Kelsea Ballerini Wants to Bring Unity in Country Music

Kelsea Ballerini might be one of the most successful country artists of the last several years, but she isn't about to use her fame and notoriety to promote her own cause. The 24-year-old chooses not to discuss politics or other controversial items, mostly because she doesn't want herself or her music to be a cause for taking sides.

"I feel like my job is to be positive and encouraging and empowering to women, and that's what I speak about through my music," Ballerini tells Yahoo! Lifestyle's Loud and Clear. "That's what I use my platform for, and what I feel really, really strongly about. I feel like that's the influence I can make."

Ballerini has become known as a role model for female artists, although it's a torch she didn't intentionally carry. But if she can help unite female artists, and inspire them to help each other, then she will gladly continue that job.

"I didn't really mean to kind of take on that role," insists Ballerini. "I'm constantly seeing articles, and people posting about 'Who's your country queen? This person or this person?' And it makes all of us feel like there's only one spot. And then, when you feel like there's only one spot, even if you want to be friends with all the other girls, there's this weird negative, competitive energy in the room. That makes you feel awkward, like you can't be their friend."

Not only does Ballerini hope to bring female artists together, she hopes to also bring more fans to country music, dispelling several myths about the genre she loves.

"I feel like country music has this stigma still, where it's all about the fiddle and the truck," Ballerini laments. "Obviously that's still a part of it, and it's in the roots, and I hope that it always is a part of it. It's about the story and about the emotions of the human heart. Not necessarily the clichés of beer, truck, dog, cheating."

The wife of singer Morgan Evans has several things she still wants to accomplish, and chances are good she will succeed at all of them.

"I have a goal list," reveals Ballerini. "It's just literally like a word document, I swear. And it just not only lists goals but things that I want to partner with, things that I want to do by this time. I think it's important to know what you want. I think when people start taking you seriously is when you start taking you seriously. "

Ballerini is serving as the opening act on Keith Urban's Graffiti U Tour. Dates can be found at KelseaBallerini.com.

Photo Credit: Instagram/kelseaballerini