Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kelsea Ballerini

Discover the career path of Kelsea Ballerini, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kelsea Ballerini is an accomplished American singer, songwriter, and actress, achieving prominence in the 2010s. A five-time Grammy Award nominee, her talent has been recognized with accolades such as the Gene Weed Milestone Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Rising Star Award at the Billboard Women in Music event. Her success solidifies her presence in the country music scene.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1992: Wynonna Judd Accomplishment

In 1992, Wynonna Judd accomplished the feat of being the first solo female to send her first three singles to number one, a milestone later matched by Kelsea Ballerini.

2001: Jamie O'Neal's Success

In 2001, Jamie O'Neal was the last solo female country music artist before Kelsea Ballerini to score back-to-back number one hits with her first two singles.

2006: Carrie Underwood's Debut

In 2006, Carrie Underwood was the last female artist before Kelsea Ballerini to send a debut single to the top of the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.

October 2014: Debut Single Release

In October 2014, Kelsea Ballerini released her debut single "Love Me Like You Mean It", marking her entry into the country music scene.

2014: Signs with Black River Entertainment

In 2014, Kelsea Ballerini signed a contract with Black River Entertainment, marking a significant step in her early career.

February 14, 2015: Grand Ole Opry Debut

On February 14, 2015, Kelsea Ballerini performed for the first time at the Grand Ole Opry, singing "Love Me Like You Mean It."

May 19, 2015: Releases The First Time

On May 19, 2015, Kelsea Ballerini's debut album, The First Time, was released through Black River, establishing her presence in the music industry.

July 4, 2015: "Love Me Like You Mean It" Reaches Number One

On July 4, 2015, "Love Me Like You Mean It" reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Ballerini the first solo female country artist to achieve this with her debut single since Carrie Underwood in 2006.

March 21, 2016: "Peter Pan" Released to Country Radio

On March 21, 2016, Kelsea Ballerini's single "Peter Pan" was released to country radio, further solidifying her position in the country music scene.

October 10, 2016: "Yeah Boy" Released to Country Radio

On October 10, 2016, Kelsea Ballerini released "Yeah Boy" to country radio, the fourth single from her album.

June 2017: "Legends" Release

In June 2017, Kelsea Ballerini released "Legends" as the first single from her second studio album.

2017: Release of Unapologetically

In 2017, Kelsea Ballerini released her second studio album, Unapologetically, which contributed to her success in the country music scene.

September 2018: Deluxe Album Announcement

In September 2018, Kelsea Ballerini announced that she would be releasing a deluxe edition of her album with four new tracks.

September 18, 2018: Collaboration with The Chainsmokers

On September 18, 2018, The Chainsmokers released a song titled "This Feeling" featuring Kelsea Ballerini, which later was performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in November of the same year.

October 2018: Releases "We Were Like"

In October 2018, Kelsea Ballerini released the song "We Were Like."

December 2018: Grammy Nomination

In December 2018, Kelsea Ballerini's album Unapologetically received a nomination for Best Country Album at the 61st annual Grammy Awards.

March 5, 2019: Invited to Join the Grand Ole Opry

On March 5, 2019, Kelsea Ballerini was invited by Little Big Town to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, marking a significant honor in her career.

April 2019: Miss Me More Tour

In April 2019, Kelsea Ballerini embarked on the Miss Me More Tour in support of her album Unapologetically, achieving success with multiple sold-out dates.

April 16, 2019: Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry

On April 16, 2019, Kelsea Ballerini was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Carrie Underwood, solidifying her status in country music.

June 2019: Guest on Songland

In June 2019, Kelsea Ballerini was a guest on the NBC competition show Songland and released the song "Better Luck Next Time."

July 2019: Third Album Completion

In July 2019, Kelsea Ballerini confirmed on Instagram that work on her third studio album was complete.

September 6, 2019: "Homecoming Queen?" Release

On September 6, 2019, Kelsea Ballerini released "Homecoming Queen?" as the first single off her then upcoming third album, debuting at number 22 on the Country Airplay chart.

January 20, 2020: Album Title Reveal

On January 20, 2020, Kelsea Ballerini confirmed that her third album would be self-titled (Kelsea) and would be released March 20, 2020. A promotional single, "LA" was also released.

March 20, 2020: Release of Kelsea

On March 20, 2020, Kelsea's self-titled album, Kelsea, was released. She also released the single "Hole in the Bottle" prior on February 28.

September 11, 2020: Releases Ballerini

On September 11, 2020, Kelsea Ballerini released Ballerini, a counterpart album to Kelsea featuring stripped-down versions of the songs.

October 16, 2020: Double Album Release

As of October 16, 2020, Kelsea and Ballerini were available for physical purchase as a double album, exclusively at Target.

2020: Releases Kelsea and Ballerini

In 2020, Kelsea Ballerini released her third studio album, Kelsea, and its acoustic counterpart, Ballerini, showcasing different sides of her artistry.

November 16, 2021: Release of Feel Your Way Through

On November 16, 2021, Kelsea Ballerini's debut book of poetry, Feel Your Way Through, was released.

March 2022: "Heartfirst" Announcement

In March 2022 Kelsea Ballerini announced that "Heartfirst" would be released April 8, 2022.

April 8, 2022: "Heartfirst" Release

On April 8, 2022, Kelsea Ballerini released "Heartfirst" as the first single from her fourth studio album, Subject to Change.

July 7, 2022: "Heartfirst" Music Video Premiere

On July 7, 2022, the music video for Kelsea Ballerini's song "Heartfirst" premiered.

July 15, 2022: "Love is a Cowboy" Release

On July 15, 2022, Kelsea Ballerini released a promotional single, "Love is a Cowboy," along with its official music video.

September 23, 2022: Releases Subject to Change Album

On September 23, 2022, Kelsea Ballerini's album Subject to Change was released.

November 2022: "Heartfirst" Grammy Nomination

In November 2022, "Heartfirst" was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

December 5, 2022: "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" Release

On December 5, 2022, Kelsea Ballerini released "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" as the second single from her album.

2022: Releases Subject to Change

In 2022, Kelsea Ballerini released her fourth studio album, Subject to Change, continuing to evolve her sound and style.

February 13, 2023: Rolling Up the Welcome Mat Announcement

On February 13, 2023, Kelsea Ballerini announced that her short film and EP Rolling Up the Welcome Mat would be released the next day.

March 5, 2023: Saturday Night Live Performance

On March 5, 2023, Kelsea Ballerini promoted her EP by performing "Blindsided" and "Penthouse" on Saturday Night Live.

2023: Releases Rolling Up the Welcome Mat

In 2023, Kelsea Ballerini released her second EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, further exploring her musical direction.

June 28, 2024: "Cowboys Cry Too" Release

On June 28, 2024, Kelsea Ballerini released a collaboration with Noah Kahan called "Cowboys Cry Too," the first single from her fifth studio album.

August 8, 2024: Patterns Album Announcement

On August 8, 2024, Kelsea Ballerini announced her fifth studio album would be called Patterns, and that the song "Sorry Mom" would be released the following day.