Kelsea Ballerini just released her sophomore Unapologetically album last November, but she might not be done with that record yet. The 24-year-old hints that she might add a few more songs on the 12-track project, before beginning to work on her next set of tunes.
“I think we’ll add a couple more songs,” Ballerini reveals to Forbes, adding that fans could get the deluxe version later this year.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Ballerini is, by her own admission, in full writing mode, especially while she’s crossing the country with Keith Urban, serving as the opening act on his Graffiti U Tour.
“I’m so in that mindset when I’m on the road,” Ballerini admits. “I’m thinking about what’s working, what they react to, what they don’t, what I’m feeling, what I’m going through. It’s like I’m in this bubble headspace of music. So it’s a good time for me to get it all done at once.”
The “I Hate Love Songs” singer doesn’t have much down time while on tour, which suits her just fine.
“I’m having some of my fave writers come out and ride the bus,” Ballerini shares. “During the day, we write songs and at night, I go open up for Keith.”
Ballerini scored a No. 1 hit with her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It,” a pop-country crossover that didn’t necessarily lend itself to what country music was accepting, especially from a female artist. But Ballerini has been adamant in staying true to music she likes, regardless of whether she thinks it has commercial appeal โ a risk that is working for her, at least so far.
“I’ve found that there’s a lot of power in whatever you’re feeling,” Ballerini notes. “What I mean by that is, I feel like people now make you feel like you can be happy, but not too happy. You can be sad, but not too sad. I’ve found a lot of power in just being the extreme emotion I’m feeling and writing with that perspective in mind and not sugar-coating stuff for the sake of what’s commercial.”
The Tennessee native joins Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Carly Pearce and Maren Morris as part of a handful of females who are currently finding success on the charts, which Ballerini credits, at least in part, to radio stations across the country who have believed in her and her music from the beginning.
“I credit a lot of my career to radio,” concedes Ballerini. “They jumped on board with my stuff at a time where there weren’t a lot of females on the radio. They decided to champion me. They’re patient with me, I’m patient with them. We have a really good working relationship. We’ll definitely get a couple more singles off this record.”
Purchase Unapologetically at KelseaBallerini.com.
Photo Credit: Getty images/Rick Diamond