into my 20s, and I’ve done a lot of work to be able to stand by all that life, learn a lot from it, and appreciate all of it for what it’s been,” she mentioned.

kelsea ballerini with chase stokes

Ballerini and Stokes have been relationship since 2023. (Jay Conlon)

She instructed the outlet that “Patterns” is “about finding the ones that serve you and appreciating and celebrating those, and then finding the ones that don’t—where they come from and how they relate to your interpersonal relationships.”

The singer defined that the album may even discover how she and Stokes have settled into their relationship. 

“It’s taken a lot of really intentional work, and you hear that throughout this new album,” she mentioned. 

“It’s not not a record full of love,” Ballerini famous. “It is, but it’s the nuance of it, and it’s the in-between moments. How do we get to the happy-go-lucky, mushy-gushy phase? This is the process, but it took a lot of sorting through baggage together. I think we’re both really proud of that.”

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After her painful divorce, the singer defined how she has reached a spot of contentment and self-empowerment as she strikes ahead breaking outdated patterns and creating new, more healthy ones.

“I’m happy, and I’m in control of that happiness,” she instructed Women’s Health. “I feel grateful to have the people in my life that I do and to be able to put out a record on this level and play the rooms that I’ve always wanted to and also go home to my dogs.”

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