Kelsea Ballerini has been a personal hero of mine since I started learning to write songs. She was able to take a career from singer-songwriter to country icon in a very short amount of time. It’s a huge inspiration to me that she keeps a personal touch in all of her songs. It is important for her to stay a fundamental part of the writing process. She shows the way for small artists like me to follow in her footsteps.

She is the first female country artist in history to have her first three singles reach number one. “Love Me Like You Mean It,” “Dibs” and “Peter Pan” from her album The First Time helped to create a dedicated fan base quickly. She talks in interviews waiting in line for hours and saving for weeks to get a chance to even meet her own personal country idols — something I’m no stranger to.

Kelsea was able to take fans on a journey as she matured in adulthood with Unapologetically. She maintained writing and co-writing all of her own songs, in spite of being surrounded by so much established talent in the Nashville community.

While I continue my own journey songwriting and releasing music, I’ll continue to be a devoted fan.

From Kelsey to Kelsea ❤️