Kelsea Ballerini’s ‘Patterns’ and the Songs That Tell Her Stories
Fresh off her massive and epic album launch party at Madison Square Garden, Kelsea Ballerini is gracious enough to stop by Backstage Country with Kelly Ford to learn the ropes of hosting a successful radio show. And naturally, she shared some secrets behind her latest songs for all the listeners!
“Cowboys Cry Too”
When asked by Ford about her collaboration with Noah Kahan on the song “Cowboys Cry Too,” Ballerini said that it was one of the first tracks she wrote for Patterns. “I started it on my back porch late last year in the fall, and honestly, I was just thinking about how I feel very lucky in this season of my life to have a lot of men around me that are very emotional and not scared to kind of go there in conversation. And I really wanted to write a song that honored them.” Ballerini also found it compelling to explore the topic of toxic masculinity from a woman’s perspective.
As for Noah Kahan, she revealed they met at the Grammys, and she’s a huge fan. “I just think ‘Stick Season’ and the record as a whole is like, it’s songwriting gold. He is such a lyricist, so good,” she added.
“Sorry Mom”
Ballerini shared that many people have told her they send the song to their mothers, which she considers the highest compliment. “I’m really close with my mom. She moved me to Nashville when I was 15 to do this. And so, we’ve always been really, really close,” she explained.
While she appreciates all the things her mother has done for her; she admits that her mom can be a “bit of a helicopter mom” but that she understands since she knows her mother wants her to be safe. “But I think sometimes as a kid, you have to do things your own way and sometimes learn the hard way or just make decisions that your parents wouldn’t make for you,” Ballerini admitted the song is a love letter for her mom and how she loves their relationship now.
“Baggage”
“Baggage” is a song that everyone can relate to. As Kelsea Ballerini explains, the song is about “Taking ownership and pride in our past, our history and being like, hey, I really love you and want to take the next step in this relationship. This is what I’m coming in with. I’m not ashamed of it. This is my life. It’s made me who I am and who I am, hopefully someone that you love. And you know, I’ve got baggage, but I’m moving in.” It’s a beautiful way of expressing unconditional love and self-acceptance.
If you haven’t already, you can order Kelsea Ballerini’s latest album Patterns on CD here and in vinyl here and here.
